Players we’d love to see in the Home Run Derby

One of the most anticipated events on the baseball calendar is the Home Run Derby, which gives the game’s best powers hitters a platform to launch pitches out of the ballpark. It’s also an opportunity for regular players to become fans and root for historic performances. There are a few sluggers that should be unquestionably invited to the 2023 Home Run Derby.

There’s seemingly nothing that the Los Angeles Angels star can’t do, and it would be fun to let Ohtani try to add a Home Run Derby crown to his growing list of achievements. He’s very familiar with T-Mobile Park, as the Angels visit Seattle often due to American League West divisional scheduling. His presence would also command attention in various global markets as well.

It’s starting to feel like Home Run Derby’s were made for Alonso. The New York Mets masher has won the event twice in his career, and he seems to have settled into a nice rhythm that conserves his power throughout the contest. He could join Ken Griffey Jr. as the only player in MLB history to win the competition three times.

Betts brings a unique blend of strength and speed to baseball, although only the former will be required at the Home Run Derby. There are a lot of people who cite him as their favorite player due to his humble personality and outsized production. Somewhat surprisingly, the Los Angeles Dodgers have never had a Home Run Derby champion.

It’s going to be interesting to see whether Judge can physically compete in the Derby. He’s missed an extended period of time with a toe injury, and the New York Yankees might want to hold him out even if he does recover in time. Judge hit 62 home runs last season, which is a new American League record.

Despite his transition from the Oakland Athletics to the perennially competitive Atlanta Braves, Matt Olson still feels like he’s underrated in a lot of ways. That should no longer be the case, as the first baseman has proven to be one of the best players in the sport in the last several years. This would be an opportunity for him to shine in front of a large audience.

There are a lot of reasons why Trout’s presence should be a given at the Home Run Derby, not the least of which is his generational talent. Including Trout in a field potentially with Ohtani gives the event the possibility to see two teammates competing at a high level. It’ll also allow fans to see more of Trout’s personality, which is not often on display.

The St. Louis Cardinals have had an uncharacteristically slow start, which has been disappointing for fans of the club. Despite the team’s struggles, Arenado continues to prove why the organization has tabbed him as a building block of their organization. The seven-time All-Star would give a historically renowned fan base something to cheer about for one evening.

MLB usually likes to have defending Home Run Derby champions back at the subsequent year’s event to try and defend their crown. Soto took home the title last year at Dodger Stadium, and would hopefully be interested in making his return to the Derby. He won as a member of the Washington Nationals a year ago, just before he was traded to the San Diego Padres.

The league usually likes to get the hometown fans invested in the Home Run Derby by selecting at least one player from the host city. That means we’ll likely have at least one Seattle Mariners player in the field, and that individual might be Teoscar Hernandez. The 30 year-old has been a productive bat in his first season with the club.