2025 MLB Home Run Derby Recap: Bombs, Brawls, and a Catcher Steals the Crown

Young Horn
15 hours ago
3 min read

The 2025 MLB Home Run Derby at Truist Park in Atlanta was one for the books. If you tuned in expecting a laid-back night of guys casually launching a few balls into the seats, you got steamrolled by one of the most dramatic, emotional, and competitive Derbies in recent memory. The energy in the building was electric from the first swing to the last, with underdogs overperforming, stars flaming out, and a switch-hitting catcher rising to the top of the baseball world.

It had everything: 500+ foot nukes, family members pitching and catching, ties decided by less than a foot, and players swinging with such intensity you thought they were fighting for their lives (or at least their TikTok legacy). Here’s how the night went down, round-by-round—with all the little quirks and big moments that made it unforgettable.

Round 1: Power and drama set the tone

Oneil Cruz (PIT) opened strong with 21 bombs, including a 513-foot moonshot that was the longest non-Coors Derby homer ever—truly earth-shaking ✨.
Junior Caminero (TB) matched Cruz with 21 homers, flashing confidence and consistency. His bat, decorated with his own face, delivered crisp blasts that showed he's more than just hype.
Byron Buxton (MIN) kept pace with 20 longballs, but slowed later—still impressive.
Cal Raleigh (SEA) had 17, but what a twist: tied with Brent Rooker (OAK), both at 17. Raleigh edged out Rooker by a mere 0.08 feet—470.62 vs. 470.54 —on the longest hit tiebreaker and advanced. Rooker was furious about the obscure rule and lack of real-time info.
James Wood (WAS) hit 16, Matt Olson (ATL) had 15 right in his home park, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. (NYY) managed only 3—his lowest, but he took it in stride and chalked it up to fun.

So the semifinalists: Cruz (1), Caminero (2), Buxton (3), Raleigh (4 via tiebreaker). Pure drama.

Semifinals: Intensity cranked to 11

Matchup A: Caminero (2) vs. Buxton (3)

Caminero needed just 8 homers to overthrow Buxton’s 7. He got them in under a minute, cruising into the finals.
Buxton, who had 20 in Round 1, stumbled with only 7 this time.

Matchup B: Raleigh (4) vs. Cruz (1)

Cruz gave it everything: drilled a 498-foot shot, finished with 13 total.
Raleigh, however, got hot: went back and forth switch-hitting, finished with a massive 19 homers (including a 3-homer bonus).

So our final: Cal Raleigh vs. Junior Caminero.

Finals: Catcher vs. Teen Phenomenon

Raleigh took off left-handed, unleashed 15 homers during regulation, including a furious streak of six straight (three, timeout, then three more).
Caminero matched fire with 15 of his own, averaging 435 feet—bright, energetic, but just short.
Tie. Enter bonus round.
Raleigh sealed it with 3 more, finishing 18–15 overall.

He ended with 54 homers over the night—cumulative domination.

What made it special

Historic landmarks:

First-ever catcher and switch-hitter to win—Raleigh’s dual hit-tool and switch ability paid dividends.
First Mariners Derby champion since Ken Griffey Jr. in 1999.

Family vibes:

His dad Todd Sr. was pitching; younger brother Todd Jr. was catching behind the plate—total family affair, heartfelt celebrations included.

Jaw-dropping distances:

Cruz’s 513-foot shot and Raleigh switching sides mid-round—they gave the fans that “did you just see that?!” moment.

Drama & nitty-gritty:

The tiebreaker drama and Rooker’s rant (“they should show decimals in real time!”) added salty tension.
Chisholm’s 3-homer round drew boos—but he kept perspective and laughed it off, adding charm.

Overall rating: 9/10

Entertainment: A solid 10. Long bombs, iconic sights, suspense, underdog drama (Rooker razor-close, switch-hitting, family angle).
Fairness/clarity: A 7. Tiebreaker rules are fine, but the delayed decimal reveal? Not cool. It felt like being punched with decimals backstage—Rooker had a point.
Energy & presentation: A 9. Players were into it, fans pumped, and the family story gave it real heart.

Final verdict: This Home Run Derby had it all—power, history, heartbreak, family warmth, and tension for days. Bumping a perfect score only because of the tiebreaker hacker. Still, it’ll go down as one of the most memorable entertaining derbies in recent memory.