2022 Home Run Derby: List of participants at Dodger Stadium originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Who’s ready for moonshots in the City of Stars?
Major League Baseball’s All-Star festivities will take place at Dodger Stadium next week. The full All-Star Game rosters have been revealed, and now the field for Monday’s Home Run Derby has been finalized.
Which sluggers are stepping up to the plate in Los Angeles? Here’s the full list of players who are confirmed for the event:
Pete Alonso, New York Mets
Alonso is aiming for a three-peat.
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The Mets All-Star first baseman has reigned victorious at back-to-back Home Run Derbies, winning his first title in Cleveland in 2019 and defending his title in Colorado last season. He earned his second career All-Star bid this year, tallying 23 home runs and an MLB-leading 72 RBIs so far this season.
With a third Derby win, Alonso would tie Ken Griffey Jr. for the most in MLB history.
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Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
Pujols is making his final All-Star appearance an eventful one.
The Cardinals first baseman was named a “special selection” for the 2022 All-Star Game along with Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera. He will also be in the spotlight on Monday, as he enters his fifth Home Run Derby and chases his first win.
For the season, Pujols has six homers in 51 games.
Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies
One of baseball’s hottest hitters will look to keep things going in the Home Run Derby.
Schwarber was named the NL Player of the Month for June after crushing 12 home runs and driving in 27 runs. That momentum has carried into July, as Schwarber is up to an NL-leading 28 home runs on the season.
The Phillies first baseman will make his Home Run Derby debut on Monday before participating in his second straight All-Star Game on Tuesday.
Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves
Acuña is back in a big way this season.
The Braves outfielder missed the team’s 2021 World Series run after suffering a torn ACL last July. He made his 2022 debut in late April and has returned to All-Star form, contributing eight homers, 22 RBIs and 18 stolen bases in 56 games. Fans showed how much they wanted to see Acuña in the All-Star Game, making him the NL’s leading vote-getter.
This is Acuña’s second Home Run Derby appearance. He lost to Alonso in the 2019 semifinals in his Derby debut.
Juan Soto, Washington Nationals
The Nationals’ lone All-Star will be one of the top players to watch in L.A.
Soto earned his second straight All-Star appearance as a reserve. The 23-year-old outfielder has been a bright spot for the last-place Nats, hitting 19 homers to go along with 41 RBIs so far.
Like Acuña, Soto’s first Home Run Derby ended in the semifinals against Alonso, this time in 2021. Now, Soto is looking to get past his NL East counterpart and lift the Home Run Derby trophy.
Julio Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners
The AL Rookie of the Year frontrunner will make his All-Star and Home Run Derby debut this year.
Rodriguez, 21, is doing things that haven’t been done at his age since Mariners legend Ken Griffey Jr. – who won the Derby three times with Seattle. With 15 home runs and 21 steals this year, Rodriguez is on his way to a potential 30-30 season.
There is a recent history of rookies winning the Derby, as Aaron Judge did it for the Yankees in 2017 and Alonso did it in 2019. Rodriguez is hoping to become the third rookie in history to claim the title.
Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Guardians
Ramirez was the seventh of eight players to lock himself into the Derby.
One of the best hitters in baseball perennially, Ramirez has 17 home runs and 68 RBIs for the Guardians in 2022. He hit 36 dingers last season and had a career-high 39 bombs in 2018.
Despite the fact that he’s been in the majors since 2013, this year will be Ramirez’s Derby debut. The 29-year-old third baseman will make his fourth All-Star appearance in Los Angeles.
Corey Seager, Texas Rangers
Seager is heading back to L.A.
The former Los Angeles Dodger and current Texas Rangers shortstop became the eighth player to enter this year’s Derby. He was also named an All-Star replacement on Thursday, taking the spot of injured Toronto Blue Jays outfielder George Springer.
For the season, Seager has 21 homers.
2022 MLB Home Run Derby Bracket
Here is the seeding and matchups for the 2022 Home Run Derby:
- No. 1 Kyle Schwarber vs. No. 8 Albert Pujols
- No. 4 Juan Soto vs. No. 5 Jose Ramirez
- No. 3 Corey Seager vs. No. 6 Julio Rodriguez
- No. 2 Pete Alonso vs. No. 7 Ronald Acuna Jr.
Seeding was determined based on the number of homers each player has on the season as of Thursday.
The winner of Schwarber-Pujols will face the winner of Soto-Ramirez in the semifinals. The other semifinal matchup will be between the winner of Seager-Rodriguez and the winner of Alonso-Acuna.
From there, the two semifinal winners will battle for the Derby crown.
