From: Marcus Jackson
Marlon and Marcus Foundation
One of only 10 former Major League players selected by Major League Baseball to coach during 2026 All-Star Weekend. A historic honor. A full-circle moment. A legacy of impact.
The Marlon & Marcus Foundation is proud to announce that Marlon Anderson, former Major League Baseball player and Philadelphia Phillies fan favorite, has been selected by Major League Baseball to serve as a coach at the 2026 MLB HBCU Swingman Classic.
The annual event, founded by Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. and presented by USA Baseball, celebrates the legacy, culture, and contributions of HBCU student-athletes, set for July 10 during All-Star Weekend at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, home of the Phillies. The game will air live on MLB Network.
Anderson starred at the University of South Alabama, where he was a two-time All-Sun Belt Conference selection (1994 and 1995), named to the Sun Belt Conference’s 30-Year Anniversary Team, and tabbed a first-team All-American by three national publications, including Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball, following his 1995 season, when he was also named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the second round of the 1995 MLB Draft and went on to enjoy a 12-year major league career.
In 2006, as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Anderson hit a home run that was part of a record-tying four-consecutive-home-run inning — just the fourth time in MLB history since 1900 a team accomplished the feat. The bat from that at-bat was placed in the permanent collection of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Anderson was inducted into the University of South Alabama Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008 and was recently named a Sun Belt Baseball Legend as part of the conference’s 50th-anniversary celebration.
Today, Anderson continues to invest in the next generation through coaching, mentorship, and his work with the Marlon & Marcus Foundation, where he and Co-Founder Marcus Jackson, Prattville City Councilman, lead initiatives in education, youth development, and community enrichment, including the Foundation’s CACC Workforce Scholarship.
“Marlon’s selection is about more than baseball — it’s about legacy,” said Marcus Jackson, Prattville City Councilman and Co-Founder of the Marlon & Marcus Foundation. “He’s a role model who continues to break barriers and open doors for young people. This honor from Major League Baseball is well deserved, and our entire community is proud.”
Major League Baseball selected Anderson as one of 10 assistant coaches for the 2026 HBCU Swingman Classic, serving on the American League staff led by manager Rickie Weeks. The National League squad is managed by 2007 NL MVP Jimmy Rollins, with a coaching staff that includes Wes Chamberlain, Wayne Gomes, Jason Maxwell, Milt Thompson, and Lenny Webster. Anderson joins fellow American League assistant coaches Courtney Duncan, Derrick Lewis, Jemile Weeks, and Corey Wimberly.
Hosted as part of Major League Baseball’s All-Star Weekend festivities, the HBCU Swingman Classic showcases 50 of the nation’s top HBCU baseball players while celebrating the rich legacy of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Anderson’s selection as a coach reflects both his distinguished Major League career and his continued commitment to mentoring the next generation of student-athletes.
