By Reuters
July 14, 2025 – 9:01 PM PDT
ATLANTA — Cal Raleigh became the first catcher to win the Home Run Derby on Monday night, besting Junior Caminero 18-15 in the final round at Truist Park.
Raleigh also became the first Seattle Mariners player to hoist the trophy since 1999, when Ken Griffey Jr. won his third title. Tampa Bay’s Caminero, who was vying to become the youngest winner in Derby history at 22, fell just short as the Rays’ first contestant since Randy Arozarena lost to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the 2023 final.
Raleigh, the major league’s leader in homers with 38, totaled 54 home runs on Monday. All was nearly lost in the opening round, as the Seattle star advanced to the semifinals on a tiebreaker, as his longest home run eclipsed Brent Rooker’s by the narrowest of margins — 470.61 feet to 470.53.
With father Todd Sr. pitching and younger brother Todd Jr. behind the plate, it was a family affair for Cal, who added to his spectacular 2025 campaign.
“It means the world,” Raleigh said after the victory. “I could have hit zero home runs and had just as much fun. I just can’t believe I won, it’s unbelievable. … Honestly (my brother) was hyping me up behind the plate. He was firing me up the whole time. I’d hit one good and he’d be like ‘Lets go!’… I don’t know it, it just got me going and that’s why I think I got in good spurts.”
In the semifinals, Byron Buxton — facing Caminero — followed his 21-homer first round with a seven spot in the second round. Caminero blew past that total, needing just 12 swings to reach eight homers and advance to the final round.
On the other side of the four-man bracket, Raleigh outslugged Oneil Cruz 19-13, despite Cruz mashing a 498-foot shot.
Cruz and Caminero hit 21 home runs in the opening round, with Cruz receiving the top seed based on the longest home run tiebreaker.
Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood began the night with 16 home runs, including a 486-foot shot, before Rooker followed with 17.
Rooker, whose night was cut short after suffering as close of a loss as you’ll see, wasn’t thrilled with the fashion in which he learned his outing was over.
“You know, maybe if they have it to the decimal point, they should display that during the Derby and not wait till everyone’s done to bring out that information,” Rooker told reporters after his early exit. “That might be helpful.”
Tampa Bay star Caminero, using a bat with his face on it, then hit 11 of the first 14 pitches he saw over the fence, before totaling 21 in an impressive round.
Pittsburgh Pirates slugger Cruz hit one of his 21 first-round homers 513 feet to right-center field, marking the farthest recorded home run in Truist Park history.
Buxton of the Minnesota Twins had 20 homers and New York Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit just three.
“I had a lot of fun. I enjoyed every second of it,” Chisholm said, despite the lowest first round output since Troy Tulowitzki hit two in 2014. “You can’t ask for a better feeling. I’m still an All-Star. I still hit in the Home Run Derby. Who could ask for a better experience than that?”
Raleigh switched from the left-handed batter’s box to the right with just over a minute left on his way to 17.
To cap the first round, Atlanta first baseman Matt Olson recorded only 15 in his home park, leaving Cruz, Caminero, Buxton and Raleigh in the semifinals.
–Jack Batten, Field Level Media