Meet the HRDX Rookies joining for Mexico City
Michael Clair
@michaelsclairIt all comes down to this. After jockeying for position at the first two FTX MLB Home Run Derby X events, everything will be decided in Mexico City on Oct. 15. The Yankees won in London, the Dodgers won in Seoul, the Red Sox have the most points in the tournament, and the Cubs -- though they've never won a game -- set a record for most home runs in a single round.
There's one more roster change ahead, though: Just as each team had a young member of Team Great Britain on their roster in London, and a KBO Hero in Seoul, each team will now have a highly regarded prospect -- or recent MLB callup -- from Latin America.
Let's take a look at the newest players on the roster:
Esteban Quiroz - Cubs
A familar face to Mexican fans, Quiroz has been a star in the Mexican Baseball League since he was just 19 years old. He has also spent time with the Red Sox, Padres and Rays organizations until this year when he joined the Cubs. Though he battled injuries early in the season, the 5-foot-6 infielder made his Major League debut with Chicago on Sept. 17. Now a 30-year-old veteran, Quiroz laced a single in his first at-bat, impressed enough to start the next day, and even drove in the game-winning run in his third outing.
Though slight in stature, Quiroz has bashed out over 100 home runs in his professional career and hit another two as a member of the Mexican National Team at the World Baseball Classic in 2017. He'll be looking to help the Cubs upset the field as the No. 4 seed.
Nelson Quiroz - Dodgers
Hailing from Navajoa, Mexico, Quiroz was on his way to a breakout campaign at the tender age of 21 this year. The catcher made his full-season debut with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes and posted an impressive .341 batting average with four home runs and more walks than strikeouts in just 12 games. He even bashed three in a single game with the Quakes. Unfortunately, he needed hamate surgery shortly after joining the team and he missed the rest of the season.?
Known for his patient approach and ability to attack the baseball, Quiroz could surprise a lot of people at Campo Marte.
Enmanuel Valdez - Red Sox
Growing up a Red Sox fan, it's only fitting that Valdez was acquired by Boston this summer in the trade that sent Christian Vazquez to the Astros. The infielder bashed an impressive 28 home runs in Triple-A this year, and would have led his Worcester Red Sox teammates had he spent the entire season with them.
Ranked as the No. 18 prospect in the Red Sox farm system, scouts note that he has 20-home run potential in the Major Leagues. If he does that on Saturday, the Red Sox -- who have finished in second place at each event -- just might finally win one.
Jared Serna - Yankees
Just 20 years old, Serna is in his second season in the Yankees organization. This year, he set career highs in home runs and doubles as he reached Class A Tampa by the end of the year. He's also a threat on the bases with his speed (41 steals in two years), something he'll only be able to use in the field at HRDX.
A good hitter just beginning to grow into his power, Serna could provide some surprising pop in the Yankees lineup.