Baltimore Orioles All-Star Adley Rutschman said yesterday he will participate in the Home Run Derby on July 10 in Seattle as he attempts to become the first catcher to win the event.
Rutschman joins a field that includes New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts, Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena, Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio RodrÃguez.
In his second season with Baltimore, the Oregon-born Rutschman will try to win the title in his native Pacific Northwest and join Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. (1991) and Miguel Tejada (2004) as the third Oriole to win the event.
The most recent catcher to participate was Kansas City Royals star Salvador Perez, who hit 28 homers in 2021 and lost in the first round to Alonso.