Alright, Seattle, buckle up, because the MLB Home Run Derby field is starting to take shape, and three American League power hitters have officially punched their ticket for the big show on July 13th! This year's Derby is going down at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, a stadium Statcast pegs as the fifth-best home run park in baseball. You know that means the balls are gonna FLY.
New Rules, Big Absences: What's Happening in Philly?
Get this: the Home Run Derby is ditching the clock! That's right, it's a brand-new swing-based format. Hopefully, that means we avoid the dreaded "Take Pitches Derby" and get straight to the moonshots. But while we're hyped for the new format, there's a serious bummer for baseball fans: Mike Trout, the Angels superstar, won't be there. He's on the injured list with a hamstring strain and has said he'll likely pass on the event. It's a real shame, too, since Trout is from Millville, New Jersey, just 20 miles south of Philadelphia, making it a homecoming he'll miss. Astros star Yordan Alvarez is also sitting this one out, after battling injuries last year.Meet the AL's Latest Derby Dominators
The Royal's own Jac Caglianone became the third player to commit to the Derby on July 8th. This dude is on a tear, hitting .258 with 14 home runs and 33 RBI heading into that day's games. He recently smashed six homers in just a five-game span! The No. 6 pick in the 2024 draft is attributing his breakout year to a better mental approach, and it's clearly paying off. Caglianone is the first Royal to take a hack in the Derby since Bobby Witt Jr. in 2024, but no Royal has ever won the event. Joining him is Ben Rice, the Yankees' first baseman/DH, who signed on to participate on July 7th. Rice is an absolute monster, leading the Yankees with 25 home runs and sitting third on the entire American League leaderboard heading into the July 7th games. Overall, the lefty is slashing .267/.360/.565 in his age-27 season, boasting some of the best batted-ball indicators around. He's averaged 34 home runs per 162 games in his big-league career. Three Yankees have won the Derby before, with Aaron Judge being the most recent in 2017.First to Commit, and Who's Next?
The first player to officially announce his commitment to the Home Run Derby was Rays third baseman Junior Caminero, way back on June 30th. He had a truly monster week leading up to that announcement, slugging six home runs in just four games! On the date of his announcement, Caminero was sitting fifth in all of baseball with 22 dingers. So far, we've got three sluggers locked in for the AL, and there are still five spots open in the eight-player field. So, mark your calendars for Monday, July 13th. The Home Run Derby is gonna be a show, and with five spots still open, who else do you think is gonna step up and represent the American League? We'll be watching every swing from the Emerald City, ready for some serious dingers!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.