Clemson Alum Makes History at MLB Speedway Classic with 2 HR Day

The former Clemson Tigers outfielder stole the show as the Atlanta Braves won a historic game in Tennessee

It was the Eli White show in Bristol | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Eli White seems to be truly embracing the spirit of the Speedway Classic– as in, he really, REALLY, seems to like to turn left– especially around third base.

The former Clemson Tigers outfielder, who came in for the recently re-injured Ronald Acuña Jr, has had something of a rough season in the former MVP’s shadow, batting just .255 with very limited opportunities.

That momentum seemed to shift on Sunday, though, as White put the league on notice with a pair of crushed home runs, both of which would’ve counted in every single major league ballpark.

White’s first big fly came in the top of the second, as he took Brent Suter’s 1-2 hung changeup 411 feet to left, driving in both Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies. This shot gave the Braves their first runs of the day, as well as a 3-1 lead over the Reds.

Then, White grounded out to short in his second at-bat before crushing an even longer homer, this time courtesy of a Scott Barlow 0-1 sinker that caught the bottom edge of the zone. White, with what seemed to be a three-quarter swing, dug it out and sent it 413 feet right back over the left-center wall, propelling the Braves to a 4-2 lead.

“Yeah, I like, kinda blacked out, honestly, running around the bases,” White admitted in an interview. “The bullpen was getting on me when I went out there to right because I didn’t acknowledge them… That was a super cool experience just to be able to come through for the team, getting a few runs on the board is big.”

The 31-year-old has been scratching and clawing his way up through the league over the last few years, posting his first positive WAR just last year. The Clemson graduate has played for both the Rangers and Braves organizations and seen a decent amount of playing time for both, though he’s never been particularly well-known.

Despite that, the fact remains that every single home run hit in the state of Tennessee, in Major League history, has been hit by Eli White– which, niche as it is, is history for the role player. Plus, he’s the only person to have ever been responsible for the Speedway Classic “Home Run Car,” a red, white and blue Corvette that takes a hot lap anytime a player goes yard in Bristol.

White played for Clemson from 2014 to 2016. He made his mark on the basepaths, stealing 24 bases in his final season with the Tigers.