MTV AND MLB ANNOUNCE SWAY, FAT JOE, CHRIS DISTEFANO AND MELANIE IGLESIAS WILL HOST NEW SERIES "OFF THE BAT FROM THE MLB FAN CAVE" ON MTV2 IN APRIL

New Series Featuring Executive Producer David Ortiz Goes Beyond Baseball, Spotlighting Where Sports and Pop Culture Collide While Providing Fans Behind-the-Scenes Access to the Games' Biggest Stars

All-Stars Robinson Cano, Adam Jones and Craig Kimbrel, 2013 Rookies of the Year Jose Fernandez and Wil Myers to Executive Produce Select Episodes

New York, NY (February 26, 2014) - MTV2 and Major League Baseball (MLB) today announced that hip hop icons Sway and Fat Joe, as well as "Girl Code" and "Guy Code" stars Chris Distefano and Melanie Iglesias, will host "Off the Bat from the MLB Fan Cave," a new series premiering in April on MTV2. 2013 World Series MVP David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox is serving as an Executive Producer of the series throughout the season. Additionally, MLB All-Stars Robinson Cano of the Seattle Mariners, Adam Jones of the Baltimore Orioles and Craig Kimbrel of the Atlanta Braves, as well as 2013 Rookies of the Year Jose Fernandez of the Miami Marlins and Wil Myers of the Tampa Bay Rays, have signed on to serve as Executive Producers of individual "Off the Bat" episodes. The series launches a multi-year, cross-platform programming partnership between MLB and MTV - previously announced in November 2013 - that will bring fans inside the intersection of pop culture and baseball.

"Off the Bat from the MLB Fan Cave" is a weekly, 30-minute series with a 30 episode order that will be hosted from the MLB Fan Cave in New York City. A show that goes beyond baseball, "Off the Bat" is where MLB players will share their love for pop culture and entertainment, while fans will gain behind-the-scenes access to the biggest stars in baseball. Additionally, famous fans of the game will be stopping by the MLB Fan Cave to chat with series hosts and interact with players.

Each week, MLB players will be in-studio for interviews and segments with series hosts Sway, Fat Joe, Chris Distefano and Melanie Iglesias, spotlighting the stars' personalities and passions. Every episode of "Off the Bat from the MLB Fan Cave" will also feature on-location segments with players, diving deeper into their off-the-field interests that fans don't ordinarily see, whether it's a tour of their favorite restaurants or a look at their sneaker collection. Ortiz will consult with MTV and MLB on creative content and additional guests throughout the season, while Cano, Fernandez, Jones, Kimbrel and Myers will offer input for individual episodes in which they appear. Ortiz, Fernandez, Jones, Kimbrel and Myers recorded segments with MTV during the off-season.

What They're Saying About the Show

"I got involved with 'Off the Bat' because I love sports. I grew up playing baseball, football and track," said Sway. "The Oakland A's are a staple in our community - they are our heroes. Reggie Jackson and Rickey Henderson inspired me, so it's going to be a lot of fun to show a different side of today's players to fans."

"I'm excited to team up with MTV2 and MLB to bring baseball, music and pop culture together in a way that's never been done before," said Fat Joe.

"When I was a kid, my step-father played minor league baseball for the Kansas City Royals' Double-A team, which made me develop a true love for the game," said Melanie Iglesias. "I'm really excited to get back to the park on a weekly basis. This show is going to be a lot of fun!"

"I'm so excited to be a part of 'Off the Bat' and head down to Spring Training," said Chris Distefano. "I can't wait to get sunburn."

"Music is a big part of my life, so I'm very excited about the opportunity to work on an episode of MTV's 'Off the Bat from the MLB Fan Cave,'" said Robinson Cano.

"I'm excited to be involved with the partnership between MLB and MTV," said Jose Fernandez. "I really enjoy interacting with baseball fans and 'Off the Bat' is a great way for myself and other MLB players to connect with them."

"I've had a lot of fun with the MLB Fan Cave crew the last few years, and I'm excited to see them take it to the next level with MTV and 'Off the Bat,'" said Adam Jones.

"I had a great time shooting with Chris [Distefano] and the MTV 'Off the Bat' crew this offseason," said Craig Kimbrel. "I'm looking forward to hanging out with them at the Fan Cave the next time I'm in New York."

"I had an awesome time shooting with MTV this offseason. I hope all the fans have as much fun watching 'Off the Bat' as I had being part of it," said Wil Myers.

"The response that we have received from the entire baseball community about the show has been incredible," said Tim Brosnan, MLB Executive Vice President, Business. "'Off The Bat' on MTV2 will give fans a unique and entertaining look into the interests and personalities of baseball's best players."

"Game over is game on for us," said Paul Ricci, MTV2 Senior Vice President, Head and Development and Production. "'Off the Bat' isn't about stats or game analysis. Instead, we'll highlight everything that happens off the field in a way that no one's ever seen before, from teammate pranks to hilarious interviews, in-studio games, lifestyle features and much more."

For more information on Sway, Fat Joe, Chris Distefano and Melanie Iglesias, please visit the official show page for "Off the Bat from the MLB Fan Cave." For more information on David Ortiz, Robinson Cano, Jose Fernandez, Adam Jones, Craig Kimbrel and Wil Myers, visit MLB.com. Additional resources can be found at MTVPress.com, while fans can follow the series at Facebook.com.

About MLB Fan Cave:

Created in 2011, the MLB Fan Cave is a unique event space mixing baseball with music, popular culture, media, technology and art. In addition to providing a growing audience of more than 2.5 million highly engaged followers with a constant flow of online video and conversation via social media, the MLB Fan Cave is also home to "Cave Dwellers," fans who earn the opportunity to serve as social media ambassadors for baseball while watching all 2,430 games inside the Fan Cave and interacting with the MLB players and celebrities who visit. Supported by MLB Advanced Media, the MLB Fan Cave in 2013 created digital video content with more than 100 MLB stars while launching a successful art gallery in addition to its thriving concert series. More than 40,000 fans have applied to be Cave Dwellers since its inception.

About MTV2:

Available in more than 80 million homes, MTV2 is man's best friend. Since its launch in 1996, the network has reflected the subversive interests and behaviors of young men with a compelling and diverse programming line-up inspired by ordinary guys who do extraordinary things. MTV2 is a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.