2025 MLB Home Run Derby Preview: Eight Sluggers Set to Battle at Truist Park
The 2025 MLB Home Run Derby kicks off tonight at 8 p.m. ET at Truist Park in Atlanta, featuring eight power hitters vying to join the ranks of legends like Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Bonds, and last year’s champion, Teoscar Hernández. Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, with an MLB-leading 38 home runs at the All-Star break, enters as the favorite, just one shy of Bonds’ 2001 first-half record. Other contenders include Oneil Cruz (Pirates), James Wood (Nationals), Matt Olson (Braves), Brent Rooker (Athletics), Byron Buxton (Twins), Junior Caminero (Rays), and Jazz Chisholm Jr. (Yankees).
How to Watch
- TV: ESPN
- Stream: Fubo
Participants and Home Run Totals (2025 Season)
- Cal Raleigh (Mariners): 38
- James Wood (Nationals): 24
- Junior Caminero (Rays): 21
- Byron Buxton (Twins): 21
- Brent Rooker (Athletics): 20
- Matt Olson (Braves): 17
- Jazz Chisholm Jr. (Yankees): 17
- Oneil Cruz (Pirates): 16
Raleigh’s Family Connection
Cal Raleigh, nicknamed “The Big Dumper,” brings a personal touch to the event. His father, Todd Raleigh, a former college coach, will pitch to him, while his 15-year-old brother, Todd “T” Raleigh, catches, wearing Cal’s hand-me-down cleats. This family affair adds emotional weight to Raleigh’s debut in the Derby.
Betting Odds (via BetMGM)
- Cal Raleigh: +280
- Oneil Cruz: +350
- James Wood: +400
- Matt Olson: +900
- Brent Rooker: +900
- Byron Buxton: +950
- Junior Caminero: +1000
- Jazz Chisholm Jr.: +1500
New Derby Format
The 2025 Derby features three rounds:
- First Round: Players get three minutes or 40 pitches to hit as many home runs as possible, followed by a bonus period until three non-homer swings. A 425+ foot homer in bonus time grants an extra out. The top four advance, with ties broken by longest home run.
- Semifinals and Finals: Players are seeded 1-4 based on first-round totals, with two minutes or 27 pitches per round. Ties in semifinals are settled by a 60-second swing-off. Each player gets one 45-second timeout (not during bonus periods or tiebreakers).
Last Year’s Champion
Teoscar Hernández (Dodgers) won the 2024 Derby, edging out Bobby Witt Jr. with 14 homers in the final round, becoming the first Dodger to claim the title.
Notable Past Winners
- Ken Griffey Jr. (1994, 1998, 1999)
- Pete Alonso (2019, 2021)
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (2023)
- Barry Bonds (1996)
- Aaron Judge (2017)