{"id":65771,"date":"2025-07-14T20:32:14","date_gmt":"2025-07-14T20:32:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/65771\/"},"modified":"2025-07-14T20:32:14","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T20:32:14","slug":"mlb-home-run-derby-2025-who-will-emerge-victorious-from-this-years-derby-field","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/65771\/","title":{"rendered":"MLB Home Run Derby 2025: Who will emerge victorious from this year&#8217;s Derby field?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>ATLANTA \u2014 The night of a million taters is almost here.<\/p>\n<p>On Monday in the Atlanta suburbs, large baseball fellas will launch dinger after dinger through the humid Georgia night. The MLB Home Run Derby, that splendid festival of slug, is the most whimsical notch on the hardball calendar. It exists, primarily, because it is fun. This exercise in longball joy is an opportunity to put your worries \u2014 baseball-related and otherwise \u2014 aside and enjoy a downpour of dingers.<\/p>\n<p>Advertisement<\/p>\n<p>And even though this year\u2019s Derby field lacks top-shelf star power \u2014 not a single Derby contestant was an All-Star last season \u2014 this lineup is still an absolute doozy. Let\u2019s dive in.<\/p>\n<p>The format<\/p>\n<p>The Home Run Derby\u2019s configuration has changed a great deal over the years, so you\u2019d be forgiven for forgetting what in Ken Griffey\u2019s Jr.\u2019s name the setup is nowadays.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s the rub: In the first round, all eight hitters will have three minutes or 40 pitches to crank taters, whichever comes first. When the clock times out or the bag of balls runs dry, it\u2019s pencils down \u2014 sort of. Each player then gets an untimed round that continues until they make three outs (any non-homer batted ball). If the batter had a big fly longer than 425 feet during the timed round, he\u2019ll also be rewarded an extra out.<\/p>\n<p>Advertisement<\/p>\n<p>After that round concludes, the top four hitters by home run tally advance to the semifinals, in which seeding is done by first-round home run total. In the semis, rounds are two minutes or 27 pitches. Winners advance to the finals, which is still two minutes or 27 pitches. Totals do not carry over from round to round.<\/p>\n<p>The ballpark<\/p>\n<p>Truist Park is unremarkable when it comes to longball frequency. This yard is neither a pitcher\u2019s paradise nor a launching pad. The dimensions are somewhat friendlier to left-handed swingers; it\u2019s 10 feet shorter to right field both down the line and in the power alley.<\/p>\n<p>Advertisement<\/p>\n<p>One important note about the outfield fences: Truist Park has a huge, 16-foot wall in right field, while the wall down the left-field line is just 6 feet high. That might come into play for line-drive-homer types, potentially helping a right-handed hitter such as Junior Caminero and hurting a lefty such as Oneil Cruz.<\/p>\n<p>The contestantsCal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners<\/p>\n<ul class=\"content-list\">\n<li>\n<p><strong>Home runs: <\/strong>38 (1st in MLB)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li\/>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Derby thrower: <\/strong>Todd Raleigh (dad)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li\/>\n<li\/><\/ul>\n<p>What a first half it has been for the Big Dumper. Seattle\u2019s behind-inclined backstop has popped <a data-i13n=\"cpos:3;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/mlb\/article\/cal-raleigh-has-2-homer-day-reaches-38th-home-run-this-season-in-mariners-win-over-tigers-024325204.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:a league-leading 38 homers;cpos:3;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a league-leading 38 homers<\/a> so far this season, easily the most pre-All-Star-break by a catcher and just one short of the first-half record set by Barry Bonds in 2001. But how will Cal\u2019s juice translate to the Derby setting? From which side will Raleigh, a switch-hitter, swing? Can he become the first catcher to ever win the Derby? These, my dear friends, are the important questions.<\/p>\n<p>Advertisement<\/p>\n<p>Something to consider: Only two sluggers have ever won with their dad as their batting practice pitcher. That\u2019s Robinson Cano in 2011 and Bryce Harper in 2018. Of course, there\u2019s a beautiful sentimentality to having pops on the grand stage, but from a purely competitive standpoint, the professional BP throwers are pros for a reason.<\/p>\n<p>James Wood, Washington Nationals<\/p>\n<ul class=\"content-list\">\n<li\/>\n<li\/>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Derby thrower: <\/strong>Ricky Gutierrez, Nats 3B Coach<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li\/>\n<li\/><\/ul>\n<p>Wood has ascended into the game\u2019s upper echelon this season, <a data-i13n=\"cpos:6;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/for-nationals-rookie-james-wood-the-task-ahead-is-tall-but-hes-not-stressed-214224053.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:putting together the oodles of talent that made him the cornerstone;cpos:6;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">putting together the oodles of talent that made him the cornerstone<\/a> of the Juan Soto trade.<\/p>\n<p>The limby slugger has a fascinating breakdown of home runs by location. Of his 24 long balls, seven have been to the opposite field, while 11 have been to center (the most in MLB). Wood\u2019s pull power is still preposterous, as his 451-foot blast against the Marlins showcased, but it\u2019ll be interesting to see how he approaches things.<\/p>\n<p>Advertisement<\/p>\n<p>Junior Caminero, Tampa Bay Rays<\/p>\n<ul class=\"content-list\">\n<li\/>\n<li\/>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Derby thrower: <\/strong>Tomas Francisco, Rays MLB field coordinator<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li\/>\n<li\/><\/ul>\n<p>According to Statcast, this Dominican youngster has the second-fastest bat speed in the bigs. That twitch allows Caminero to rake balls out to all parts of the field; seven of his 23 bombs have been backside.<\/p>\n<p>Often, the 22-year-old\u2019s biggest impediment to MVP-level stardom seems to be his propensity to hit the ball on the ground. Whether Caminero can elevate enough to celebrate \u2014 like he did in the Dominican Winter League last winter \u2014 will dictate his Derby performance.<\/p>\n<p>Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins<\/p>\n<ul class=\"content-list\">\n<li\/>\n<li\/>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Derby thrower: <\/strong>Tommy Watkins, Twins 3B coach<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li\/>\n<li\/><\/ul>\n<p>That Buxton, perhaps the most injury-plagued \u00fcber-talent of the past decade, is healthy enough to participate in the Home Run Derby feels like a minor miracle. Despite all the various ailments over the years, the 31-year-old outfielder hasn\u2019t lost much, if any, of his extraterrestrial athleticism. He has the second-longest home run this season and is the league\u2019s second-fastest runner.<\/p>\n<p>Advertisement<\/p>\n<p>This Derby is sure to be an emotional moment for Buxton, a Georgia native and a player who has paid his dues and then some. A victory would make his return to the Peach State even sweeter.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Who will emerge victorious from this year's Derby field? (Grant Thomas\/Yahoo Sports)\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"standard-img\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/b21c2450-5f70-11f0-bbdf-d9ccbe90c904.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Who will emerge victorious from this year&#8217;s Derby field? (Grant Thomas\/Yahoo Sports)<\/p>\n<p> (Grant Thomas\/Yahoo Sports)Brent Rooker, Athletics<\/p>\n<ul class=\"content-list\">\n<li\/>\n<li\/>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Derby thrower: <\/strong>Joe Caruso, childhood hitting coach<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li\/>\n<li\/><\/ul>\n<p>Maybe you missed it because he has been playing for bad and nomadic A\u2019s teams, but Rooker is a tater machine. He has the ninth-most long balls in MLB since the start of 2023, behind only Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Kyle Schwarber, Cal Raleigh, Pete Alonso, Matt Olson, Juan Soto and Marcell Ozuna.<\/p>\n<p>Matt Olson, Atlanta Braves<\/p>\n<ul class=\"content-list\">\n<li\/>\n<li\/>\n<li\/>\n<li\/>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Hardest-hit homer: <\/strong>113.4, April 4 vs. Marlins<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Olson is <a data-i13n=\"cpos:14;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/mlb\/breaking-news\/article\/home-run-derby-2025-field-matt-olson-replaces-braves-teammate-ronald-acuna-jr-181017867.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:filling in for Ronald Acu\u00f1a Jr. as the hometown favorite;cpos:14;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">filling in for Ronald Acu\u00f1a Jr. as the hometown favorite<\/a>. Acu\u00f1a was forced to withdraw from the Derby last week after he missed a game last week due to back tightness and wanted to err on the side of caution.<\/p>\n<p>Advertisement<\/p>\n<p>And so in steps Olson, a Georgia native who attended the Derby as a fan the last time it was held in Atlanta, way back in 2000. He\u2019ll have the crowd behind him, but a hometown guy hasn\u2019t won since Harper in D.C. in 2018.<\/p>\n<p>Jazz Chisholm Jr., New York Yankees<\/p>\n<ul class=\"content-list\">\n<li\/>\n<li\/>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Derby thrower: <\/strong>Geron Sands, stepfather<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li\/>\n<li\/><\/ul>\n<p>Even though this is his first big-league Derby, Jazz is no stranger to this type of competition. He has been competing in the Don\u2019t Blink Home Run Derby, a homer competition held in his native Bahamas, for a long time now. And it\u2019s not like Chisholm is going to be intimidated by the spotlight.<\/p>\n<p>The one concern with Jazz is that he\u2019s easily the smallest guy in the field, meaning he might need to swing harder to generate pop. During the season, when you\u2019re taking only a handful of swings every at-bat, that\u2019s not a problem, but in a Derby setting, things can get exhausting quickly.<\/p>\n<p>Advertisement<\/p>\n<p>Oneil Cruz, Pittsburgh Pirates<\/p>\n<ul class=\"content-list\">\n<li\/>\n<li\/>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Derby thrower: <\/strong>Stephen Morales, Pirates coach\/translator<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li\/>\n<li\/><\/ul>\n<p>Cruz has always been a statistical standout. His laser-beam homer in May against Milwaukee was the single hardest-hit ball ever tracked in the history of the sport. Cruz is also the fastest swinger in MLB, the owner of the highest average exit velocity and, not that it matters in the Derby, the strongest arm.<\/p>\n<p>Sure, he\u2019s a very flawed offensive player, but have you seen him disintegrate a baseball? There\u2019s nothing else like it, except for maybe peak Giancarlo Stanton. Again, this is probably the most powerful man to ever put on baseball pants. If he\u2019s locked in on Monday, it\u2019s going to be a special, special show.<\/p>\n<p>Prediction: Cruz over Buxton in the finals<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"ATLANTA \u2014 The night of a million taters is almost here. On Monday in the Atlanta suburbs, large&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":65772,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[3090,5356,1280,34538,20417,24336,4248,4711,20167,46707,10626,46706,8333,10607,9138,3693,38820,8321,46708,46712,46711,34545,6375,1287,1266,2228,3375,3687,18766,12097,46710,20407,1288,4712,62,1289,46709,67,132,68,1291],"class_list":{"0":"post-65771","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mlb","8":"tag-aaron-judge","9":"tag-atlanta","10":"tag-atlanta-braves","11":"tag-brent-rooker","12":"tag-brewers","13":"tag-bryce-harper","14":"tag-byron-buxton","15":"tag-cal-raleigh","16":"tag-cubs","17":"tag-derby-field","18":"tag-giancarlo-stanton","19":"tag-home-run-derby","20":"tag-homer","21":"tag-jazz","22":"tag-jazz-chisholm","23":"tag-juan-soto","24":"tag-junior-caminero","25":"tag-kyle-schwarber","26":"tag-left-handed","27":"tag-marcell-ozuna","28":"tag-marlins","29":"tag-matt-olson","30":"tag-milwaukee","31":"tag-minnesota-twins","32":"tag-mlb","33":"tag-new-york-yankees","34":"tag-oneil-cruz","35":"tag-pete-alonso","36":"tag-pirates","37":"tag-rangers","38":"tag-robinson-cano","39":"tag-ronald-acuna-jr","40":"tag-seattle-mariners","41":"tag-shohei-ohtani","42":"tag-sports","43":"tag-tampa-bay-rays","44":"tag-todd-raleigh","45":"tag-united-states","46":"tag-unitedstates","47":"tag-us","48":"tag-washington-nationals"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65771","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=65771"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65771\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/65772"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65771"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=65771"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=65771"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}