The 2023 Home Run Derby is just three weeks away, as it happens July 10 in Seattle's T-Mobile Park. As has become an annual tradition here, I'll put together our desired Derby field. Now, we shouldn't call it an "ideal" Home Run Derby field or anything, because I'm operating with the constraints of what players are willing and able to take part.
Just to name a few, Aaron Judge is likely never to take part again and I'm guessing Shohei Ohtani would again decline an invitation, just as he did last year. I'd love to see Oneil Cruz, but he's hurt. Yordan Alvarez has never gotten the chance to take part, but he's also currently injured. Jorge Soler would be all kinds of fun, but just last week he said it wouldn't be a good idea for him.
I'll also make special mention of Pete Alonso. He was the two-time defending champion heading into Dodger Stadium last year and was bounced before the finals. Given that he just returned very quickly from a hand/wrist injury and that he's not the defending champ anymore, I feel like he's going to decline any invite this time. So I've left him off even if I'd really enjoy this inclusion.
We could go on, but this list will not include players who don't figure to take part this year. We're looking at the field of realistic options and hoping to go eight for eight -- not in terms of predictions, but in terms of the powers that be listening to me and picking the correct field.
One last note: If Ohtani decides he wants to take part this year, he absolutely should be in and I'd gladly drop someone below.
Let's slug.
Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves
Acuña was in last year's Derby and was knocked out in the first round, but only by one homer and it came against Derby veteran Alonso. He was also just about one year removed from a torn ACL and he's on a different level this season. He would win the NL MVP right now and is a super-duper star on a marquee franchise. That is to say, here's your national international selling point to a TV audience. He also routinely hits some of the longest home runs during actual games, so there's always the possibility he puts on a legendary show in this event.
Randy Arozarena, Rays
The Rays have been the best team in baseball from the start here and it would be cool to give them a little extra showcase during the All-Star festivities. Arozarena leads the team in homers and has star power, especially given his playoff exploits in 2020. He's having his best season as a big leaguer so far and will surely be headed to the game anyway, so throw him in the Derby while we're at it.
Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks
I couldn't possibly love this pick more and he needs to be in this thing. Carroll was a popular prediction for Rookie of the Year in 2023 and he's lapping the field for it at this point. In fact, if not for Acuña, Carroll would be the NL frontrunner for MVP. The Diamondbacks sit in first place in a tough NL West, so this is a great opportunity to showcase Carroll.
Plus, he's only 5-foot-10 and can fly around the bases, but he also has 15 home runs including three no-doubters.
Oh, and Carroll graduated from high school in Seattle just four years ago. C'mon, he's gotta be in this thing.
Elly De La Cruz, Reds
A few weeks ago, he wasn't even an option. Mr. De La Cruz has only played in 11 MLB games, but what an impact he's had. He's just so unbelievably fun to watch. To this point, he only has one major-league home run, but good grief, look at it:
He clubbed 12 homers in 38 Triple-A games before his promotion and the most important thing is getting eyeballs on this guy. Plus, his team deserves it, too, as the Reds are making a run at the NL Central lead. This would be a great showcase.
I should mention here that I'm sure there will be pushback against a guy making the Derby who only has one home run. That's fine and misunderstands the purpose of the event. It's nothing more than entertainment and we're trying to put players in who will entertain. I remember in particular in this very exercise in 2019, I named Vladimir Guerrero Jr. as a pick and someone on Twitter screamed at me because he only had eight homers at the time. Remember the show Vlad put on in 2019? I'll never forget it and I'm far from alone.
Adolis García, Rangers
The Rangers have had control of the AL West nearly the entire season. For most of it, they've trailed only the Rays in the American League. García is a fun player who has 15 homers at present. Unfortunately he only has one since May 19, but he hits them in bunches and a hot streak feels likely to be coming again pretty soon. He's capable of putting on a show in a Derby, too, and could make for a sneaky longshot pick.
Christopher Morel, Cubs
Morel leads the majors in slugging percentage if you lowered the minimum plate appearance threshold to 100. He has 13 home runs in 31 MLB games after hitting 11 in 29 Triple-A games. He has one of the longest MLB homers this season with this 461-foot shot:
Lord. I remember Giancarlo Stanton hitting one up that way when the Derby was in Target Field and we made a big deal of it.
Morel had a streak earlier this season of five straight games with a home run. That's tied for the longest this year with Soler and Nolan Arenado. Morel's streak meant he had homered nine times in his first 12 games. He got cold, but he's back on fire, having now hit four home runs in his last eight games.
Julio Rodríguez, Mariners
The easiest, most obvious and most important pick here. I've long said that we absolutely must have a player from the host team in the Derby. When a player from the home team makes a run to the championship (hello Todd Frazier in Cincy in 2015), it's off-the-charts electric. Even entries that don't make it late in the bracket create an extra buzz that is necessary in this event. It's a once-in-a-lifetime thing for so many of these fans and most of them are fans of the host team.
Julio needs to be one of MLB's most marketed stars and he was the best player on a playoff team last season. He's only 22 and already a rockstar in Seattle. The place will be rocking for his turn(s). He put on a show last year, so maybe this time he wins the title in front of the Seattle fans.
Juan Soto, Padres
As long as he wants to take part again, Soto is the defending champion here and he's gotta get the chance to defend his crown. He's also another megastar type name to join up with Acuña and Julio to help sell the event to the masses.
If any of the above decline invitations, here are some other names I had listed:
- Matt Olson took part in 2021 and he's at 20 homers so far this year. Even with Acuña in, that's fine. There have been teams with multiple entries plenty of times.
- Adley Rutschman was born and raised in Oregon and then starred for Oregon State before going number one overall in the 2019 draft. That isn't Seattle, but it's the Pacific Northwest and would be cool. He's not a major home run hitter, but he hits enough and this is glorified batting practice.
- Yandy Díaz could work in place of Arozarena or we could just have two Rays players.
- Luis Robert looks like he's finally having his fully healthy breakout season and currently sits with 17 homers. He's capable of some prodigious shots and could put on a show.
- Rafael Devers has reportedly declined invitations before, but he'd be really fun.
- Josh Jung could work, especially if García declines an invitation and we want Rangers representation.
- Kyle Schwarber has made the finals before and is among the league leaders in home runs again. He has a swing well-suited for the event and could put on a show. He also got upset by a 42-year-old Albert Pujols last year. Maybe put him in the penalty box for a year (I kid!).
- Ichiro
