Don’t Blink Crown Leaves The Bahamas

2025 Don’t Blink Home Run Derby in Paradise Winner, Jake Gatwood

After three years, the Don’t Blink Home Run Crown leaves the Bahamas courtesy of Jake Gatwood. Another successful Home Run Derby in Paradise was held at the Foreshore at Montague Beach. On December 13th, 2025, another Home Run Derby took place. An event hosted in the Bahamas by Todd Isaacs Jr & Lucius Fox Jr for Minor League & Professional Baseball players.

Derby Crown is Leaving:

For the last three derbies, the winners were local baseball players. 2022 saw Bertrum BJ Murray becoming the first local player to win the crown, followed by Rookie Baller Breyers Dean in 2023, and in 2024, Veteran Chaves Young.

Then came the 2025 Home Run Derby, and the Yankee Double-A player, Jake Gatewood, showed up for his first appearance at the derby and took the crown back to America.

However, it came down to a five swings, swing-off between the 2022 winner, BJ Murray, and Jake Gatewood. Hence, swing-off went late into the evening, plus the winds had picked up from the ocean, blowing into the hitters. So, Jake won the swing-off three home runs to two home runs.

Jake Gatewood 2025 Don’t Blink Home Run Derby Champion:

2025 Home Run Derby Winner, Jake Gatwood. With Todd Isaacs Jr & Lucius Fox Jr.

Congratulations go out to the Somerset Patriots, Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees.

Don’t Blink  also crowned a Queen:

What a new addition to the Don’t Blink Home Run Derby in Paradise. For the first time, there was a women’s division, wow! How exciting, organizers added a ladies’ division of the Home Run Derby to bring more excitement to the weekend. Most likely, this added feature will draw ladies’ softball players to the Home Run Derby.

To the winner go the spoils:

With the wind blowing in from the sea, the ladies also put on a show for the fans. Softballs were blasting out into the ocean.

Erika Piancastelli, your 2025 Home Run Queen:

Derby King & Queen. Erika Piancatelli, Left & Jake Gatwood, Right Photo by Trevere Saunders

Erika Piancatelli was determined to win the crown. With that smooth swing, she was confident with every swing she took. She came here for the top prize and got it. Congratulations!

2025 Derby on YouTube, Courtesy of Our News Bahamas.

Jeff Francis

Jeffrey was born on April 29th, 1961, in Nassau, Bahamas to Rejoiner Ann Rolle and Jerome James Francis Etienne. Married to Andrea G. Rolle-Francis, they have two daughters; Janae Latoya Francis, a graduate of Allegany College of Maryland, and Jessica Lee Francis a graduate Potomac State College West Virginia University in Kyser West Virginia. Jeffrey was coaching the sport of baseball from 1980 at the age of 18 years old because he loved the sport as a kid. He started listening to the game over the radio out of Miami Florida in the late 60s and in the early 70s started playing the game locally in various local leagues right up to the premier senior league; a league where all of the current Bahamian minor leaguers played. In 1982, Jeffrey had an invite to a three day tryout with the New York Yankees in Hollywood Florida, which was an awesome experience that is lasting a life time memory for him. Jeffrey has been following the Bahamian baseball players in the minor leagues since 1999 with Angelo Burrows, but found greater interest with the signing of Antoan Richardson in 2005. He also writes a year end review on their play on his Facebook page, Baseball Bahamas, and he has a website with the same name. He has a great following and would love to expose the baseball players to a bigger worldwide audience. He has a good relationship with all the players because he personally coached most of them. His favorite MLB Team is the Detroit Tigers from 1969.

Jeff Francis

Jeffrey was born on April 29th, 1961, in Nassau, Bahamas to Rejoiner Ann Rolle and Jerome James Francis Etienne. Married to Andrea G. Rolle-Francis, they have two daughters; Janae Latoya Francis, a graduate of Allegany College of Maryland, and Jessica Lee Francis a graduate Potomac State College West Virginia University in Kyser West Virginia. Jeffrey was coaching the sport of baseball from 1980 at the age of 18 years old because he loved the sport as a kid. He started listening to the game over the radio out of Miami Florida in the late 60s and in the early 70s started playing the game locally in various local leagues right up to the premier senior league; a league where all of the current Bahamian minor leaguers played. In 1982, Jeffrey had an invite to a three day tryout with the New York Yankees in Hollywood Florida, which was an awesome experience that is lasting a life time memory for him. Jeffrey has been following the Bahamian baseball players in the minor leagues since 1999 with Angelo Burrows, but found greater interest with the signing of Antoan Richardson in 2005. He also writes a year end review on their play on his Facebook page, Baseball Bahamas, and he has a website with the same name. He has a great following and would love to expose the baseball players to a bigger worldwide audience. He has a good relationship with all the players because he personally coached most of them. His favorite MLB Team is the Detroit Tigers from 1969.