Today : Jul 08, 2025
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08 July 2025

Home Run Derby Field Takes Shape With Top MLB Sluggers

Atlanta hosts the 2025 MLB Home Run Derby featuring Ronald Acuña Jr., Cal Raleigh, James Wood, and Byron Buxton among confirmed participants

The 2025 MLB Home Run Derby is shaping up to be an electrifying showdown of power hitters, set to take place on July 14 at Truist Park in Atlanta. With the event scheduled just a day before the MLB All-Star Game and following the MLB Draft, fans are eagerly anticipating a night of spectacular slugging in front of a hometown crowd.

Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuña Jr. was the first to commit to this years Derby, a fitting choice as the event returns to his home park. After a challenging 2024 season sidelined by a torn ACL, Acuña did not step onto the field until May 23, 2025, but wasted no time reminding everyone of his elite power. In his first at-bat back, he launched a massive 467-foot home run and has since gone deep nine times in his first 28 games. Known for his 40-homer, 40-stolen-base prowess in 2023, which earned him the MVP award, Acuña is eager to showcase that he remains one of MLBs brightest stars despite his late start this season. This will mark his third Home Run Derby appearance, having been eliminated in previous contests by New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso.

Joining Acuña is Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who has emerged as one of the most formidable sluggers in baseball. Nicknamed "The Big Dumper," Raleigh currently leads MLB in home runs, battling titans like Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani for supremacy. With two consecutive 30-homer seasons under his belt and a Platinum Glove for his defensive excellence behind the plate, Raleigh is making a strong case as one of the games elite. His longest home run this season measured 440 feet, and hes known for his prodigious power, which could make him a top contender in his first Derby appearance. Notably, Raleigh grew up just 150 miles from Atlanta, making this event a sort of homecoming for the North Carolina native.

Washington Nationals star James Wood is another intriguing addition to the field. At just 22 years old and standing an imposing 6-foot-7, Wood has quickly become a breakout star in his first full MLB season. By the end of June, he had already surpassed 20 home runs, a feat that prompted the Los Angeles Angels to issue him four intentional walks in a single game—an honor last bestowed on Barry Bonds in 2004. Woods powerful hitting style, marked by hard line drives and an up-the-middle approach, makes him an atypical but fascinating Derby entrant. He will be the third player to represent the Nationals in the Derby since their move to Washington, following in the footsteps of Bryce Harper and Juan Soto, both of whom won the event during their appearances.

The latest confirmed participant is Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton, who officially joined the Derby field on July 7. Buxton, a Georgia native from Baxley, is having a career-best season, already surpassing his home run totals from the previous two years with 20 homers to date. The 31-year-old will represent the American League in his second All-Star Game and will be the eighth Twins player to compete in the Derby, joining a legacy that includes 2008 champion Justin Morneau. Buxtons excitement about the event is personal as well; he shared with reporters the joy his 11-year-old son, Brix, feels about the Derby, especially the small gestures like bringing a towel and Gatorade. "Going back home to do something like this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing," Buxton said. "I know Im not going to play 30 more years for it to get back to Atlanta, so its that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I talked about it with some close people, guys on the team, friends, family, and everybody got excited. They didnt want me to pass up the opportunity." His longest home run this season reached 479 feet, underscoring his power potential.

While the field boasts impressive talent, several top sluggers have declined to participate. Notably, reigning AL MVP and three-time home run champion Aaron Judge, who won the Derby in his rookie year (2017), has reiterated he will not compete again until the All-Star Game returns to Yankee Stadium. Shohei Ohtani, MLBs international superstar and 2021 Derby participant, cited the events format and his pitching workload as reasons for sitting this year out. Rising stars like Pete Crow-Armstrong and Elly De La Cruz have also passed on the Derby, with De La Cruz concerned about potential fatigue affecting his regular-season performance. Phillies outfielder Kyle Schwarber, third in the National League with 27 home runs, chose to skip the Derby but left open the possibility of competing next year when the All-Star Game will be hosted in Philadelphia. Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, a two-time Derby winner and 20-home-run hitter this season, declined the invite to rest and recover.

The 2024 Home Run Derby introduced a new format, moving away from the traditional one-on-one timed rounds to a more complex structure where all eight hitters compete initially to reach the semifinals. Each batter is limited to 40 pitches during a three-minute round, with three bonus outs available. The semifinals and finals are then seeded, with the final round featuring two minutes and 27 pitches. It remains uncertain if MLB will retain this format for the 2025 event.

As the countdown begins to the July 14 Derby, anticipation is building for what promises to be a thrilling night of baseball power hitting. With a mix of seasoned veterans like Acuña and rising stars like Wood and Buxton, the competition is wide open. Fans can catch all the action live on ESPN at 8 p.m. ET, witnessing some of the games best sluggers chase glory on a stage that blends hometown pride and national excitement.

The 2025 MLB Home Run Derby is more than just a showcase of raw power; its a celebration of baseballs evolving talent and enduring appeal. Whether its Acuñas quest to win in front of his home crowd, Raleighs bid to join Ken Griffey Jr. as a Mariner Derby champion, Woods rising star status, or Buxtons heartfelt return to Georgia, this event has all the ingredients for a memorable night.