Minnesota Twins slugger Miguel Sano has reportedly committed to participate in the 2017 Home Run Derby in Miami. He will look to dethrone Giancarlo Stanton.
The Minnesota Twins will leave an imprint beyond just playing in the All-Star Game at the festivities in Miami. It has been reported that slugging third baseman Miguel Sano will take part in the 2017 Home Run Derby. The field has yet to be announced, making Sano and defending champion (and hometown guy) Giancarlo Stanton the only confirmed participants so far.
Sano will be the seventh Twins player to participate in the contest. He is the first to appear since Brian Dozier at Target Field in 2014. Others who have donned the Twins cap in the Derby include Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Torii Hunter, Gary Gaetti and Tom Brunansky. Morneau is the only one who has been crowned champion (2008).
Sano is going to be a threat.
Sano is a worthy candidate to participate in the Derby, and he has a chance to win. He currently sits second in the league in average exit velocity at 96.4 miles per hour. That’s just 0.2 behind New York Yankees rookie sensation Aaron Judge.
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Sano’s longest home run came against the Athletics, sailing 452 feet off of a pitch from Sonny Gray. His fastest home run off of the bat came against the Tigers when Anibal Sanchez served him a pitch that would go the other way at an astounding 116 miles per hour. The average distance of his dingers is 408 feet. With numbers like these, Sano could be a true threat in the contest.
Sano, so far this this season, has 18 home runs with a .548 slugging percentage. He has been one of the top sluggers in the American League, and the offensive leader of the division-leading Twins. This brings some excitement to an already memorable first half of 2017.
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With Sano participating in the 2017 Home Run Derby, Minnesota Twins fans have another reason to get excited for the All-Star break. The team is contending, they should have multiple All-Stars and their homegrown slugger gets to take center stage in the festivities. It should be an All-Star break Twins fans will remember. Especially when Sano takes home the Derby trophy.