A Lincoln University pitcher will represent Chester County during Major League Baseball All-Star Week in Philadelphia this summer, writes Frederick Sutton Sinclair for CBS News. 

Washington, D.C. native Solomon McKinney, a left-handed pitcher at Lincoln University, has been selected to participate in the 2026 HBCU Swingman Classic. 

The nationally televised event, founded by baseball Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., spotlights top players from Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the country, putting them in front of professional scouts and MLB executives on a national platform.

McKinney is one of only two area players selected for the showcase, joining Delaware State University sophomore Santino Harwood, a Philadelphia native and graduate of Roman Catholic High School. 

McKinney’s selection is significant as he becomes the first player from Lincoln University ever named to the Swingman Classic. Founded in 1854, Lincoln is recognized as the nation’s first degree-granting HBCU.

The sophomore is also one of several players in this year’s field who came up through Nike’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program, an initiative aimed at expanding access to the sport for young athletes in underserved communities.

The game will be played July 10 at Citizens Bank Park, kicking off All-Star Week festivities as the opening event.

Players are divided into American League and National League rosters.

McKinney will suit up for the National League team, which will be managed by former Phillies star Jimmy Rollins. Former Major League infielder Rickie Weeks will manage the American League squad. 

Read more about Solomon McKinney playing at Citizens Bank Park next month at CBS News.

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