It might be difficult to believe, but Bryce Harper is already in the midst of his eighth season with the Phillies. When Philadelphia was chosen as the host city for this year’s All-Star festivities seven years ago, Harper stood on the stage at that announcement and ever since, given his blend of star power and raw power, he has been a near-certainty to appear in the 2026 Home Run Derby.
Harper’s official confirmation took longer than expected, though. His father, who served as his pitcher during his 2018 Derby victory in Washington D.C., was no longer available, which meant Harper needed to find a sufficiently reliable replacement to throw to him in such a high-profile setting.
The Phillies’ star ultimately settled on a three-time World Series champion coach who already has Derby experience under his belt.
Here is the reasoning behind Harper’s decision to select Dodgers coach Dino Ebel as his pitcher for the 2026 Home Run Derby.
Who is throwing to Bryce Harper in the Home Run Derby?
Harper will be receiving pitches from Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel at the 2026 Home Run Derby. Despite fan enthusiasm for Harper to pursue a second Derby crown especially with the chance to win in front of his home crowd, just as he did in 2018 he did not commit to the event until a few days beforehand, partly because he lacked a confirmed pitching option.
“Then once I thought about it more and more,” Harper told The Athletic, “knowing the fans want me to do it, my kids are going to be able to remember it things like that sparked my interest a little bit more.”
After considering his alternatives, Harper chose Ebel to pitch to him at Citizens Bank Park, going with someone he had built a rapport with at another major baseball event earlier in 2026.
“He throws a really good BP,” Harper said of Ebel, per The Athletic. “I think the tough part is I won’t be able to see him before the Derby really to practice or anything else. So we’re trying to go into it a little bit blind.”
Who is Dino Ebel?
Ebel is a 60-year-old coach currently serving as the Dodgers’ third-base coach. Born in Barstow, California, he played collegiately at San Bernardino Valley College, won an NCAA Division II title with Florida Southern College in 1988, and then signed with the Dodgers organization as a free agent. He experienced some success in the minor leagues before transitioning into coaching.
After initially working as a player-coach at the Class A-Advanced and high-A levels, Ebel officially became a minor-league manager in 1997. He spent 17 years within the Dodgers’ organization before moving to the Angels’ system in 2005, beginning as manager of the Stingers in the Pacific Coast League and eventually working his way up to the major leagues.
Dino Ebel’s coaching background
Ebel is regarded as one of baseball’s most respected assistant coaches, having devoted virtually his entire adult life to managing and coaching.
Following his player-coach stint in the minors, Ebel managed at high-A, in the Rookie-level Pioneer League, the Class-A Short Season Northwest League, Class A, and Class AA—all within the Dodgers’ system. After 17 years with the Dodgers, he joined the Angels’ organization in 2005 and ultimately reached the big leagues.
Ebel became the Angels’ third-base coach and later served as their bench coach in 2014. Since 2018, however, he has been back with the Dodgers, remaining the team’s third-base coach through three World Series championships.
And his strong coaching résumé extends beyond that—Ebel has also served as Team USA’s third-base coach in each of the last two World Baseball Classic tournaments.
Why Bryce Harper chose Dino Ebel
The last time Harper competed in the Home Run Derby, his father, Ron, threw to him. But in 2026, that option was no longer viable, as Ron had not thrown batting practice in years.
Initially, Harper was uncertain whether he would participate at all. But according to The Athletic, after considering the possibility of asking former pitchers from his college and minor-league days, he landed on Ebel who had also thrown to Phillies teammate Kyle Schwarber during the swing-off portion of the 2025 All-Star Game.
Harper spent time with Ebel during this year’s World Baseball Classic while both were with Team USA, and as an additional bonus, Ebel already has a Home Run Derby victory to his credit. In 2024, he pitched to the Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernández, who won the event.
“I’m super comfortable with my dad throwing to me for my whole life,” Harper told MLB.com. “That’s a big thing. You can’t just pick somebody random to go out there. … I’m not going to do something if I’m going to have a half-mentality towards it, because I’m worried about the pitcher, or I’m worried about what’s going to happen, or anything else. If I’m going to do it, I want to be full bore and very confident in winning it.”
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