The Major League Baseball Home Run Derby emanates live from the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on July 13 as some of the league's biggest names slug it out to try and become the long-ball king.
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Since its inception in 1985, the Home Run Derby has been one of the more thrilling aspects of the MLB's All-Star festivities and the fun should continue with this year's installment live from the home of the Cincinnati Reds.
The rule changes have also added some extra intrigue to the event as the rounds are timed instead of having a specific number of outs and it will be a single elimination bracket tournament.
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Before the MLB announces the participants, here are five players who should be a part of the homer contest.
Note: Seattle Mariners OF/DH Nelson Cruz and Miami Marlins RF Giancarlo Stanton would be on this list, but Cruz has already declined an invitation and Stanton (hand) is injured.
Honorable Mention: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels OF
Todd Frazier, Cincinnati Reds 3B
The hometown hero definitely should earn a spot in the Home Run Derby as he would go to bat in front of his own fans at Great American Ball Park. Currently, Frazier is second in the MLB with 25 homers and he is coming off of a performance where he made it to the finals last year before falling short. Frazier slugged 10 homers at Target Field last July in Minnesota. The Reds had players win the derby twice in history, with triumphs in 1985 (Dave Parker) and 1989 (Eric Davis).
Yoenis Cespedes, Detroit Tigers OF
If Cespedes looks to join the fray, he'll be hoping to win the Home Run Derby for the third straight year -- and to become the first person to ever win three consecutive contests and second to clinch three events in general. Cespedes hit the most total homers of all-time at Citi Field in New York in 2013 when he launched 32 bombs. He followed it up last year by eliminating Frazier and hitting 30 total round-trippers, fifth most in tournament history, to become the first person since Ken Griffey Jr. (1998, 1999) to win back-to-back home run contests. He won both competitions as a member of the Oakland Athletics. His 62 total derby homers rank sixth all-time.
Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals OF
Harper is tied for third in the NL with 24 homers this season and is having an MVP-caliber start to 2015. Harper's lone appearance in the Home Run Derby came in 2013, when he was the runner-up to Cespedes. He hit 24 out of the park that night in New York, which places him tied for ninth on the list of homers in a single derby. The Nationals/Montreal Expos have never won the home run contest.
Prince Fielder, Texas Rangers 1B
Fielder has 12 homers thus far this season and has had a couple of memorable appearances in derby history. Fielder won the event at Busch Stadium in 2009 as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers and he followed it up with a 2012 victory at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City as a Detroit Tiger. He became the only Tiger to ever win the competition and his 28 homers in the 2012 derby rank sixth all-time. Furthermore, his 68 career moon shots in his entire derby history rank fourth on the all-time list. Fielder, who crushed his 300th career homer last month, is only the third multi-derby champion in history, along with Cespedes and Griffey.
Albert Pujols, Los Angeles Angels 1B
Pujols has hinted that he wants to be in the derby one last time so that his kids can watch him participate in the contest, but only if he's selected to play in the All-Star Game, which remains to be seen. After notching 13 homers in June to tie an Angels franchise record, Pujols is tied for third in the majors and in sole possession of first in the AL with 24 on the season. Pujols, who hasn't participated in the event since 2009, came closest to winning it all in 2003 at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago when he was runner-up to then-Angels outfielder Garret Anderson. Pujols ranks eighth in single derby homers (26, tied) and is in sole possession of eight in all-time derby long-balls (50).
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