Brewers first baseman Jesús Aguilar is an all-star and will compete in Home Run Derby

Todd Rosiak | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

MIAMI – One-time waiver claim Jesús Aguilar has reached rarified air with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Thanks to MVP-caliber numbers at the plate and an incredible push by Brewers staffers, players and fans after he was initially snubbed, Aguilar officially became an all-star on Wednesday afternoon by winning running away with the balloting for the National League in the MLB All-Star Final Vote.

Aguilar, 28, beat out two other first basemen – Brandon Belt of the San Francisco Giants and Max Muncy of the Los Angeles Dodgers – as well as infielders Trea Turner of the Washington Nationals and Matt Carpenter of the St. Louis Cardinals.

He'll also take part in Home Run Derby, adding another layer to his experience.

“I’m really excited,” Aguilar said shortly after learning the news. “I’ve just got to say thank you to all those guys for the support. It was unbelievable for me, for my family. I just have to say thank you again. It’s going to be my dream come true.

“It was a lot of stuff; it was three busy days. But we’re here. We made it. I just have to say thank you. I really appreciate it.”

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The blitz was on to get Aguilar into the All-Star Game from the moment it was made official Sunday he wasn’t among the initial group of players selected – a group that included Brewers teammates Lorenzo Cain, Christian Yelich and Josh Hader.

While Brewers staffers worked furiously behind the scenes to encourage fans to vote – both in Milwaukee and in Miami – Aguilar spent almost every free moment at Marlins Stadium the past three days doing interviews and trying to help get the word out himself.

It was announced Tuesday afternoon that Aguilar was leading the Final Vote, and not long after the electronic polling closed, he was showered with applause from his teammates and the coaching staff when manager Craig Counsell made the announcement in the Brewers clubhouse.

In the end, Aguilar received the second-most votes ever in Final Vote history with 20.2 million. Only the Dodgers' Justin Turner received more; he got 20.8 million in 2017.

“We’re all thrilled. He’s incredibly deserving,” Counsell said. “I’m incredibly proud of the fans of the Brewers – in Wisconsin and all over the country – that did a crazy great job of getting this done again.

“For Agui, the front-office crew, the players – everybody made a huge effort for a really deserving guy.”

.@JAguilarMKE received the good news from Manager Craig Counsell in a special pregame meeting with his teammates: pic.twitter.com/ZpahPKU5ol — Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) July 12, 2018

Aguilar was claimed off waivers from the Cleveland Indians on Feb. 2, 2017 – roughly two weeks before the start of spring training – and proceeded to force his way onto his first opening-day roster despite only being able to play first base with an unofficial Cactus League MVP-winning performance that included a .452 average, seven home runs, 19 runs batted in and 17 runs scored in 25 games.

With Eric Thames having been signed as a free agent in the off-season to be the team’s primary first baseman, Aguilar saw most of his action early on against left-handed pitching.

While he became the team’s best pinch hitter, Aguilar also earned more playing time at first base as the season progressed. By the time it was over, he’d posted a .265 average, 16 homers and 52 RBI in 133 games after having never gotten more than 33 at-bats in a season with Cleveland.

Despite that performance, there were questions as to how Aguilar would fit onto the team this season after the Brewers’ off-season acquisitions of Cain and Yelich, with Thames already at first base and Ryan Braun being tried there to help ease the logjam in the outfield.

The bracket for the 2018 MLB Home Run Derby! pic.twitter.com/tai9MAU4yG — FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 12, 2018

Roster machinations ultimately allowed the Brewers to keep Aguilar, and after Thames was lost to thumb surgery in late April for 41 games, the slugger claimed first base as his own.

Heading into Wednesday’s series finale with the Marlins, he was hitting .302 and leading the NL in homers with 23, OPS at 1.000 and slugging .631 while ranking third in RBI with 64.

Aguilar then went out Wednesday night and collected three more hits -- including two doubles -- and drove in three runs in the Brewers' 5-4, 12-inning loss to the Marlins.

“It’s unbelievable. I never thought this thing was going to happen to me,” Aguilar said. “I just kept working, and I’m an all-star guy right now. It’s unbelievable. I can’t believe it yet.

“There’s a lot of stuff in my mind right now. I’m so proud of (myself). I showed I can do it at this level. I showed it to them, to this organization. They believed in me.

“I just have to say thank you to the Brewers organization for believing in me. I’m going to be an all-star guy.”

The waiver claim of Aguilar has turned out to be the equivalent of a front-office grand slam, but general manager David Stearns said it was the player who ultimately made it work.

“I think it means that Agui deserves a tremendous amount of credit for putting in the work and effort to fight for every opportunity he’s ever had,” Stearns said. “He’s had to force his way onto this team twice. He’s had to force his way into this lineup. He’s the one who’s put in the work."

The only other Brewers waiver claim to earn all-star status was closer Derrick Turnbow in 2006.

Aguilar is the third Brewers player to win the Final Vote, joining Geoff Jenkins in 2003 and Corey Hart in 2008.

He gives Milwaukee four all-stars for the first time since 2014 when Carlos Gómez, Jonathan Lucroy, Aramis Ramirez and Francisco Rodriguez all made it.

Aguilar had previously made plans for the all-star break, assuming he wouldn’t be taking part. But he’s more than happy to switch gears and make the trek to Washington, D.C., and relished the call he made home to inform his wife of the news.

“She was happy,” he said. “My little boy was happy. My mom was happy, too. They’re going with me, for sure.”

Aguilar becomes the 10th Brewers player to take part in Home Run Derby, and the first since Prince Fielder and Rickie Weeks in 2011. Fielder participated three times (2007 and '09 as well) and earned the only Brewers victory, in 2009.

Greg Vaughn (1996), Jeromy Burnitz (1999), Richie Sexson (2002), Carlos Lee (2005), Ryan Braun (2008) and Corey Hart (2010) were the others.

"They asked me if I want to do it and it was like, ‘Let’s do it. Let’s be part of the big moment and the big show,' " Aguilar said. "We’re going to have fun with my little kid up there and those superstars behind me."

Some believe there is a Home Run Derby "curse" and that it can negatively affect a player's swing after the fact. Aguilar said he isn't worried.

"I don’t really think about that," he said. "I’ll just try to go up there and hit a batting practice, how I do every day. I’m not going to let that affect my swing."

Counsell is on board with his slugger taking part.

"I mean, why not? Why wouldn’t you experience that?" he said. "I think it’s a no-brainer."

There’s also the potential the Brewers could add a fifth all-star in reliever Jeremy Jeffress, who figures to be in the running as an injury replacement. In fact, Counsell gave the manager of the NL team, Dave Roberts of the Dodgers, a call to stump for the right-hander.

“We don’t know the process of how the replacements are selected, but his name has to go to the top of the list,” he said. “There are other guys that deserve to be on the list. There’s worthy guys. But he’s got to be on that list of guys that you consider if there are some guys who can’t pitch.”