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The Home Run Derby has grown a lot from the days when it was instituted as part of the All-Star Game festivities back in 1985. At first, it was an event that wasn’t even televised but now, more than seven million people tune into the action on the Monday before the All-Star Game on ESPN. Alonso had more opportunities in 2021, but if he wins as the No. 2 seed this year, don't expect to see anyone touching Guerrero's record.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit the most home runs the Derby has ever seen in a single round. In 2019, Guerrero Jr. hit 40 home runs in a single round.The 40 home run round was enough to get him to the final round, but he ended up losing to Pete Alonso. However, the 2019 performance by Guerrero Jr. will go down in the history books. The crowd also seemed exhausted after a dramatic first round in which all eight players reached double digits in home runs, with four matchups decided by one homer.
Did Babe Ruth really hit a 575 foot home run?
Even in an era where pitchers are throwing harder than ever and hitters are making louder contact, we rarely see 500-foot home runs. The longest blast in the StatCast era came in 2005, when Nomar Mazara hit a 505-foot cannon. Giancarlo Stanton is the second only player since 2015 to hit one 500-plus feet. Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich hit the longest home run in 2022, demolishing a 499-foot blast off Colorado Rockies pitcher Chad Kuhl on Sept. 6.
There is nothing better than seeing the best hitters in the sport crushing home runs into the seats. This article lists the players who have hit the most Home Run Derby bombs of all time, and the players with the most runs in a single Home Run Derby. Interestingly, the hardest baseball hit in 2021 didn’t even leave the infield. New York Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton lined a ball off the bat at 122.2 mph this season, but it went directly into the second baseman’s glove and was turned into a double play.
What is the longest home run hit by Mickey Mantle?
This first-round moonshot into the upper deck in right field is so far the only ball Statcast has tracked at 520 feet or longer. However, Soto's Derby title would have to wait one more year, for the 2022 edition at Dodger Stadium. Without the benefit of high altitude, Judge crushed multiple 500-foot dingers en route to a Home Run Derby victory, capped off by this 513-foot home run. Everybody's favorite part of MLB All-Star Weekend is the Home Run Derby. Anyone who says otherwise is just lying or really, really loves the Celebrity Softball Game. For Frazier, he appeared in three straight Derbies from 2014 through 2016.
It also -- like the one above -- was longer than any homer tracked in an actual game. Here is an updated look at the longest homers in Derby history, through 2022. First, we’ll rank the five longest since Statcast began tracking, as well as the five longest during that span that didn't have the benefit of taking place at Coors Field. Finally, we’ll round up some memorably gargantuan dingers from Derbies in the pre-Statcast era. The Derby is the perfect setting for record-setting home runs. That was never more the case than in the 2021 edition, held at mile-high Coors Field, where the distance-sapping humidor took the night off and records seemed primed to fall.
Most home runs in a single round: Josh Hamilton
Stanton faced Frazier in the final, where he hit 20 home runs compared to Frazier’s 13. Stanton played for the Marlins at the time and currently plays for the Yankees. The final player in this four-way, 10th-place tie is Miguel Sanó, who hit 32 home runs in the 2017 Derby at Marlins Park in Miami, Florida. He lost the Derby to the No. 2 overall player on this list, but he put up a fight, beating Mike Moustakas in the first round and Gary Sánchez in the second. Sanó is currently a third baseman and designated hitter for the Minnesota Twins. Necciai is best remembered for the unique feat of striking out 27 batters in a nine-inning game, which he accomplished in the Class-D Appalachian League on May 13, 1952.
It should come as no surprise that Coors Field is responsible for the three longest home runs in MLB this season. On Aug. 9, Colorado Rockies infielder Ryan McMahon unloaded on a pitch in the 7th inning of a 14-5 blowout against the St. Louis Cardinals. The 495-foot blast cleared the wall in right-center field, sailed over the advertising signs and went into the second deck of the deepest part in the yard. While the atmosphere in Colorado certainly played a part, it’s fair to say McMahon got all of that pitch and put his raw power on display.
The Home Run Derby that year was hosted at Coors Field, known for its thin air and booming home runs. In order to reach 74 total home runs, Alonso hit 35 in the first round, 16 in the second round, and 23 in the final round that secured him the Home Run Derby title. Julio Rodriguez set the Home Run Derby ablaze as a rookie in 2022, hitting the second most home runs in a single Derby all-time with a total of 81.
He followed that up with another 31 homers to defeat Alonso and move on to the finals. He became the first player to have multiple rounds of 30-plus dingers. Rodríguez not only did it in the same Derby, but he also did it in consecutive rounds. We can only hope he’ll continue to come back and participate. It’s also interesting to contrast him between Fielder, who he is tied with, and David Ortiz, who he is just ahead of in these standings. Fielder needed six trips to the Derby to hit the same number of homers J-Rod hit in his first trip.
Unlike earlier mentions on this list, Pederson failed to make it to the final round due to a jaw-dropping 40 home run round courtesy of Vladmir Guerrero Jr. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has only appeared in one Home Run Derby in his young career, but his performance was incredible. Those 40 home runs gave him the second-round victory over Joc Pederson, who hit 39 homers in the round.
Hall of Fame Major League Baseball player Babe Ruth's 1927 salary would be equivalent to $922,000 US Dollars in 2015. Strawberry and Joyner led the way with four jacks each, and the NL won, 8-7, thanks to Parker's runner-up three homers. Sierra and Davis split the prize in 1989 with three home runs each for their respective leagues, with a trio of sluggers tying for second.
The infielder only hit 10 dingers in his 2015 debut before slugging 39 and winning the 2015 title as a Red at Great American Ball Park. His performance got even better in 2016 by slugging 42 home runs, but his total was 19 dingers short of the winner. Albert Pujols will be joining Ortiz in the Hall of Fame in the near future. The Machine has accomplished so much during his big-league career.
Getty ImagesJosh Hamilton, No. 6 on this list, holds the record for most home runs in a single round, which he set during the 2008 Derby.
