EUGENE, Ore. – The field is set for Saturday’s 2nd Annual Alumni Weekend Home Run Derby with 13 former Ducks vying to take home the Ducks’ Home Run Derby crown.
The field consists of Ducks that played between 2015 and 2023 and includes both former pitchers and hitters. The alumni will open the home run derby with a solo first round to cut the field to eight sluggers who will then pair with eight current Ducks for the remainder of the derby.
The field is highlighted by defending champion Hunter Breault who teamed with Dominic Hellman to win the inaugural home run derby last November. Breault, who pitches in the Oakland A’s minor league system, is joined by six other former Ducks – Robert Ahlstrom, Christian Ciuffetelli, Rikuu Nishida, Colby Shade, Tim Susnara and Kenyon Yovan – who are also playing minor league baseball. Nishida and Shade are joined by three other former Ducks – Owen Diodati, Towns King and Tanner Smith – who were a part of last season’s Pac-12 Tournament champions that advanced to the Super Regionals.
The home run derby begins at 10 a.m. at PK Park. Ducks’ fans are invited to attend and bring their own snacks and beverages as part of their football tailgating experience before the Oregon vs. California football game.
Robert Ahlstrom (2019-21)
Ahlstrom spent three seasons in a Ducks uniform earning first-team All-Pac-12 Conference honors as a starting pitcher in 2021. The Ducks’ lefty also claimed ABCA/Rawlings second-team All-West Region honors after finishing the year with a 9-3 record and a 2.50 ERA while also earning Pac-12 All-Defensive Team honors. Ahlstrom was picked in the seventh round of the 2021 MLB Draft by the New York Yankees and then traded to the Texas Rangers. He ended the 2023 season with the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders.
Hunter Breault (2018-2021)
Breault spent four seasons with the Ducks culminating in a trip to the NCAA Eugene Regional in 2021. The Hawaii native was a key component in the back end of Oregon’s bullpen during the 2020 and 2021 seasons making 22 of his 50 career appearances. Breault was selected in the 20th round of the 2021 MLB Draft by the Oakland A’s and spent this summer playing for the High-A Lansing Lugnuts.
Christian Ciuffetelli (2019-22)
Ciuffetelli spent four seasons at Oregon helping the Ducks to back-to-back postseason appearances in 2021 and 2022. The right-handed pitcher made 50 appearances during his career including eight starts. As a senior, Ciuffetelli made a career-high 22 appearances with seven of them coming as an “opener” during the last month and a half of the season. Ciuffetelli signed with the Washington Nationals following the 2022 season and spent this season with the single-A Fredricksburg Nationals.
Drew Cowley (2022-23)
Cowley spent two seasons at Oregon leading the Ducks to 76 wins and back-to-back postseason berths including a spot in the Super Regionals last season. He earned All-America honors from both Collegiate Baseball and Perfect Game last season while being named a semifinalist for the Brooks Wallace Award. Cowley claimed first-team All-Pac-12 honors as a senior and was a two-time all-region pick. Cowley ranks in the top 10 at Oregon in seven career categories, including first in program history in slugging percentage and second in batting average and on-base percentage.
Owen Diodati (2023)
Diodati capped his four-year college career playing at Oregon last season after spending the first three years at Alabama. The Ducks’ outfielder made 15 starts while helping Oregon advance to Super Regionals for just the second time in program history. During his four-year career, Diodati blasted 25 home runs, which would rank fourth all-time at Oregon.
Jakob Goldfarb (2015-19)
Goldfarb spent five seasons at Oregon finishing among the program’s all-time leaders in hits, doubles, walks, hit-by-pitches and outfield assists. He played in 183 games in a Ducks’ uniform, starting 152 while batting over .300 each of his last two seasons in Eugene. A three-time Pac-12 Conference All-Academic selection, Goldfarb earned honorable mention honors on the field from the Pac-12 in 2018. Selected in the 24th round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox, Goldfarb is still playing professionally while also playing for Israel in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Towns King (2023)
King capped his five-year college career playing at Oregon last season after spending the first four years at Samford. King made two starts for the Ducks helping them advance to the Super Regionals after playing in 129 games at Samford. During his career, King hit 17 homers and was named the SoCon Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 2021.
Daniel Patzlaff (2015-2018)
Patzlaff spent four seasons with the Ducks including being a member of the 2015 team that advanced to the Springfield Regional in Springfield, Missouri. During his four seasons at Oregon, Patzlaff played in 186 games making 141 starts. He hit four career homers with two coming during the 2017 season.
Rikuu Nishida (2023)
Nishida spent the 2023 season at Oregon helping lead the Ducks to a Pac-12 Tournament championship and a spot in the Super Regionals. The Ducks’ leadoff hitter was named honorable mention All-Pac-12 Conference and capped his season being named the MVP of the Nashville Regional Tournament where he batted .500 with two doubles, three RBI, seven runs scored and two stolen bases. After setting a school record with 25 stolen bases, Nishida was drafted in the 11th round of the 2023 MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox and spent this summer playing for the Single-A Kannapolis Cannon Ballers.
Colby Shade (2021-2023)
Shade spent three years at Oregon helping lead the Ducks the three consecutive trips to the postseason including a trip to the Super Regionals last season as well as a Pac-12 Tournament championship. The Ducks center fielder was an ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove finalist and a member of the Pac-12 Conference All-Defensive Team and was a Pac-12 all-tournament selection. After finishing his career at Oregon sixth all-time in stolen bases, Shade was selected in the ninth round of the 2023 MLB Draft by the Miami Marlins.
Tanner Smith (2019-2023)
Smith spent five seasons at Oregon helping lead the team to three consecutive postseason appearances including a trip to the Super Regionals as a senior as well as a Pac-12 Tournament Championship. A 2022 Senior CLASS Award All-American and a 2021 Collegiate Baseball All-American, Smith finished his career as the school’s all-time leader in hits, home runs, RBI, runs scored, games started, consecutive starts, multi-hit games, doubles and at-bats. During his five seasons he hit 31 home runs including back-to-back years with 11 bombs to end his career.
Tim Susnara (2015-2017)
Susnara spent three seasons at Oregon including being a member of the 2015 team that advanced to the Springfield Regional in Springfield, Missouri. During his three-year career, the Ducks’ catcher made 137 starts while playing in 148 games and hitting seven home runs including five in 2017. Susnara was picked in the eighth round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks and spent this summer playing in the Baltimore Orioles organization, ending the season playing for the High-A Aberdeen IronBirds.
Kenyon Yovan (2017-21)
The first player in school history to earn All-America honors as both a pitcher and a hitter, Yovan spent five seasons playing for the Ducks. As a freshman, the Ducks closer claimed first-team All-America honors from the NCBWA after finishing with 15 saves. During the 2020 season, Collegiate Baseball tabbed Yovan as a first-team All-American as a DH. After being drafted twice, Yovan signed with the Los Angeles Angels as an infielder. At the end of the 2022 season, he returned to the mound in the Angels organization finishing with a 1.77 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 20.1 innings pitched. Yovan continued to pitch in the Angels organization in 2023 ending the year with the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees.
Complete List of Alumni Attending Alumni Weekend
Robert Ahlstrom (2019-21), Rich Bean (1979-80), Hunter Breault (2018-21), Sabin Ceballos (2023), Christian Ciuffetelli (2019-22), Drew Cowley (2022-23), Jerry Cunningham (1977-78), Owen Diodati (2023), Jason Drees (2017-19), Jakob Goldfarb (2015-19), Gavin Grant (2020-23), Jesse Hobiaca (2017-18), Darrell Hunter (2009, 2013-14), Cullen Kafka (2018-21), Mike Keller (1977), Towns King (2023), Adam Maier (2022), Jack Marder (2010-11), Gabe Matthews (2017-21), Scott McGough (2009-11), Ryne Nelson (2017-19), Rikuu Nishida (2023), Ray Paiement (1976-77, 1979), Daniel Patzlaff (2015-18), Kelly Richardson (1977-78), Colby Shade (2021-23), Tanner Smith (2019-23), Cooper Stiles (2014-17), Tim Susnara (2015-17), Brett Thomas (2011-13), Taylor Travess (2017-18), Vernell Warren (2012), David Wylie (2012), Kenyon Yovan (2017-21).
