Report: Vlad Jr., Bell, Santana tabbed for HR Derby

The Home Run Derby brackets will be announced on Wednesday night, but it appears five of the eight contestants have been confirmed.

The Home Run Derby will be held July 8, a day before the All-Star Game in Cleveland. Pitchers and non-starters for the All-Star Game will be announced Sunday night.

Hometown favorite Carlos Santana of the Indians, Toronto Blue Jays rookie Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Pittsburgh Pirates slugger Josh Bell were confirmed by Major League Baseball as participants on Sunday, according to ESPN.

Santana has 18 home runs in 289 at-bats this season, while Bell has 22 in 310 at-bats. Guerrero has eight homers through 53 games of his rookie season, but has shown plenty of power through his first few months.

They’ll join New York Mets rookie sensation Pete Alonso and Milwaukee Brewers star Christian Yelich, who already were announced.

Alonso hit his 28th home run of the season in the fourth inning Friday against the Atlanta Braves, extending his National League record for most home runs by a rookie before the All-Star break. Cody Bellinger of the Los Angeles Dodgers hit 25 in 2017.

Alonso already has set the Mets record for home runs by a rookie in a season, breaking the mark of 26 set in 1983 by Darryl Strawberry in 122 games.

Eight players will compete for a $1 million grand prize at the Home Run Derby.

Major League Baseball has raised the total prize money for this year’s contest to $2.5 million. Last year, winner Bryce Harper received $125,000 of the prize pool of $525,000.

Source: Reuters

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