Bryce Harper, Freddie Freeman headline 2018 Home Run Derby

The 2018 T-Mobile Home Run Derby field is set. Bryce Harper will represent the home town Washington Nationals in Washington, D.C., but he may not be the clear favorite to win it all.

Harper — who has participated in the event once before — will be joined by seven players making their Home Run Derby debuts, as Major League Baseball showcases the immense young talent around the league.

Who is participating in the 2018 T-Mobile Home Run Derby?

Here are the eight players taking part in the Home Run Derby. They are ranked by their seed in the bracket. The seeds were determined by total number of home runs hit heading into the contest.

• No. 1 – Jesús Aguilar, Milwaukee Brewers
• No. 2 – Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals
• No. 3 – Max Muncy, Los Angeles Dodgers
• No. 4 – Alex Bregman, Houston Astros
• No. 5 – Kyle Schwarber, Chicago Cubs
• No. 6 – Javier Báez, Chicago Cubs
• No. 7 – Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves
• No. 8 – Rhys Hoskins, Philadelphia Phillies

Which players will face each other in the in the Home Run Derby bracket?

Here are the first-round matchups according to the Derby’s bracket format:

Who is the favorite to win the 2018 Home Run Derby?

Things actually seem pretty even. Harper is the biggest name of the bunch, and has experience and home-field advantage on his side, so he’ll be a popular pick. However, Aguilar has hit the most home runs of that group thus far.

The Home Run Derby is often unpredictable. Players advancing can depend on so many different factors that it’s tough to feel confident about any one player. If you’re on the ballot, you can win it all.

A focus on youth in the 2018 Home Run Derby

At 28 years old, Freeman and Aguilar are the oldest participants in the 2018 Home Run Derby. Max Muncy is next at 27. Every other player taking part in the event is 25 or younger. That speaks to the abundance of young talent in MLB right now. Some key players may have skipped out on the Derby this season, such as Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge and Mike Trout, but the field is still exciting.

When is the 2018 Home Run Derby?

The Home Run Derby will take place Monday, July 16. The Derby will be broadcast on ESPN starting at 8 p.m. ET.

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik

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