Julio Rodriguez is a phenom. Fans of the Seattle Mariners are well aware of his ability. A select few die-hard baseball fans also understand how talent Rodriguez is. But other than that, many people aren't in the know in reference to this 21-year old rookie. However, he changed all of that on Monday night at the 2022 Home Run Derby. In the end, he came up just short to Washington Nationals superstar Juan Soto.

But Rodriguez steamrolled through veteran stars such as Corey Seager and Pete Alonso in the event. Alonso, who was the two-time reigning champion, provided seemingly no match for Julio Rodriguez. Rodriguez blasted over 30 home runs in each of the first two rounds. It looked as if the derby was his for the taking before running out of steam in round 3.

Julio Rodriguez shared the following message on Twitter after losing to Juan Soto in the 2022 Home Run Derby.

Related NewsArticle continues below
Seattle Mariners pitcher George Kirby (68) pitches against the Texas Rangers in the first inning at Globe Life Field.
Mariners get major George Kirby injury update
Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez (44), right, reacts while walking off the field with left fielder Randy Arozarena (56) during the third inning of an MLB game against the Miami Marlins at T-Mobile Park.
Julio Rodriguez robs Trent Grisham HR with insane catch
Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryce Miller (50) catches a thrown ball during the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at T-Mobile Park.
Mariners lose yet another starter to injury

He certainly put on a show for the fans.

For a 21-year old making the league minimum, earning the $1 million dollar prize for winning the derby would have been nice. But Rodriguez might be in line for a giant extension with the Mariners soon given his immense talent. Something tells me he will be just fine from a financial standpoint moving forward.

As for Soto, he's dealt with his share of trade rumors and drama. He reportedly turned down a $440 million dollar extension offer from the Nationals which led many to believe he will be traded. So winning this event likely helped take his mind off of those rumors.

Baseball is in good hands moving forward with young players like Julio Rodriguez and Juan Soto leading the charge.