The 2025 MLB Home Run Derby will take place on July 14, and the eight-player field is nearly filled.
Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. was the first to commit to the event, to be held at his home park of Truist Field in Atlanta, and he’ll be joined by a field of seven of MLB’s top power hitters in the crowd-pleasing event. Athletics designated hitter Brent Rooker was the latest slugger to join the field on Thursday, meaning there’s just one spot remaining.
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Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández is the reigning Derby champion after beating Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. in the 2024 final. He does not plan to defend his title this year.
Here’s every slugger who has been announced to be competing in this year’s event.
Who is competing in the 2025 MLB Home Run Derby?
Brent Rooker, Athletics designated hitter
Rooker is a second-time All-Star, and now he’s throwing his hat in the ring to win this year’s Home Run Derby. The 30-year-old has started 80 games as the Athletics’ designated hitter this season. He’s also started 13 games in the outfield for the club: eight in right and five in left. Rooker’s currently slashing .270/.346/.489 with 19 home runs and 50 RBI. He’s on pace for his third straight season with 30-plus homers. Last year, he hit 39 dingers for the A’s.
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Junior Caminero, Rays third baseman
The 22-year-old Caminero, who announced his entry on Instagram, is showing why he was a hyped prospect with his play in his first full MLB season. The Rays’ third baseman has already surpassed 20 home runs and will be part of the AL All-Star roster after being named as a replacement for the injured Alex Bregman.
Oneil Cruz, Pirates outfielder
Cruz announced Tuesday that he will take part in the event. The 26-year-old outfielder has the second-lowest home run total of any participant thus far but might have the best skill set for the event. Cruz is a Statcast darling, ranking in the 100th percentile in bat speed, average exit velocity, barrel rate and hard-hit percentage. He already owns the record for hardest-hit ball with his 122.9 mph home run in May.
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Byron Buxton, Twins outfielder
Buxton announced on Instagram that he will enter the field. The 31-year-old Minnesota Twins outfielder has already surpassed his home run totals from the past two seasons and is on pace for a career high. After he takes part in the Derby, he will represent the American League in his second All-Star Game.
“Going back home to do something like this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing,” the Georgia-born Buxton said. “I know I’m not going to play 30 more years for it to get back to Atlanta, so it’s 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 didn’t want me to pass up the opportunity.”
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James Wood, Nationals outfielder
The 6-foot-7 Washington Nationals slugger is having a breakout season, having eclipsed the 20-home-run mark by the end of June. Wood, 22, was a part of the Juan Soto trade that brought a package of young talent to the Nationals from the San Diego Padres.
Wood has been such an offensive threat this season that on June 29, the Los Angeles Angels intentionally walked him four times. The last player to receive such an honor from an opponent was Barry Bonds in 2004.
Cal Raleigh, Mariners catcher
MLB’s home run leader is a Seattle Mariners catcher nicknamed “The Big Dumper,” and he’s on pace to blow away every personal best and maybe even challenge the AL home run record if he keeps this up. It’s a beautiful sport.
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With two straight 30-homer seasons and Platinum Glove-winning defense behind the plate, Raleigh was one of the most underrated players in baseball entering this season. By now, even casual baseball fans should know his name, as he’s making his case to be considered one of baseball’s elite players, if he isn’t already there.
Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves outfielder
The Atlanta crowd will have a hometown hero in Acuña, who will likely have the fewest home runs of any player in the Derby field due to the fact that he started his season two months late after returning from a torn ACL, which made him miss much of 2024.
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Acuña has been on a tear since his return, though, and has 40-homer power when healthy. He became the fifth player in MLB history to post 40 homers and 40 stolen bases in a single season before winning MVP in 2023, and the Derby will be a prime chance for him to show a national audience that he’s still one of MLB’s brightest stars.
Who is out for the 2025 MLB Home Run Derby?
The Home Run Derby field rarely lines up with the homer leaderboard at the All-Star break, and 2025 will be no exception. As talented as the field is, some of MLB’s other top players have turned down the event:
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Aaron Judge: The reigning AL MVP and three-time home run champion won the event in his rookie year in 2017 and hasn’t competed since, saying he won’t do it again until the All-Star Game returns to Yankee Stadium. He reiterated that stance earlier this month.
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Shohei Ohtani: MLB’s biggest international star, who competed in the Derby in 2021, said he didn’t think it was “feasible” for him to compete due to the format of the Derby. He is also currently stretching himself out as a starting pitcher again, so the event might be too much to add to his plate.
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Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: The Toronto Blue Jays’ $500 million man, who won the event in 2023 and hit the most homers ever in the event in 2019 (91), is a firm no.
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Teoscar Hernández: The reigning champ will not defend his title, reportedly citing the toll of the competition and the fact that he has already missed time due to injury this year.
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Kyle Schwarber: The Philadelphia Phillies’ outfielder will take part in the All-Star Game but will not join the Derby crowd. “Maybe see what happens next year,” said Schwarber, who is third in the NL with 27 home runs.
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Pete Alonso: The 30-year-old New York Mets first baseman declined an invite this year, citing the need for rest. The slugger has been a Home Run Derby participant every season it has been held since his rookie year. He’s a two-time winner of the event and currently has 20 homers on the season.
What are the rules of the 2025 MLB Home Run Derby?
After a decade of a pure one-on-one tournament format with timed rounds, MLB tweaked the format in 2024.
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Instead of four matchups in the first round, last year all eight hitters competed to reach the top four, with a limit of 40 pitches across three minutes plus three bonus outs (in which they keep hitting until they fail to hit a homer three times). The hitters were then seeded for the semifinal and final rounds, the latter of which featured two minutes and 27 pitches.
It was a complicated format, and it’s unclear if MLB will use the same rules this year.
When is the 2025 MLB Home Run Derby?
The 2025 Home Run Derby will take place in Atlanta at 8 p.m. ET on Monday, July 14, the day after the 2025 MLB Draft and the day before the 2025 MLB All-Star Game. As usual, the event will be televised on ESPN.
