Major League Baseball 2025 Home Run Derby: Oneil Cruz Stuns, Cal Raleigh Triumphs with Family by His Side
Published Jul. 15, 2025, 1:04 a.m. Okebet Sports ET
By Rowan Kavner, MLB Writer
ATLANTA — A viral clip surfaced earlier this month featuring Cal Raleigh as a young boy, expressing his dream of winning the Home Run Derby one day. On Monday night in Atlanta, that dream came true. With his father, Todd, pitching to him and his little brother, Todd Jr., catching, Raleigh became the first catcher in Major League Baseball history to win the Home Run Derby, defeating Junior Caminero, who was close to becoming the youngest winner, with a score of 18-15 in the finals. jili slot 777 legit (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Leading the majors with 38 home runs at the All-Star break, Raleigh is the first Mariners player to win the Home Run Derby since Ken Griffey Jr. in 1999, finishing the event with a total of 54 home runs. “It’s kind of surreal,” Raleigh said afterward, wearing a flashy Home Run Derby chain around his neck. “You don’t think you’re going to be invited, and then you get invited. Winning it with your family makes it super special. What a night.”
Key Takeaways from the Event
Oneil, Oh My! (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Last year’s longest home run during the derby was a remarkable 473 feet by Marcell Ozuna. However, the very first hitter of the evening, James Wood, surpassed that mark by hitting a ball 486 feet. Then came Oneil Cruz, who shattered expectations by hitting five home runs farther than Wood, including a jaw-dropping 513-foot shot—a full 40 feet beyond last year’s longest home run. This astonishing hit was the longest recorded in the Derby since Juan Soto’s 520-foot bomb in 2021 at Coors Field, renowned for its high-altitude advantages. www.jiliko Cruz’s home run was also the longest ever hit at Truist Park. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. watched in amazement, pointing to the sky, while Ronald Acuña Jr. shook his head in disbelief. Cruz, who previously registered the hardest-hit home run of the Statcast era (122.9 mph), notched nine of the ten longest home runs in the Derby.
Cruz and Wood, both first-time contestants, were the only players in the competition to have hit multiple home runs of at least 450 feet this season.
A Decimal Decision
Raleigh almost didn’t advance past the first round. He started as a left-handed hitter, switched to right-handed after a timeout, and then returned to left-handed hitting, ultimately finishing with 17 home runs—tying him with Brent Rooker. This led to some confusion. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Cruz (21 home runs), Junior Caminero (21), and Byron Buxton (20) clearly dominated as the top three finishers. The tiebreaker to decide who would take the fourth spot between Raleigh and Rooker was based on home run distance jilievo.com app.
However, both of their longest home runs were recorded at 471 feet. When Rooker noticed this, he went down the tunnel to prepare himself for potential swings. It’s important to note that, in the final two rounds, any ties are resolved through a swing-off. When Rooker returned to the field, Raleigh revealed he had nudged ahead by a slim margin, advancing by mere decimal points. “Just crazy,” Raleigh remarked. “An inch off and I’m not even in the final four, which is amazing. I guess I got lucky there. One extra biscuit.” Raleigh’s longest home run was tracked at 470.61 feet, while Rooker’s was 470.53. “Maybe they should display that precision information during the Derby instead of waiting until it’s all over,” Rooker suggested. “That might be helpful.”
This wasn’t the only controversy in the round. Rooker claimed he was shorted two of the 40 baseballs allotted to him. “They told me before I went up there that I could take two pitches, but we didn’t realize there were only 40 balls already in the crate,” Rooker explained. “So I hit two pitches that didn’t count, but when I went to do the round, only 38 balls were left.”
Despite his earlier exit than hoped, Rooker enjoyed the experience. “Truly a blast,” he said. “What a special opportunity and special experience.”
Hometown Star Comes Up Just Short in Opening Round (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Initially, Ronald Acuña Jr. was set to represent the hometown Braves, but a back injury led to Matt Olson stepping in as his replacement. Olson ended up just a couple of homers shy of Raleigh and Rooker with 15 in the first round, gaining momentum towards the end as 41,912 fans—many of them Braves supporters—cheered him on. Although he anticipated a large crowd, the overwhelming roar from the stands during his late push surprised him. “The crowd’s reaction during the intros and the support throughout my round was amazing, probably the loudest I heard the place when I started to get going,” Olson noted. “It was a ton of fun; I wish I could’ve advanced, but I started poorly and had to take my timeout a bit too early. Bad strategy. But it was still a blast.”
A Dream Come True (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Since Raleigh was in diapers, his father Todd was teaching him the art of switch-hitting. Todd would have Raleigh swing a smaller bat, switching his son’s hands to ensure he could hit from both sides of the plate. “I didn’t want either of my boys to ever question whether they were right-handed or left-handed,” Todd explained. “I wanted it clarified from day one.” Fast forward to Monday night, Raleigh put his ambidextrous skills on full display at the Home Run Derby, hitting balls pitched by his dad just like when he was little.
“It goes all the way back to him coming home and insisting on throwing me a ball to hit in the backyard or sometimes even inside the house, which we probably shouldn’t have been doing,” Raleigh recalled. “And it ties back to his coaching days when he would coach in college. taya365 bet login password Straight after school, it was straight to the field, I’d hop in with the players, hang out, do drills, hit in the cage, just be part of it.”
This experience helped shape Raleigh, who is now considered one of the top power hitters in MLB. He is just 10 home runs away from tying the record for the most home runs in a single season by a primary catcher. During the Home Run Derby, Raleigh blasted 17 homers in the first round while switching sides. In the semifinals, he opted to hit solely from the left side, hammering 19 homers to defeat Cruz. In the finals, a young fan on the field made a crucial catch, robbing Caminero of a potential homer. “I paid him off,” Raleigh joked. “I heard them talking about it.” Fortunately, it wouldn’t have affected the outcome since Raleigh won the round by three homers.
Raleigh’s father called the Home Run Derby experience “a dream come true” for him and his two sons. “I can’t express how lucky and blessed I feel,” Todd said. “This Derby was monumental for us, but when family gets involved, it transforms the entire experience.” Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers, and Dallas Cowboys. A graduate of LSU, Rowan was born in California, raised in Texas, and moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on X at @RowanKavner.
What do you think about Raleigh’s incredible victory and the memorable moments of the Home Run Derby?
