The eight participants in next week’s Midwest League Home Run Derby were announced Tuesday. Six are from Eastern Division teams, and three are highly-touted prospects who are the sons of former major-leaguers.
The event is slated to begin at 7:05 p.m. ET Monday at Dow Diamond, home of the Great Lakes Loons. The Midwest League All-Star Game will take place the next day at the same location.
The participating players (with their number of home runs this season in parentheses) are Loons outfielder Carlos Rincon (11), Lansing Lugnuts third baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (4), Lugnuts shortstop/second baseman Bo Bichette (6), Fort Wayne TinCaps shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. (8), West Michigan Whitecaps first baseman Blaise Salter (5), Bowling Green Hot Rods outfielder Jesus Sanchez (9), Kane County Cougars outfielder Marcus Wilson (7), and Peoria Chiefs infielder Andy Young (10).
Rincon is the only non-All-Star participating in the Home Run Derby. The Midwest League is allowing him to participate as a representative for the host team, the Loons. He leads the Midwest League in frequency of home runs with one every 15.7 at-bats.
The league’s current home run leader, Cedar Rapids Kernels outfielder Jaylin Davis, is not participating in the event. He has 12 home runs — one more than Rincon and two others, and two more than Young and four others. (In other words, there’s a logjam atop the league’s leaders for round-trippers.)
The format for the derby will follow a shot-clock system with timed rounds through the finals. Following the Home Run Derby, Nashville recording artist Chris Weaver Band will headline a concert on Dow Diamond’s front lawn. The concert is free for the general public, and food and beer will be available for purchase.
Related reading:
The Midwest League Traveler 