Corey Seager to participate in 2016 Home Run Derby, per reports

Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager will be busy on both Monday and Tuesday next week at the All-Star Game in San Diego, telling reporters that he planned to take part in the 2016 Home Run Derby.

Not sure if this is out there or not, but Corey Seager said he will take part in the Home Run derby Monday.

— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) July 7, 2016

Corey Seager said he is going to take his hacks in the Home Run Derby.

— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughTimes) July 7, 2016

The derby will take place on Monday night at Petco Park, televised on ESPN beginning at 5 p.m. PT, with Chris Berman, Aaron Boone and Jessica Mendoza on the call.

Seager, named to his first All-Star team on Tuesday, this season leads the Dodgers with 17 home runs, though he's just tied for 15th in the National League in homers. If the format is the same as 2015, there will be four contestants from each league, battling for three elimination rounds to determine a champion.

The other confirmed contestant leads the majors with 26 home runs, including two hit at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.

Mark Trumbo will participate in Home Run Derby. #Orioles

— Rich Dubroff (@RichDubroffCSN) July 7, 2016

Before 2015 the Dodgers had a terrible history at the Home Run Derby, but Joc Pederson put on a show with 39 total home runs, falling in the final round to hometown hero Todd Frazier in his home ballpark in Cincinnati.

You can't swing a dead cat without hitting someone who is worried about the Home Run Derby messing up a player's swing for the second half of the season, and many point to Pederson's second half fade in 2015 as proof. But that fails to realize the fact that Pederson's slide had nothing to do with the derby, and actually started in early June, with Pederson hitting .175/.322/.308 in the final 36 games before the 2015 All-Star break.

But no matter the fear, Seager doesn't share it.

Corey Seager said he would participate in the home-run derby if asked. "If it messes up your swing, you can figure it out later."

— Joey Kaufman (@joeyrkaufman) July 5, 2016