JONESBORO, Ark. (11/11/26) – Headlined by featured speaker Lance Berkman, a highly-decorated former Major League Baseball player and Worlds Series champion, the Arkansas State baseball program will hold its annual Grand Slam Banquet, presented by Kalmer Solutions, on Friday, Jan. 15, 2027, at the Red Wolf Convention Center in Embassy Suites of Jonesboro.
 
"We are excited to welcome Lance Berkman to Jonesboro," said Arkansas State Head Baseball Coach Mike Silva. "Lance is arguably one of the best 5-10 switch hitters in MLB history. He had one of the most impressive single seasons in college baseball history during his junior year.
 
"His love for the game, his ability to share his memories with fans and the knowledge he can pass on to young aspiring players will make this year's Grand Slam Banquet a huge success."
 
In addition to helping lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 2011 World Series championship, Berkman is a six-time MLB All-Star and has been inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame (2009), College Baseball Hall of Fame (2015), Rice Athletics Hall of Fame (2019), Houston Astros Hall of Fame (2023) and Houston Sports Hall of Fame (2024).
 
The Grand Slam Banquet serves as a premier fundraising event for A-State Baseball, bringing together fans, alumni and community supporters for an evening of celebration and impact. The event will include a VIP Meet & Greet reception with Berkman, a silent auction, live music, a dinner and opportunities to connect and get autographs with the Red Wolves.
 
Following a stellar career at Rice that saw him win National Player of the Year after leading the Owls to their first trip to the College World Series, Berkman was taken with the 16th overall pick in the first round of the 1997 MLB Draft by the Houston Astros.
 
He was a key figure in the Astros' first appearance in the World Series in 2005 and the following year slugged 45 homers while breaking Jeff Bagwell's club record with 135 RBI. His 45 homers allowed him to become the only player in history to top 40 home runs in a season at both the Division I and Major League levels.
 
Berkman hit .293 over 15 seasons (12 with the Astros, two with the Cardinals, and one each with the Rangers and Yankees). He was the National League's Comeback Player of the Year after hitting .301 with 31 homers and 94 RBI in the Cardinals' run to the World Series title. He hit 366 home runs and drove in 1,234 runs. His 366 homers are the third most by a switch hitter in major league history.
 
Berkman completed his career as a player at the end of the 2013 season. Now a special assistant on the Rice baseball coaching staff, he began his coaching career in 2016 at Second Baptist (Texas) High School, where he guided the Eagles to the TAPPS 4A state championship in 2016. He was an assistant coach at the University of St. Thomas (Texas) in 2021, where the Celts went 17-16 in only the second season of the program's existence, and then served as the head coach at Houston Christian University from 2022-24.
 
Born in Waco, Texas, Berkman was a standout at Canyon High School in New Braunfels, Texas, where he hit .539 with eight home runs as a senior. He and his wife, Cara, have four daughters.
 
Individual banquet tickets are available for $125.  Guests also have the option to upgrade their experience with a $100 add-on ticket that provides access to the VIP Meet & Greet with Berkman.
 
Tables of eight and ten are $1,500 and $2,500, respectively, and include table sponsorship recognition and admission to the VIP Meet & Greet event.  The $2,500 option additionally includes priority table location, the ability to request to sit with a coach or player of their choice (one seat reserved for that guest), drink tickets and an exclusive A-State baseball branded memento. Individual tickets and tables can be purchased online by visiting https://onecau.se/grandslam27.
 
The A-State baseball program thanks presenting-sponsor Kalmer Solution and beverage-sponsor Forrest Office Supplies for their support. Additional sponsorship opportunities, such as "entertainment sponsor," exist and can be purchased online at https://onecau.se/grandslam27, the same link used to purchase individual tickets and tables.
 
Doors will open for VIPs at 5:00 p.m., starting the Meet & Greet that includes live music, drinks, hors d'oeuvres and an autograph session with Berkman. The general public entry time is 5:30 p.m. with a silent auction beginning at the same time.
 
Dinner is set for 6:30 p.m. with the program, emceed by "Voice of the Red Wolves" Matt Stolz, following at 7:00 p.m. In addition to hearing from Berkman, the A-State baseball program will also announce the 2027 Ed Way "Heart and Hustle" Award winner.