This year’s home run derby will be completely different than it has ever been in the past. The home run derby will feature head to head bracket style match ups. Each contestant will now have a time limit, instead of outs, to hit as many home runs as possible. The hitters will have 5 minutes per round and can extend their times four ways:

1. Utilizing their one “time out” per round
2. Hitting a home run in the final minute, which pauses the clock until the batter hits a ball that does not land in home run territory or swings and misses at a pitch
3. Hitting at least two homers that equal or exceed 420 feet (as calculated by MLB.com’s revolutionary Statcast™ technology), earning one minute of bonus time
4. Hitting a home run that travels at least 475 feet, earning 30 seconds of bonus time

Batters can only get up to one minute and 30 seconds from distance related bonuses. Here are the match ups and my pick for the winners. The seeds will be in parenthesis.

Albert Pujols(1) vs Kris Bryant(8)

Kris Bryant has excited baseball fans since he showed off his impressive power during the preseason. If it wasn’t for Joc Pederson (I’ll get to him later) Bryant would be the clear cut favorite for NL Rookie of the Year. All that being said, I don’t see him beating Pujols. Pujols has been a power hitting beast his whole career. He had a slow year last year but this season has been a renaissance year for big Albert. Pujols will win and move on.

Winner: Albert Pujols

Todd Frazier(2) vs Prince Fielder(7)

This match up has “upset” written all over it. Fielder is a big man who can hit the ball a mile. Every swing he takes, he takes with the intent to hit the leather off the ball. Fielder also has the past experience. He is a two time derby winner, winning in 2009 and again in 2012. Every stat tells me that Fielder is going to win that match up, but don’t count out Frazier. The Todd Father shocked many baseball fans last derby by making it all the way to the finals before losing to Cespedes. I see Frazier rising up in front of the home crowd and powering past his strong competitor.

Winner: Todd Frazier

Josh Donaldson(3) vs Anthony Rizzo(6)

This is honestly a toss up. Either guy can either erupt and put up double digits or put up a dud and get nothing. Donaldson has more home runs than Rizzo this season, but that doesn’t mean Rizzo lacks the power to hammer out more long balls tonight. Both of these players are fantastic hitters and I would not be surprised by the winner regardless of who wins. I’m just going with my gut on this one and picking Donaldson.

Winner: Josh Donaldson

Joc Pederson(4) vs Manny Machado(5)

Joc Pederson has been a power hitting monster all season. Right now he is the only real competition to Kris Bryant for NL Rookie of the Year. The guy has a heavy swing that is perfect for the home run derby. I would not be shocked if this guy put up 15 homers a round and won the whole thing. No knock on Machado but I don’t see him hitting too many. His swing is more suited for doubles and gap shots than 450 foot bombs in the derby. Watch Machado make me look like a complete idiot and win the whole thing, but I don’t see it happening. Pederson ftw.

Winner: Joc Pederson

FINALS PREDICTION

Todd Frazier(2) vs Joc Pederson(4)

This will be a battle between Frazier, the hometown hero, and Pederson, the power hitting rookie. Pederson definitely has the power and swing to win it all. I just don’t know his he has the mental and physical stamina. A lot of people don’t realize how tiring it is to swing a bat as many times as these guys will in as little time. Frazier knows what it takes to go for in the derby. He will combine his knowledge from last year’s second place finish with the adrenalin gained from hitting bombs in his home ball park. Frazier will win by a final score of 4-2.

Winner: Todd Frazier

Well there you have it. Todd Frazier will be your 2015 home run derby champion. Either that or all my predictions will be completely wrong and I will look like a moron. Enjoy the derby tonight everyone!

-Kev