MLB 2019 Home Run Derby

Last night's MLB Home Run Derby held in Cleveland was spectacular, maybe the best ever. In the first round 20-year old Vladimir Guerrero Jr. broke the record for one round with 29 homers. In the second round Guerrero Jr. broke the record again. Joc Pederson tied him. Guerrero and Pederson then did three tiebreaker rounds before Guerrero Jr. finally won 40-39. In the final round Guerrero faced Pete Alonso. Alonso won 23-22. Both are rookies.  The results and each player's regular season home run and their years in the league follow. Oddly, the 2nd place finisher had way more home runs for the night than the first place finisher -- 91-57. Alonso's prize, $1 million, was more than than his regular season salary of $555,000. 

First round
Joc Pederson (21 homers) def. Alex Bregman (16)
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (29) def. Matt Chapman (13)
Ronald Acuna Jr. (25)  def. Josh Bell (18)
Pete Alonso (14) def. Carlos Santana (13)

Semifinals
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (40) def. Joc Pederson (39) on three tiebreakers
Pete Alonso (20) def. Ronald Acuna Jr. (19)

Finals
Pete Alonso (23) def. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (22)

2019 Regular Season
Joc Pederson (20) 6th yr
Alex Bregman (23) 4th yr
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (8) rookie
Matt Chapman (21)  4th yr
Ronald Acuna Jr. (21) 2nd yr
Josh Bell (27) 4th yr
Pete Alonso (30)  rookie
Carlos Santana (19) 10th yr

Neither the AL home-run leader, Mike Trout, nor NL home run leader, Christian Yelich, was in the Derby. Yelich opted out due to recovering from an injury. Mike Trout has always opted out. Anyway, if only the top 4 home-run leaders in each league were always selected and Trout opted in, he would compete nearly every year. It's pretty clear that whoever selects the participants likes to choose young, rising stars.

I am puzzled why Guerrero Jr. was even picked. He had the least number of home runs -- only 8 -- in the regular season of the eight players who participated. Second least is 19. He did not make the All-Star game roster, and he was 6th in voting for AL 3rd baseman! Was it because his father was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018? Why, for example, wasn't Gleyber Torres, a 2nd year player with 19 home runs picked? Guerrero Jr. performed spectacularly, but I for one would not have predicted that when selections were made.