Home Run Derby Preview: Jose Ramirez Set To Make Derby Debut
Jose Ramirez will make his Home Run Derby debut tonight as he joins a loaded roster of sluggers who are guaranteed to put on a show! He passed up on the opportunity to compete in the competition in years past, but this time he’s ready to go and Cleveland couldn’t be more pumped.
Here is the complete list of participants:
- Kyle Schwarber
- Pete Alonso
- Corey Seager
- Juan Soto
- Jose Ramirez
- Julio Rodriguez
- Ronald Acuna Jr.
- Albert Pujols
Jose was seen taking batting practice from Junior Betances and it appears he will be throwing to Ramirez tonight. Betances is the Akron Rubber Ducks (AA) hitting coach. It was apparently a pretty good session because Jose went on to hit two home runs in his first two at-bats against the Twins.
Ramirez has a pretty tough matchup in round one. His opponent is superstar Juan Soto who is one of the best hitters in baseball. He ranks in the 73rd percentile in average exit velocity, the 91st percentile in max exit velocity, and the 78th percentile in hard-hit percentage. He is currently in sixth place in the National League with 20 home runs this season.
Jose will certainly have his hands full., but he can still go out and win this thing. Check out why I think he can!
Ramirez has looked much more comfortable as a player ever since he signed the long-term contract extension that essentially makes him a Guardian for the rest of his career. His participation in the Home Run Derby is an example of this. Fans can watch all the action go down when the Home Run Derby starts tonight at 8:00 pm.
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