Yankees Pitcher Cam Schlittler Backs a Long Shot to Win Home Run Derby

The MLB Home Run Derby always produces a few surprises. But this year, one of the more unexpected endorsements is coming from inside the New York Yankees clubhouse.

Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler told SNY Yankees he’s picking his teammate Ben Rice to take the crown Monday night in Arlington. “I gotta say Ben Rice, right? That’s the plan. If not Ben Rice, I think Caminero is up there. He’s a dawg,” Schlittler said.

Now, here’s the thing. Ben Rice is a long shot. A real long shot. DraftKings has him with the second-worst odds in the eight-man field, ahead of only Willson Contreras. But Schlittler doesn’t seem to care about the betting lines. He’s seen Rice swing the bat all year, and that might be enough for him.

Rice has 29 home runs this season entering the derby. That’s third in all of Major League Baseball and second among derby participants. Only Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber has more with 32. Yordan Alvarez is second in the league with 31 but won’t be swinging in the competition. So Rice’s power numbers are legit, even if the public perception hasn’t caught up yet.

The derby field is stacked. Schwarber comes in as the favorite, and it’s easy to see why. He leads the majors in homers and has the kind of raw power that plays well in a timed competition. But Junior Caminero, who finished second last year, is right behind him in the odds. Schlittler mentioned Caminero as his other pick. That’s a reasonable backup if Rice doesn’t deliver.

The Batting Order and the Upset Potential

Rice is scheduled to hit fifth in the first round. He’ll follow Willson Contreras, Jordan Walker, Jac Caglianone, and Schwarber. Caminero goes sixth, then Munetaka Murakami bats seventh, and hometown favorite Bryce Harper closes out the round.

The order matters in the derby’s current format. Batters who go later get the benefit of knowing what they need to advance. But they also deal with fatigue setting in under the hot Texas lights. Rice might catch a break hitting in the middle of the pack — enough time to watch but not enough to go cold.

There’s a reason Rice isn’t getting much love from oddsmakers. He’s a rookie. He hasn’t been in this spotlight before. But sometimes that’s exactly the kind of guy who catches fire and makes noise. Schlittler clearly believes in his guy. We’ll find out Monday night whether that faith was misplaced or whether the Yankees have another young star ready to shine on a national stage.