Ranking the Most Legendary Home Run Derby Moments of All Time
Let’s talk about the greatest spectacle in Major League Baseball outside of the World Series — the Home Run Derby. It’s a celebration of raw power, a fan-fueled explosion of energy and emotion, and a platform where legends are made in mere minutes. For nearly 40 years, this event has captured imaginations and hearts with jaw-dropping displays of strength. And just in time for this year’s contest, we’re looking back at the 11 most unforgettable moments in Home Run Derby history.
Starting with Todd Frazier’s 2015 walk-off masterpiece in Cincinnati — this was the first year the Derby used a timer, and boy did it deliver. With the home crowd roaring, Frazier tied things up in the final seconds, then crushed the winning homer in bonus time. You couldn’t script it better.
Then there’s Julio RodrÃguez, who in 2023 absolutely demolished 41 homers in one round — a Derby record — at T-Mobile Park. Although he didn’t win, his performance was nothing short of legendary. That same night, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. made history by joining his father as a Derby champ, becoming the first father-son duo to claim the crown.
Bryce Harper’s 2018 performance in D.C. was pure electricity. Down nine homers with under a minute left? No problem. Harper went berserk, tied it up, then sealed the deal in bonus time. That home crowd might still be buzzing.
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Robinson Canó’s 2011 win was poetic — his dad was pitching to him, and together they brought the title home. Meanwhile, in 2019, Vlad Jr. belted an astonishing 91 homers across the night, including a 40-homer duel with Joc Pederson. He didn’t win, but he stole the show.
Who could forget Ken Griffey Jr.’s 1993 moonshot in Baltimore that hit the B&O Warehouse? That one swing is etched into Derby folklore. And though Griffey didn’t win that night, he came back the next year and started his run of three Derby titles.
In 1991, Cal Ripken Jr. didn’t just win the Derby — he also homered in the All-Star Game and took MVP honors. That’s a trifecta few can match. Then there’s Barry Bonds in ’96, defeating Mark McGwire with three straight clutch bombs. It was a preview of the home run storm to come just two years later.
Fast forward to 2017, and Aaron Judge’s arrival on the national stage. Four 500-foot bombs in the final round? Yeah, he was no fluke. He took the crown and the spotlight.
McGwire himself had a show-stopping moment at Fenway Park in 1999. Thirteen homers in the first round, some flying onto Lansdowne Street. It was as mythical as it gets, nearly breaking a light tower like a scene out of The Natural .
And finally — the pinnacle — Josh Hamilton in 2008. In Yankee Stadium’s last year, he exploded for 28 homers in one round, including 13 in a row. He didn’t win overall, but that round was pure magic. For a guy who had battled addiction and nearly lost his career, it was a triumphant, emotional showcase of redemption.
That’s the beauty of the Home Run Derby — it’s more than a contest. It’s theater. It’s emotion. It’s legacy. And as this year’s hitters step up to the plate, we wait for the next unforgettable moment to be born.
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