Home Run Derby 2017: Format, Bracket Layout and Predictions

In the National League corner, defending champion Giancarlo Stanton of the Miami Marlins. In the American League corner, Yankees slugger and rookie phenom Aaron Judge.

Those two home run hitters are the main attractions in this year's Home Run Derby, but it is no sure thing that either one will come away with the title.

In reality, Stanton and Judge are just two of the eight competitors. On the National League side, Stanton will be joined by rookie Cody Bellinger of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Charlie Blackmon of the Colorado Rockies and Justin Bour of the Marlins.

The American League competitors included Gary Sanchez of the Yankees, Miguel Sano of the Minnesota Twins, Mike Moustakas of the Kansas City Royals and Judge.

The Home Run Derby will take place Monday night at Marlins Park in Miami and will be televised at 8 p.m. ET by ESPN.

The home run hitting contest has evolved over the years, and the eight players will be divided into four first-round matchups. The winners will advance to the semifinals and those two winners will meet in the final round.

Prior to the 2015 Home Run Derby, players would continue to hit in a particular round until they made 10 outs. That often made the contest a long, drawn-out affair that often turned into an anti-climax because the most prodigious home run totals regularly came in the first round.

In 2015, players were given five minutes per round to see how many blasts they could hit, and the new format has provided a cleaner and somewhat more exciting event from start to finish. Players are also awarded bonus time based on the distance of their home runs.

The seedings are based on the home run totals hit by each player, with the higher-seeded player going last in each round. 

Stanton put on a show last year in San Diego, but he is not on track to be one of the top seeds. Stanton has hit 21 home runs, while Judge has blasted 28, Bellinger has 24 and Moustakas has 23.

Still, Stanton's strength makes him a tremendous threat, and having the contest in Miami should be a huge plus for him.

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Prediction

It's hard not to like Judge in this contest because he has been such a dominant slugger all season. In addition to the number of home runs that he has hit, he often hits them remarkable distances. He hit one that was judged to go 495 feet against the Baltimore Orioles June 12, and that came a day after he hit a blast that left the ball park at 121.1 miles per hour. 

Bellinger would be the story of the year if not for Judge's performance. He was not brought up to the Dodgers until April 25, and he has been powdering long home runs ever since. Moustakas has been on fire for a Kansas City team that is exceeding expectations.

Blackmon and Bour may not have the sizzle that Stanton and Bellinger have among the National League contenders, but both are legitimate long-distance hitters.

Sanchez was a phenom when he was brought up to the Yankees in 2016, and he continues to show off his power. Sano takes one of the biggest swings in baseball, and his power has helped the Twins play respectable baseball this season.

Judge should be able to advance through the first round, but if the current rankings hold up, he is likely to meet Stanton in the second round. Stanton is fourth among the competitors in home runs, and the fourth-seed is in the same half of the bracket as the top seed.

The prediction here is that the winner of the Judge-Stanton matchup—should it play out that way—will win the home run derby.

The belief here is that Stanton just might be a bit more pumped up to defend his crown before his home fans.

That should give him the edge, and he will win his second consecutive Home Run Derby.