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.’
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.
Raleigh led off in the final and had a blast, slugging 18 home runs – which is going to be a tough number for Caminero to beat.
Caminero pepped the right field seats with homers and ended regulation with 14, setting up a dramatic bonus period where he needed four to tie Raleigh. Caminero only managed one, making Raleigh the 2025 champion.
Cal Raleigh defeats Oneil Cruz
After getting into the semifinals by a literal Big Dumper came alive in the semifinal with 19 home runs.
Cruz crushed it in the first round, but came up short in the semifinals with 13 homers to end his night.
Junior Caminero defeats Byron Buxton
Buxton hit seven home runs in his semifinal round, unable to find the late burst that powered him out of the first round.
Caminero walked it off with his eighth home run, advancing to the final where he will face Cal Raleigh or Oneil Cruz.
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
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, Mariners: 38
James Wood, Nationals: 24
Junior Caminero, Rays: 21
Byron Buxton, Twins: 21
Brent Rooker, Athletics: 20
Matt Olson, Braves: 17
Jazz Chisholm, Yankees: 17
Oneil Cruz, Pirates: 16
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.
Home Run Derby odds
Odds via BetMGM as of 12 p.m.
Cal Raleigh: +280
Oneil Cruz: +350
James Wood: +400
Matt Olson: +900
Brent Rooker: +900
Byron Buxton: +950
Junior Caminero: +1000
Jazz Chisholm Jr.: +1500
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
1985: Dave Parker, Reds
1986: Wally Joyner, Angels & Darryl Strawberry, Mets
1987: Andre Dawson, Cubs
1988: Not held
1989: Eric Davis, Reds & Ruben Sierra, Rangers
1990: Ryne Sandberg, Cubs
1991: Cal Ripken Jr., Orioles
1992: Mark McGwire, Athletics
1993: Juan Gonzalez, Rangers
1994: Ken Griffey Jr., Mariners
1995: Frank Thomas, White Sox
1996: Barry Bonds, Giants
1997: Tino Martinez, Yankees
1998: Ken Griffey Jr., Mariners
1999: Ken Griffey Jr., Mariners
2000: Sammy Sosa, Cubs
2001: Luis Gonzalez, Diamondbacks
2002: Jason Giambi, Yankees
2003: Garret Anderson, Angels
2004: Miguel Tejada, Orioles
2005: Bobby Abreu, Phillies
2006: Ryan Howard, Phillies
2007: Vladimir Guerrero, Angels
2008: Justin Morneau, Twins
2009: Prince Fielder, Brewers
2010: David Ortiz, Red Sox
2011: Robinson Cano, Yankees
2012: Prince Fielder, Tigers
2013: Yoenis Cespedes, Athletics
2014: Yoenis Cespedes, Athletics
2015: Todd Frazier, Reds
2016: Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins
2017: Aaron Judge, Yankees
2018: Bryce Harper, Nationals
2019: Pete Alonso, Mets
2020: Not held (COVID)
2021: Pete Alonso, Mets
2022: Juan Soto, Nationals
2023: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays
2024: Teoscar Hernandez, Dodgers