Callan Moss out-hits Boree for 2024 Appy League Home Run Derby title

Bloomer wins Skills Challenge in front of home fans

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – The crack of the bats inside TVA Credit Union Ballpark on Monday event was not the only thunder in store, as the Appalachian League opened its 2024 All-Star festivities.

Eight contestants, four from each division, battled for long-ball supremacy in the Home Run Derby.

In the West Division semifinals, Greeneville’s Brodie Johnston out-did Kingsport’s Mason Swinney – scoring ten points to advance out of the First Round.

Johnson City’s Gunner Boree began his First Round at-bat just as the rain started pouring down and lightning flashed in the distance. Originally hitting no home runs in approximately 90 seconds, Boree was granted a fresh start by the league.

He went on to notch 10 points of his own, after a 25-minute rain delay, to defeat the top seed, Elizabethton’s Jayden Lobliner, to advance.

The West Division final was a battle. Johnston (GRN) crushed a few balls early in the round, but finished with six points, leaving the door open for Boree (JC). The Doughboy tied the score with six points of his own, forcing a 30-second tiebreaker.

Boree crushed three moonshots late in the clock to seal the deal, much to the delight of his teammates in the front row of the stadium.

However, former Johnson City Doughboy – and current Danville Otterbot – Michael Callan Moss caught a hot streak in the championship round. The Brooklyn, New York native tallied an astonishing 16 points, en route to the title.

Not even Mother Nature could slow down the righty – in fact, the weather delay gave him an extra boost.

“It actually gave me a chance to rest up,” he said. “I was a little tired after that first round, so that little rain delay gave me a lot of rest. I really liked it.”

“It felt great, being back in Johnson City where my Appy career all started,” he continued. “It was really nice – and getting the win for the East squad is always a plus, you know what I mean. I had an early exit last year, so to be able to win it this year was really fun.”

Earlier in the evening, Johnson City infielder Chase Bloomer dazzled with his accuracy at the Skills Challenge. He took home the victory with 25 points, connecting on three of his four throws across the diamond to first base.

“I just basically tried to keep it the same,” he said of his approach. “Just imagine it, not think about it too much and just throw – just see where it goes.”

“It’s an awesome experience and it adds on that it’s in Johnson City,” he said. “All our fans our out here – they’re at every game and it’s just really cool to see them all out.”

The 2024 Appalachian League All-Star Game will cap off the festivities on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 7:08 p.m.

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