Mariners' Julio Rodriguez to Participate in 2022 MLB Home Run Derby

The 2022 MLB Home Run Derby will have baseball's oldest player in Albert Pujols, and it'll also have one of the sport's youngest in Julio Rodriguez.

The Seattle Mariners star announced Wednesday that he will participate in the July 18 festivities at Dodger Stadium.

Rodriguez, who entered the season as one of the top prospects in baseball, has more than lived up to the billing. He's hitting .274/.334/.477 with 15 home runs and 44 runs batted in while stealing 21 bases, making the AL All-Star team in the process.

"It's like a dream," Rodriguez said of making the team, per Daniel Kramer of MLB.com. "It's like a dream that I had as a kid, and being able to receive that right now in my first year, I'm definitely excited about the work that I've done."

Rodriguez is the Mariners' lone All-Star, and it appears the 21-year-old center fielder will be looking to make the most of his first Midsummer Classic. He joins a field of sluggers that includes Pujols, Pete Alonso, Ronald Acuña Jr., Juan Soto and Kyle Schwarber.

There are still two slots yet to be announced.

The eight-hitter field will be seeded 1-8, with the top home run hitter taking on the player with the fewest home runs at the break in Round 1.

Pujols, who is playing in his final MLB season at age 42, currently has the fewest home runs of any participant with six.

Schwarber has the most of all announced players with 28.