Yelich, Alonso headline 2019 Home Run Derby
The field for the 2019 Home Run Derby at Cleveland's Progressive Field was revealed on Wednesday.
Participants are seeded one through eight. This is how the bracket will look:
| Seed | Participant | Team | HRs* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christian Yelich | Brewers | 31 |
| 8 | Vladimir Guerrero Jr. | Blue Jays | 8 |
| 4 | Alex Bregman | Astros | 23 |
| 5 | Joc Pederson | Dodgers | 20 |
| 3 | Josh Bell | Pirates | 26 |
| 6 | Ronald Acuna Jr. | Braves | 20 |
| 2 | Pete Alonso | Mets | 28 |
| 7 | Carlos Santana | Indians | 19 |
*As of July 3
Yelich leads the majors in homers and is only five behind his career-high 36 that he hit in his National League MVP-winning season last year.
The Home Run Derby wouldn't feel right without the current leader in home runs.
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 4, 2019
The @Brewers MVP @ChristianYelich is in! pic.twitter.com/aCzqKblSZF
Bell matched his personal best for round-trippers in a campaign on Wednesday with his 26th long ball.
Oppo power. 💪#BELLieve pic.twitter.com/RbruW8Vdts
— Pirates (@Pirates) July 4, 2019
The event will feature some of the game's premier young stars, as Alonso (24 years old), Acuna (21 years old), and Guerrero (20 years old) have combined for 54 homers already. It will be the first time in the history of the Home Run Derby that two participants will be younger than 22 years old, according to MLB.com's Sarah Langs.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. practicing his home run derbying is exactly everything you’re hoping it would be. #BlueJays pic.twitter.com/GnMNiY0O1Q
— Alexis Brudnicki (@baseballexis) July 2, 2019
Bregman and Pederson were announced Wednesday as the final two additions.
The winner of the event will take home $1 million, as the league has significantly increased the financial incentive.