“The biggest thing is relaxing,” Gorman said. “You can’t put too much pressure on yourself. It’s a fun event to be at, you have to try to enjoy it.”

Now both players will participate in front of the big crowd expected Monday prior to the Home Run Derby proper. “It’s going to be fun,” Gorman said. “It’s going to be a bigger stage, that’s for sure.”

Other participants Sunday included Bryce Bush of Birmingham, Mich., an alumnus of MLB’s RBI program; Elijah Cabell of Winter Park, Fla.; Triston Casas of Pembroke Pines, Fla.; Jarred Kelenic of Waukesha, Wis.; and Kevin Vargas of Salinas, P.R.

Bush, who hit 12, got the event started by hitting a home run into the bushes in the batter’s eye in center field. Kelenic, with 13 home runs, fell just short of the finals, while Cabell hit 12–including at least two off the famed Marlins Park sculpture in left-center field, though it was turned off. Casas, whose raw lefthanded power ranks toward the top of the 2018 class, hit eight in the first round but just two in the second round. Vargas hit two.

Kelenic is expected to be named Monday to USA Baseball’s 18U national team roster. He was on the team last fall and performed well last month in the Tournament of Stars, which functions as the 18U team’s trials. They’ll play in the world championship in Thunder Bay, Ont., against Naylor’s Canadians and other nations in September.

“I like it high in the zone for a home run derby, and early on I had a good rhythm going,” Kelenic said. “In the second round, I just wasn’t able to get going as well with balls lower in the zone or even down the middle.

“It’s a great experience, though. I was on the 18U team last year, and I think I did well in Cary, so that’s what I can control, and hopefully I’ll earn a spot on the 18U team again. It would be a great honor to play for Team USA again.”