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A busy week for Major League Baseball kicked off Sunday with the Futures Game on the day and the top 36 picks in the 2021 MLB Draft in the evening. That will continue with the second day of the draft today and the annual Home Run Derby tonight.
Tonight’s eight-man field consists of the seed Shohei Ohtani, followed (in MLB ranking order) by Joey gallo, Matt Olson, Salvador Perez, Pete Alonso, Trey Mancini, Trevor’s story and Juan soto. One half of the support will see Ohtani / Soto and Perez / Alonso in the first round, while the other half will see Gallo / Story and Olson / Mancini. We’ll be taking a very brief look at the season of every slugger participating so far (sorted by their first round clash) before opening up polls on who fans are rooting for and who they expect to win the trophy.
- Shohei Ohtani, RHP / DH, Angels: Ohtani made baseball talk in 2021, leading the MLB with 33 homers while throwing himself to a 3.49 ERA with a 30.7% strikeout rate on the mound.
- .279 / .364 / .698, 33 circuits
- 93.7 mph average exit speed, 119 mph top exit speed, 26% barrel rate
- Juan soto, OF, Nationals: Soto didn’t match his power of 2019, but he is the youngest entering the field and has been one of baseball’s elite hitters since the moment he scored in his first major league at bat in 2018.
- .283 / .407 / .445, 11 circuits
- 92.6 mph average exit speed, 115.3 mph max, 10.8% barrel rate
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- Joey gallo, OF, Rangers: After a slow start, Gallo seems to be on track for another 40 home season. It hits .308 / .479 .838 with 15 circuits since June 4.
- .239 / .402 / .522, 24 circuits
- 92.4 mph average exit speed, 115.1 mph max, 19.6% barrel rate
- Trevor’s story, SS, Rockies: The story will take hold in the hope of a thwarted victory that could serve as a kind of farewell to Coors Field with the trade deadline and the threat of free agency.
- .249 / .323 / .442, 11 circuits
- 90.7mph average exit speed, 110.2mph max, 9.2% barrel rate
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- Salvador Perez, C, Royals: The sevenfold All-Star improves with age. He’s made 32 home runs in just 519 home plate appearances since the start of the 2020 campaign.
- .275 / .300 / .501, 21 circuits
- 93mph average exit speed, 114.2mph max, 14.3% barrel rate
- Pete Alonso, 1B, Mets: Alonso will defend his 2019 title – there was no Home Run Derby 2020 – amid a hot streak. Eleven of the 17 large polar bear flies have arrived since Memorial Day weekend.
- .250 / .328 .478, 17 circuits
- 92.7 mph average exit speed, 117.1 mph max, 15.7% barrel rate
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- Matt Olson, 1B, Athletics: As of 2017, the underrated Olson has led all full-time first baseman with 126 home runs, and he’s close to breaking his career high of 36.
- .282 / .371 / .567, 23 circuits
- 92mph average exit speed, 115.3mph max, 14.4% barrel rate
- Trey Mancini, 1B / OF, Orioles: The fact that Mancini was able to return to the field after being diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in early 2020 is remarkable; a derby victory would be a well-being story for baseball fans around the world.
- .256 / .331 / .460, 16 circuits
- 88.5 mph average exit speed, 113.9 mph max, 12.9% barrel rate
Who are you doing want to to win the Home Run Derby 2021? (Link to the survey for app users)
Who do you think will to win the Home Run Derby 2021? (Link to the survey for app users)
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