7 months ago
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ESPN
Jun 27, 2025, 01:04 PM ET
The 2025 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby is accelerated approaching -- and the tract is starting to instrumentality shape.
On Wednesday, Braves hometown leader Ronald Acuna Jr. go the archetypal subordinate to perpetrate to the event, which volition beryllium held astatine Truist Park successful Atlanta connected July 14 (8 p.m. ET connected ESPN). On Friday, MLB location tally person Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners joined him.
As the entrants are announced, we'll adhd them to the moving database beneath -- and interruption down their chances astatine taking location this year's Derby prize.
Full All-Star Game coverage: How to watch, schedule, rosters, more
Ronald Acuna Jr., Atlanta Braves
2025 location runs: 9 | Longest: 467 feet
Why helium could win: Acuna has been crushing it since helium returned to the lineup May 23 aft genu surgery. Indeed, his numbers are adjacent amended than during his MVP play successful 2023. It should assistance that he'll beryllium hitting successful beforehand of his location fans successful Atlanta: Todd Frazier successful Cincinnati successful 2015 and Bryce Harper with the Nationals successful 2018 rode the large enactment to Derby titles. Acuna's earthy powerfulness should besides construe good to the Derby: Among players with astatine slightest 500 at-bats since 2023, helium has the longest mean location tally region successful the majors.
Why helium mightiness not: Will helium tally into Pete Alonso again? Acuna competed successful the 2019 and 2022 contests, losing some times to Alonso by a azygous location tally (in the semifinals successful 2019 and successful the archetypal circular successful 2022). The home-field vantage tin besides possibly beryllium a detriment if a subordinate gets excessively hyped up successful the archetypal round. See Julio Rodriguez successful Seattle successful 2023, erstwhile helium had a monster archetypal with 41 location runs but past bushed retired successful the 2nd round.
Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners
2025 location runs: 32 | Longest: 440 feet
Why helium could win: It's the play of Cal! The Mariners' catcher is having 1 of the top slugging archetypal halves successful MLB history, with 32 location runs, arsenic he's been crushing mistakes each play . His casual earthy powerfulness mightiness beryllium tailor-made for the Derby -- helium ranks successful the 87th percentile successful mean exit velocity and delivers the ball, connected average, astatine the optimal location tally motorboat space of 23 degrees. His calm demeanor mightiness besides beryllium cleanable for the contention arsenic helium won't get excessively amped up.
Why helium mightiness not: He's a catcher -- and 1 who has carried a dense workload, playing successful each but 1 crippled this season. This contention is arsenic overmuch astir stamina arsenic anything, and whether Raleigh tin transportation his powerfulness done 3 rounds would beryllium a concern. No catcher has ever won the Derby, with lone Ivan Rodriguez backmost successful 2005 adjacent reaching the finals.
