Rutgers Product Todd Frazier Will Participate in Home Run Derby

We found out Sunday that Reds third baseman Todd Frazier will start for the National League in next week’s Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Now we know the former Scarlet Knight will be taking part in Monday’s Home Run Derby, too.

MLB announced that Frazier will be a part of the eight-man bracket-style tournament. His first round opponent will be Rangers first baseman Prince Fielder. If Frazier defeats him, he would face the winner of the Anthony Rizzo-Josh Donaldson matchup. If Frazier were to win in the second round, he would advance to the final round, where he would face either Albert Pujols, Kris Bryant, Joc Pederson or Manny Machado.

Frazier is perhaps the most dominant power hitter in Rutgers baseball history. Frazier holds Rutgers’ single-season home run record with 22 round trippers in 2007. Despite playing just three collegiate seasons, Frazier is also the Scarlet Knights’ career home run leader, with 42. His impressive power followed him to the majors, as he is currently third in MLB with 25 home runs, just two behind league leader Giancarlo Stanton.

Reds third baseman Todd Frazier during his time at Rutgers (Photo: The Star-Ledger).

Frazier is the No. 2 seed in the derby, with only Pujols of the Angels ranked ahead of him. With Pujols on the opposite side of the bracket, the two could potentially meet in the final round.

This year’s tournament features a new format. Along with the bracket style, the rounds will now be timed. Each round will last five minutes to start, and bonus time will be awarded for long home runs. Two home runs of 420 feet or more will result in a minute of bonus time, and a home run of 475 feet or more will result in 30 seconds of bonus time. The format changes come after years of complaints of the derby’s perceived excessive length and slow pace.

The 2015 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby will take place on Monday, July 13 from Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati.

Scott Logan covers the New York Giants and Rutgers Athletics for Double G Sports. He can be reached on Twitter at @IAmScottLogan.