Cal Raleigh wins 2025 MLB Home Run Derby: Highlights from Atlanta slugfest

USA Today

7 days ago

ATLANTA — The Big Dumper did it.
After putting together a record-setting first half, Cal Raleigh won Major League Baseball's 2025 Home Run Derby at Truist Park, earning himself the title of baseball's top slugger.
The Seattle Mariners slugger who hit 38 home runs before the All-Star break – the second-most in MLB history – dispatched the Tampa Bay Rays' 22-year-old Junior Caminero in the final, and is the first catcher to win the Home Run Derby.
With his dad pitching and younger brother catching, Raleigh became the second Mariner to be crowned Derby champion, joining Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., who won it three times.
"You don't think you're gonna win it. You do't think you're even going to be invited," Raleigh said. "Then you get invited and the fact that you win it with your family is super special. What a night."
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But Raleigh's night almost ended early, advancing out of the first round by less than one inch.
Raleigh and Brent Rooker had finished tied for fourth with 17 homers, with the tiebreaker being their longest home run. That looked tied as well with MLB's live tracker showing both at 471 feet, but Raleigh's 470.61-foot homer (literally) inched out Rooker's 470.53-foot shot.
"My goodness gracious, it's close. It's just crazy," Raleigh said after his win. "An inch off, and I'm not even in the final four. Just amazing.
"I guess I got lucky there. One extra biscuit."
Then, Raleigh came alive in the semifinals, slugging 19 homers to easily defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates' Oneil Cruz. Cruz had brought the crowd to its feet in the first round, crushing a 513-foot blast – the longest of the night – for the eighth of his 21 home runs.
"To do it as a family was really special," Cal's dad Todd Raleigh said after the Derby. "I don't know why we've been blessed like this ... When it involved the family, the complexion changed. And we thought, if he doesn't hit any home runs, we're still gonna be good."
Asked how his son became a switch-hitter, Todd didn't skip a beat.
"Did it from the first day, when he was in diapers, literally," Todd said. "And I would take that big ball and he had a big red bat. I'd throw it slow and he'd hit it. Then I'd say stay there, pick him up, turn him around, switch his hands and do it again."
Byron Buxton, who hit 20 in the first round, fell to Caminero in the other semifinal.
Also eliminated in the first round were the Washington Nationals' James Wood (16 HR), hometown favorite Matt Olson (15) and New York Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm (3).
Here's how the night unfolded at Truist Park:
Home Run Derby final: Cal Raleigh beats Junior Caminero
The final is set with Cal Raleigh facing Junior Caminero.
Cal Raleigh defeats Oneil Cruz
Junior Caminero defeats Byron Buxton
Home Run Derby semifinals set
It'll be Byron Buxton vs. Junior Caminero and Oneil Cruz vs. Cal Raleigh in the knockout stage, with the winners advancing to the final.
Home Run Derby score sheet: Live stats from first round
* Advances to semifinals // ^ Eliminated
Cal Raleigh advances to semifinals by matter of inches
With only one spot left in the semifinals Cal Raleigh and Brent Rooker each finished the first round with 17 home runs. The tiebreaker was longest home run distance, which appeared tied initially. But Raleigh's longest went 470.61 feet while Rooker's traveled 470.53 – a tie broken by 0.08 feet.
Hometown hero Matt Olson comes up short
With the Truist Field fans behind him, the Braves' first baseman locked in and finished regular time with 15 home runs – but failed to hit another in bonus time to force his way into the semifinaks.
Cal Raleigh switches it up, hits 17
With his dad pitching and brother catching, Raleigh started the round batting left-handed, flipped coming out of a timeout – and then went back to the left side for the bonus time. Delivered in the clutch, tying him with Brent Rooker for fourth place with 17.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. turns in ugly performance
The Yankees infielder was booed after his round, hitting just three home runs to ensure a quick elimination. Chisholm struggled mightily, fouling a number of swings straight back into the stands.
Byron Buxton puts himself in position with 20 HR
The Minnesota Twins' Georgia native hit 20 home runs in his round, the longest traveling 466 feet. He's in third place with three batters remaining, and can only watch as he awaits his fate.
Oneil Cruz hit a baseball 513 feet
The Pittsburgh Pirates' center fielder brought the Truist Park crowd to its feet, launching home runs that traveled 513 and 488 feet. He finished the round with 21, tying him for the lead halfway through.
Junior Caminero tees off: 21 homers to take the lead
The Tampa Bay Rays third baseman is in the lead after three hitters, crushing 21 home run in his round.
Brent Rooker next up: 17 home runs
The Athletics right-hander moved to the top of the leaderboard with 17 home runs, his longest traveling 471 feet.
James Wood leads off Home Run Derby
The Washington Nationals' second-year slugger was first up and had a huge round, hitting 16 homers with a longest shot of 486 feet.
Who is in the Home Run Derby?
(Home run totals at the All-Star break)
Cal Raleigh: 'The Big Dumper' makes Home Run Derby a family affair
ATLANTA — When Cal Raleigh steps to the plate for his first swing at the Home Run Derby, his past, present and future coalesce. Pitching is his father Todd, the former Western Carolina and Tennessee coach, the man who dragged young Cal along to practices and batboy opportunities and built a workout facility at their North Carolina home.
And catching is Todd 'T' Raleigh, Raleigh's 15-year-old brother whose games he tries to attend when his Seattle Mariners travels take him to back to the Deep South, who dons the hand-me-down cleats big brother bequeaths. – Gabe Lacques
Home Run Derby odds
Odds via BetMGM as of 12 p.m.
Home Run Derby rules, new format
The 2025 Home Run Derby features three rounds: the first round, semifinals and finals.
In the first round, the hitters have three minutes or 40 pitches (whichever comes first) to hit as many home runs as they can. Each player gets a bonus period that lasts until they take three swings that don't result in a homer. If a home run of 425 feet or longer is hit during the bonus time, the hitter gets a fourthout
The four players with the highest totals advance to the semifinals – with first-round ties being broken by the player who hit the longest home run in their round.
The semifinals becomes a knockout format, with players seeded Nos. 1-4 based on their first-round totals. Players have two minutes or 27 pitches in the semifinals and finals. Ties in the semifinal are broken by a 60-second "swing-off."
Each batter gets one 45-second timeout – but timeouts be called during bonus periods or tiebreakers.
Who won last year's Home Run Derby?
Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez was crowned 2024 Home Run Derby champion after defeating Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. in the finals.
Hernandez slugged 14 homers in the final round, one more than Witt, to become the first Dodgers player to win the Derby title.
MLB Home Run Derby winners by year