Joining Bautista on the American League team are Oakland’s Yoenis Cespedes, who was last year’s Derby winner, Baltimore’s Adam Jones and Brian Dozier of the host Twins. Tulowitzki will have Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton, who entered Tuesday leading the National League in homers, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig and Cincinnati’s Todd Frazier on his side.
“Bunch of guys with a lot of power,” Tulowitzki said. “More than that, I think they’re good guys, got to know them throughout the years.”
The final competitor in each league will be announced Thursday. Justin Morneau, Tulowitzki’s Rockies teammate who began his career with the Twins, is a possibility for the last NL selection.
Morneau is one of five candidates in the online vote for the final spot on the NL All-Star team.
“If he wins that final vote, there’s possibly a chance,” Tulowitzki said. “I think it would make a story line. Played with the Twins all those years. He’s definitely on the list if he makes the team. There are some other guys as well that have lobbied and would be good choices.”
Tulowitzki said he is not sure if Morneau would want to participate in the Derby if he is not selected for the All-Star team.
The Derby will have a new format this year. There will be a maximum of seven outs per round and bracketed play after the first round. The player who hits the most home runs in each league in the first round will receive a bye to the third round.
The next two players from each league with the most home runs will meet in a head-to-head matchup in the second round. The winners of these matchups will advance to the third round. The final round will feature those winners going head to head.
