Monday night, Major League Baseball presents its annual Home Run Derby live from Target Field in Minnesota and with two more contestants added to the field and a couple of rule changes, this could be one of the best long ball competitions to date.
The American League and National League squads will each have five participants this year instead of the usual four. Adding to the changes, each competitor will now get seven outs per round rather than the usual 10 and home run totals are no longer combined in the first two rounds.
The MLB has also added a bracket element to the AL and NL sides this year as the top home run hitter in each league in Round 1 will advance to Round 3 automatically by receiving a bye through Round 2. The two hitters with the least amount of homers in Round 1 are eliminated while the second and third place finishers in each league in the opening round go head-to-head in Round 2.
In Round 3, the two homer leaders in Round 1 that received a bye will take on the remaining slugger in their respective leagues. In the end, there will be one player from each league standing and the finals will guarantee an AL player against an NL player to crown a new home run champion.
With the rules out of the way, let's take a look at the field, starting with the visiting National League as we take a look at each player's individual season up to this point as they enter the Home Run Derby.
Captain-Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies Shortstop: On top of being tied for the NL lead with 21 long balls, Tulowitzki is having an amazing year, leading the NL in batting average (.345) total bases (71), on-base percentage (.435), slugging percentage (.613) and OPS (1.048).
Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins Outfielder: A favorite to win the derby, Stanton is tied with Tulowitzki atop the NL with 21 homers and also leads the NL with 63 RBI this season. Along with Tulowitzki, Stanton has the most homers out of any slugger in the entire 10-man Derby.
Yasiel Puig, Los Angeles Dodgers Outfielder: Puig has 12 homers this season and leads the Dodgers and all NL right fielders with a .309 batting average while ranking second on the team with 52 RBI.
Justin Morneau, Colorado Rockies First Baseman: Morneau didn't just get selected because he's teammates with captain Tulowitzki, as he ranks third on the Rockies with 13 homers and leads Colorado 60 RBI, which ranks him tied for fourth in the NLI. Morneau won the Home Run Derby in 2008 at the old Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.
Todd Frazier, Cincinnati Reds Third Baseman: Frazier ranks fourth in the NL with 19 homers and leads the Reds with a .290 average and 53 RBI, which paces all NL third baseman.
The National League is bringing a lot of sluggers along with it to Target Field, but the American League also has plenty of talent coming to Minnesota.
Captain Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays Outfielder: Bautista leads the Blue Jays with 17 long balls and 54 RBI and is first in the AL with a .409 on-base percentage at the end of the first half.
Yoenis Cespedes, Oakland Athletics Outfielder: The defending champion who slugged 32 long balls at Citi Field in New York last year returns to defend his crown. Cespedes has 14 homers and 56 RBI thus far this season.
Josh Donaldson, Oakland Athletics Outfielder: The best team in the MLB has plenty of representation in this year's Derby and All-Star Game. Donaldson leads all AL third baseman with 20 homers and 65 RBI and ranks fifth in the AL with 61 runs through the first half of the season. Donaldson has more homers than any other AL participant in the Derby.
Brian Dozier, Minnesota Twins Second Baseman: Dozier paces the Twins with 18 homers and 45 RBI this season and ranks first in the AL with 69 runs scored. HIs 18 homers are also the most of any second baseman in the AL. Dozier should be right at home looking to knock balls out of his home stadium of Target Field.
Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles Outfielder: Jones leads the Orioles with a .301 batting average and ranks second on the team in homers (16) and RBI (54). Jones also ranks fourth in the AL with 116 hits and fifth with 187 total bases.
Onto the predictions:
First Round: On the National League side, Stanton will hit the most homers while Tulowitzki and Puig will advance and Morneau and Frazier will be eliminated. For the American League, Cespedes will advance to the third round by hitting the most homers and Donaldson and Bautista will get to Round 2 while Jones and Dozier are eliminated.
Second Round: Tulowitzki will out-slug Puig to advance to the NL Finals while Donaldson will down Bautista to set up an all-Athletics AL Finals matchup.
NL Finals: Stanton will be fresh and take out his captain in Tulowitzki.
AL Finals: Cespedes will take out his teammate Donaldson to set up his chance at repeating as champion
Finals: Stanton will out-homer Cespedes in an amazing final match up and take the home run crown with him to Miami.
The Home Run Derby airs live tonight from Target Field in Minneapolis in what should be a solid debut of the revamped rules.
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