2016 College Baseball Home Run Derby: Date, Time, TV Schedule and Participants
While home runs aren't always a big part of college baseball, that will change Sunday during the College Home Run Derby.
Coastal Carolina won the national championship on Thursday in a three-game final series against Arizona that featured just a single long ball. Most hitters are focusing on simply making good contact while only a small percentage even reach double-digit home runs on the season.
However, this won't be an issue for the top hitters in action in Omaha, Nebraska. The eight players will get a chance to show off their strength one last time to try and end their seasons on high notes.
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Here is a look at what you need to know heading into the anticipated competition.
College Home Run Derby
When: Sunday, July 3
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
Where: TD Ameritrade Park, Omaha, Neb.
TV: ESPN2
Live Stream: WatchESPN
| Colby Bortles | Mississippi |
| Dylan Busby | Florida State |
| Joe Davis | Houston |
| Greg Deichmann | LSU |
| Hagen Owenby | East Tennessee |
| Brent Rooker | Mississippi State |
| Reid Russell | Lamar |
| Gary Russo | Miami (OH) |
Top Contenders
Dylan Busby, Florida State
Florida State saw its NCAA tournament run end when the lineup got shut down by Florida's excellent pitching staff in June. But before that, the Seminoles had one of the top offenses in the country, scoring 43 runs in three regional games.
Dylan Busby was a major part of this success while representing the power in the middle of the order. In the clinching game against South Alabama, he tallied three hits—including two home runs—bringing his yearly total to 16.
Frankie Piliere of D1Baseball provided high praise in his assessment of the third baseman:
Busby came through with big hits all year long against some of the toughest pitchers in the country in the ACC. Now he is going up against batting-practice pitchers in the Home Run Derby, we could see a whole lot of deep shots Sunday.
Gary Russo, Miami (OH)
This was not a great year for Miami (OH) baseball. While many others in the field got to show off their power in the NCAA tournament, the RedHawks barely even competed in the MAC, finishing 27-29 on the season.
However, Gary Russo was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise lost season.
Russo finished the year with a .614 slugging percentage and an impressive 19 home runs, tying for eighth-best total in college baseball. He has the most homers of anyone in the eight-person field in Omaha. This is an incredible jump from just two home runs in 2015.
Although he is far from a perfect prospect, Russo has tons of pure power he could show off in an exhibition format. This alone makes him a top contender to win it all.
Greg Deichmann, LSU
Compared to some of the others in the field, Greg Deichmann didn't have dominant power numbers this year. He had just 11 home runs in the regular season, although he also had 14 doubles and 57 RBI.
With Deichmann, it's all about his potential thanks to his pure strength and quality swing. This is the reason he was taken in the 26th round of the MLB draft, although he has already decided to return to school, per the Advocate. Considering how well he ended the year, this is big news for LSU fans.
His coach, Paul Mainieri, discussed the first baseman's impressive run when he had 13 RBI in six NCAA tournament games.
"Greg is a player you have to have a lot of patience with, but once it comes to fruition, it’s going to be awesome," Mainieri said after the regionals, per Chandler Rome of the Advocate. "And he’s on the verge of becoming awesome."
With plenty of momentum and facing much easier pitches, Deichmann is a serious threat in this competition.
Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for year-round sports analysis.
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