2015 Home Run Derby: Statcast helps shed some light for rankings

8. Manny Machado

Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

Statscast: 2% chance

Vegas: 7/1

Even if Machado gets by Pederson who is heavily favored by Statcast, he will likely be going head-to-head against Pujols in the semi’s. He has a hold of the American League lead in home runs with 26, tied with teammate Mike Trout.

Pederson has an edge over Machado in that Great American Ball Park’s dimensions do favor left-handed pull hitters more so, but also in that Pederson’s 20 home runs in 2015 have traveled an average of 430 feet. That leads all of MLB for anyone with a minimum of 10 taters this season.

Pederson’s longest shot this season stretched the tape measure out some 480 feet, while Machado’s farthest hit dinger by true distance sailed only 422 feet.

Machado is no stranger to going opposite field though, as eight of his 19 total long balls were pushed right of the center field wall numbers. However, Machado is a rather devout line-drive gap hitter, with his average true distance being only 387 feet and only 14.7 percent of his fly balls having left the park compared to Pederson’s 20.4 percent.

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