For all of the intrigue and annual entertainment that the Home Run Derby brings to MLB‘s All-Star weekend, the format needed some refreshing, and the 2015 edition has delivered by shaking up the contest significantly.
The complete eradication of the 10-outs-per-batter rule is only the beginning of the changes announced by MLB. Contenders now will have a five-minute running clock against them, in which time they must jack as many homers as possible to win their head-to-head matchups.
Of course, it’s not that straightforward. Batters can get extra time added to their rounds by hitting extra distances, like 30 seconds for a 475-foot bomb or one minute for two that exceed 420 feet. For matchups tied at the end of the round, a 90-second swing-off will be in order.
Power has always been the central focus of the Home Run Derby, but now precision and execution will become similarly crucial to contenders’ chances for victory.
Here’s a look at the full bracket and the top names in action.
2015 Home Run Derby
Bracket
ESPN Stats & Info provided the complete Home Run Derby bracket below:
Top Contenders
Albert Pujols
It’s no secret who the old head is among this year’s Derby field.
While surprising names like Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo flood the eight-player field with not-so-household names, Pujols will be making his fourth career appearance in the vaunted event. It’s been 12 years since he first appeared as a youngster for the St. Louis Cardinals, but he’s still competing for the league lead in major batting statistics.
He recently commented on how he approaches the event, via MLB:
His 26 home runs on the season have him just a few away from moving into 15th on the all-time list, and he’s having arguably his best year in an Angels uniform. His massive contract with the Angels indicated that he would eventually be grossly overpaid for his production, but that day seems to be later than perhaps many anticipated.
Pujols faces the Chicago Cubs’ young Bryant in the first round and may have a thing or two to teach him about the long ball.
Joc Pederson
If I told you a young, immensely powerful Los Angeles Dodgers slugger made his way into the Home Run Derby this summer, you might think I was talking about last summer and Yasiel Puig. Alas, lightning has struck twice with 23-year-old Joc Pederson.
The left-handed batter is only hitting .228 on the season but has smacked a whopping 20 home runs along with 39 RBI at the halfway point. While Puig has undergone injury troubles and the Dodgers’ run support has been lacking at times, Pederson is doing more than enough on his own.
What’s more, he is pummeling them further than anyone else in the field, as ESPN Stats & Info noted:
There’s no doubting that Pederson has a fair share of growth and development to make at the plate, as illustrated by the Dodgers’ decision to take him out of the lineup in certain pitching matchups. But his power and home run ability undeniably make him one of the most intriguing individuals in the field.
Todd Frazier
There’s almost always a hometown favorite in the mix at any Home Run Derby, and Todd Frazier gets that nod as he represents Cincinnati and the Reds on Monday night.
Of course, the third baseman has already done his club proud on the Home Run Derby stage recently. He finished runner-up to Yoenis Cespedes at last year’s event in Minnesota and will have his brother Charlie pitching to him, just like then.
In terms of recent home runs, he trails only one Derby participant, as High Heat Stats noted:
The host team’s most impressive batter can often get a shoo-in spot in the field for the sake of tradition, but Frazier didn’t backpedal his way into this event. He proved his worth last year by getting to the final step and could be aided by the format change and a move to his home ballpark.
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