Who won the home run derby 2025? In a historic turn out at Truist Park in Atlanta, we saw Home Run Derby 2025 Winner Cal Raleigh from the Seattle Mariners take home the title — and he did so in style, becoming the first ever catcher and also the first switch hitter to do so. At age 28, the powerhouse beat out Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero 18-15 in the final round, putting a cap on what may go down as the most exciting Home Run Derby we’ve seen in a while.
Historic Achievement: First to Take Home the 2025 Home Run Derby Title
Raleigh’s is a historic win in baseball which also marks a first. Up until this point no catcher had won the Home Run Derby which only adds to the importance of his victory. For the 2025 Home Run Derby winner we see a first for Major League Baseball as he came into the competition as the home run leader at All Star break with 38 which was just one short of Barry Bonds’ all time record of 39 set in 2001.
The Mariner’s star had a tough road to becoming the Home Run Derby 2025 winner. In the first round, Raleigh barely made it in via a tiebreaker, with his longest home run at 470.61 feet which was out by almost an inch to Oakland’s Brent Rooker’s 470.53 feet. That very narrow margin was a close call for the future Home Run Derby 2025 winner who almost didn’t make it.
Family Affair: Raleigh is at the Forefront
What made Raleigh’s trip to become the Home Run Derby 2025 Champion so special was the family environment which surrounded the event. His dad, Todd Raleigh, a former college coach at Tennessee and Western Carolina, was his pitcher for the whole competition. At the plate, also in action, was his 15 year old brother, Todd Jr. which created a very moving family moment which played out on the national stage.
Raleigh said after winning the Home Run Derby 2025 Title that it was a great experience to do it with my family. Senior had thrown over a million pitches to Cal through out his career which made this Derby appearance a result of years of dedication. Also very emotional for the father who said “It’s a great achievement and I think that what every dad goes through with his kid this is what you dream about.
The Road to Victory: By Round Breakdown
First Round Drama
In the first round which saw great competition from the eight best home run hitters of all time Home Run Derby 2025 saw Cal Raleigh come out on top with 17 home runs which was good enough to tie him with Brent Rooker for the final spot in the quarter finals. That tie broke in the breaker which went to Raleigh when his 470.61 footer just beat out Rooker’s 470.53 foot home run by what seemed like a matter of inches.
In the first round Pittsburgh’s O’Neil Cruz and Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero took the lead, they each hit 21 home runs. Cruz put on a great show which included a 513 foot home run, that was the best of the competition and also one of the longest in Derby history. Also in the semi finals was Minnesota’s Byron Buxton who hit 20 home runs.
Semifinal Showdown
In the semifinals at Home Run Derby 2025 the Champion went head to head with Cruz in a power vs. consistency theme. Raleigh put up 19 home runs which easily defeated Cruz’s 13 and displayed the mental strength which would characterize his championship campaign. Also in the semi’s Caminero advanced to the final by defeating Buxton 8-7 in a more low scoring affair.
Championship Final
In the final round Home Run Derby 2025 saw its champion go head to head with 22 year old Caminero in a great finish. Raleigh went first to the plate and set a mark of 18 home runs which included three in the bonus round. Young Caminero did very well but came up three home runs short ending with a total of 15.
Breaking Records and Making History
Raleigh’s rise to the Home Run Derby 2025 title was through a series of record breaking performances which defined the 2025 season. Before the All Star break he hit 38 home runs which is the 2nd highest total in MLB history which only Barry Bonds’ 39 from 2001 beats. Also this achievement broke the AL record which had been tied at 37 by Reggie Jackson in 1969 and Chris Davis in 2013.
In 2025 the Home Run Derby saw it’s second ever switch hitter which was also true of Baltimore’s Adley Rutschman who participated in 2023. While this player put on a great show of versatility by which side of the plate he chose to hit from during the competition he went on to use left hand for the semi finals and final.
The “Big Dumper” Phenomenon Goes Viral
Beyond in field success the Home Run Derby 2025 winner became a social media hit with his nickname “Big Dumper”. The moniker which refers to his very large bottom went viral at the time of the Derby when ESPN’s Pat McAfee introduced him as having “the largest ass in professional sports.
The nickname blew up on social media, fans into the humor which Raleigh put forth and created viral content around it. Also of note was the revival of a 20 year old video of young Raleigh which saw the 8 year old predict his future success and he was singing “I’m the Home Run Derby champ.
Competition Highlights and Memorable Moments
In the 2025 Home Run Derby we saw a number of top performances that did not include the Derby winner. O’Neil Cruz hit a 513 foot home run which tied for the record (we are excluding the performance at Coors Field) and it left fans and other players in shock. Also he was hitting an average exit velocity of 118 mph on what was his longest home run which is a display of that raw power.
Washington’s James Wood put together a great performance with a 486 foot home run and also a few which went off the roof of the Chop House restaurant in right field. Also at home plate, the local boy Matt Olson did not live up to expectations for the Atlantans which saw him hit only 15 home runs and fail to make it out of the first round.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. which in 2015 was the first year of the timer format did indeed post the worst numbers of any player he managed only three home runs in the opening round. This large gap between him and the rest of the field brought into sharp focus the quality of play required to be named Home Run Derby 2025 winner.
Social Media and Fan Reactions
In 2025 Home Run Derby we saw an outpouring of social media activity which celebrated Raleigh’s performance and that of his family which supported him. The image of three generations of the Raleigh family involved in the Derby spoke to base ball fans’ hearts and created memories which went beyond the results of the competition.
Notable on social media was LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne’s “whoa” response to Cruz’s amazing home runs which went viral in his Instagram stories. Also we saw a young fan that took a home run away from Caminero by getting over the fence which caused a stir although in this case the officials did the right thing.
Impact on Baseball and Future Implications
Raleigh’s win at the Home Run Derby 2025 is a milestone beyond personal achievement it breaks down barriers for catchers and switch hitters in future contests. He proved that position does not equal power which in turn may encourage more catchers to take part in coming Derby events.
In that also puts Raleigh at the fore in the Seattle Mariners’ championship push. With his $105 million extension through to 2031 the Home Run Derby 2025 winner is behind in terms of bringing playoff success to Seattle which as a franchise hasn’t won a World Series since 1995.
Looking Ahead: All Star Game and Beyond
Following what was a great performance in the 2025 Home Run Derby, Raleigh looked to the All Star Game which was to be his first as the American League’s starting catcher. That which brought him there was the capstone to an amazing first half of the season which in turn saw him take his place among the game’s best players.
The Home Run Derby 2025 went to the winner which will see them take home a $1 million prize and also into a very exclusive group of champions that includes legends like Ken Griffey Jr. who won it for the third time in his great career. In a similar fashion Raleigh’s win puts him in the company of the second Mariners player to do so thus connecting the present with the past in Seattle’s baseball history.
As the 2025 Home Run Derby champion Cal Raleigh has left his mark in baseball history which in turn has inspired a new generation of catchers and switch hitters. He brought to the table power, personality, and family values which he combined in a perfect storm that had fans at the edge of their seats and which also served as proof why the Home Run Derby is one of baseball’s most loved traditions. The Big Dumper’s win was a watershed moment which proved that any player位置 here which no matter what position they play can rise to the top of the power hitting game.
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News Source: CBS News Fox5atlanta
