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Baltimore Orioles' Adley Rutschman is Joining the Home Run Derby Field

Baltimore Orioles young slugger Adley Rutschman is the sixth confirmed participant in the Home Run Derby during All-Star week.

Brady Farkas

Baltimore Orioles' Adley Rutschman is Joining the Home Run Derby Field
Baltimore Orioles' Adley Rutschman is Joining the Home Run Derby Field /
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Two days after Tampa Bay Rays star Randy Arozarena confirmed his participation in the Home Run Derby during All-Star week, another American League East stud is joining the field: Baltimore Orioles star Adley Rutschman.

He's the sixth confirmed participant, along with Arozarena, Julio Rodriguez (Mariners), Pete Alonso (Mets), Mookie Betts (Dodgers) and Vladimir Gurerrero Jr. (Blue Jays).

Rutschman's inclusion is intriguing because he's the first participant who can swing it from the left side. He's a switch-hitter but all five previous entries are right-handed hitters.

Furthermore, he's the third player to join the field from the American League East, further highlighting the most competitive division in the sport right now.

Also, he's the fourth player from the American League to join the show, meaning the next two entries will likely be National Leaguers.

The 25-year-old Rutschman will have a bit of a homecoming during the experience in Seattle. He's a Portland, Ore. native and starred in college at Oregon State.

He's hitting .268 this season with a .374 this year and is the top young catcher in the league. He finished second to Rodriguez a season ago in the American League Rookie of the Year voting.

More of a pure hitter than a power hitter, he has 11 homers and 35 RBI this year. It will be interesting to see how he ratchets up the power during this event.

The Orioles are 49-33 and in second place in the American League East. 

The Home Run Derby takes place on July 10. The game is the following day. Rutschman was selected to that as well.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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