Christian Yelich, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. matchup headlines loaded Home Run Derby
The eight-man field for the 2019 T-Mobile Home Run Derby is officially set.
Alex Bregman of the Houston Astros and Joc Pederson of the Los Angeles Dodgers were announced as the final two participants, rounding out a loaded field that mixes former league and All-Star Game MVPs with up-and-coming sluggers.
How loaded is it?
The No. 8 seed is Vladimir Guerrero Jr. He will face off against MLB home run leader Christian Yelich in the first round.
That’s juicy, and there’s very little drop off in the other matchups.
Let's dig right into the particulars.
Who is participating in the 2019 T-Mobile Home Run Derby?
The eight-player field and full tournament-style brackets were announced on ESPN. The seeds were determined by the total number of home runs each player has hit so far this season. The winner will receive $1 million.
No. 1 — Christian Yelich, Milwaukee Brewers
No. 2 — Pete Alonso, New York Mets
No. 3 — Josh Bell, Pittsburgh Pirates
No. 4 — Alex Bregman, Houston Astros
No. 5 — Joc Pederson, Los Angeles Dodgers
No. 6 — Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves
No. 7 — Carlos Santana, Cleveland Indians
No. 8 — Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays
And here's a look at the complete bracket.
The 2019 Home Run Derby bracket is set ⚾️
MLB HR leader Christian Yelich headlines the field of eight that will face off on Monday at 8PM ET on ESPN. pic.twitter.com/R2VhXcvnQ4— ESPN (@espn) July 4, 2019
Who is the favorite to win the 2019 Home Run Derby?
It’s as wide open as we can ever remember, and that’s not because the eight participants are underwhelming.
Of course, it's impossible to overlook Christian Yelich. He's been MLB's most prolific home run hitter over the last year with 56 in 144 games since the 2018 All-Star break. But he might not even get out of the first round. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. poses a daunting challenge.
Joc Pederson and Alex Bregman are the experienced guys. Pederson finished runner up to Todd Frazier in 2015. That might give them an edge, but they also face off in round one, meaning one will be quickly eliminated.
Carlos Santana has the home-field advantage, but Pete Alonso is mashing everywhere he goes.
Then there’s Josh Bell and Ronald Acuña. Would anyone be surprised if either went the distance? I think what we’re saying is the fans stand a good chance to be the winners this year.
How to watch the 2019 Home Run Derby
The event is set to take place at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Monday beginning at 8 p.m. ET. It will be broadcast live on ESPN.
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