First-time Home Run Derby sluggers we want to see: Elly De La Cruz, Cal Raleigh and more

We're less than a month away from the 2025 Home Run Derby, set for July 14 at Atlanta's Truist Park, and that means it's time to daydream about which big bats will be taking their hacks in baseball's power-hitting showcase.
Of course, certain names immediately jump to mind, such as Pete Alonso, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani. But they have all participated in the event before, and while baseball fans everywhere would no doubt be happy to see any of them return, let's turn our attention here to some fresher faces.
Advertisement
To do that, we asked six writers — three apiece from MLB.com and Yahoo Sports — to each select one potential first-time Derby contestant they'd like to see at next month's event. Here are the sluggers they picked.
Sign up here for MLB's daily Morning Lineup newsletter.
Cal Raleigh, Mariners
Raleigh is one homer away from tying Johnny Bench's 1970 record of 28 by a catcher before the All-Star break. It's mid-June. He's on pace for the greatest power-hitting season by a catcher. We need to see that in the Derby. No catcher has ever won, and no switch-hitter has won outright. Raleigh could end both of those droughts.
Advertisement
The Derby is about impressive home runs, but it's also about putting on a show. Raleigh can switch sides of the plate, like Adley Rutschman did in Seattle in 2023. He also has an incredible nickname. Can you imagine how the crowd might react if he has a particularly electric round? A whole stadium chanting 'Big Dumper'? We need that.
— Sarah Langs, MLB.com
From Jac Caglianone to Elly De La Cruz, there are plenty of young MLB sluggers to get excited about — and hope to see in the Derby. (David Heringer/Yahoo Sports)
(David Heringer/Yahoo Sports)
Elly De La Cruz, Reds
De La Cruz, still 23 years old, has appeared in only one All-Star Game. And while he got off to a slow start this season, Cincy's superstar shortstop has posted a 1.157 OPS thus far in June and looks like the club's most deserving All-Star. With his outrageous raw juice, De La Cruz would be a sensational watch in the Derby. And considering he's a switch hitter, he (like Raleigh) could pull off a Rutschman switcheroo kind of thing.
Advertisement
Earlier this year, De La Cruz cranked a homer 451 feet into Kansas City's fountains, his seventh career blast longer than 450 feet. In the Derby, De La Cruz would probably swing from the left side and would surely send a few moon shots flying over Truist Park's Chophouse restaurant in right field.
— Jake Mintz, Yahoo Sports
Oneil Cruz, Pirates
The thought of Cruz hitting 120-plus mph lasers at the Home Run Derby has to become a reality at some point. Since Statcast began tracking in 2015, no hitter has hit the ball harder than Cruz, who crushed a home run with a 122.9 mph exit velocity against the Brewers on May 25, the hardest-hit ball tracked since '15. That broke the previous record, held by … Cruz, who hit a 122.4 mph single off the right-field wall at PNC Park in 2022.
Advertisement
With 13 home runs in his first 65 games, Cruz is tracking for the first 30-homer season of his career, in part due to his contact quality taking a big leap forward. Cruz leads all qualified hitters with a 96.6 mph exit velocity and ranks second with a 23.6% barrel rate and 59.7% hard-hit rate.
That elite contact quality has shown up in a big way on his 13 home runs. Of the 78 players who have hit at least 10 home runs, nobody is hitting them harder than Cruz (110.8 mph), while his 409-foot average home run distance is only bested by nine hitters. At 26 years old, Cruz has really blossomed into a budding star, and his off-the-chart tools have started translating into real production. That makes him the perfect fit for the Derby.
— Brent Maguire, MLB.com
Junior Caminero, Rays
Caminero perfectly fits the general criteria for a first-time Derby participant. Turning 22 years old just days before the Derby, Caminero is one of the youngest players in the big leagues and has begun to establish himself as an offensive centerpiece for the Rays. The Derby is an ideal event to spotlight an ascendent young talent, and Caminero clearly fits the bill. His game-changing talent at the plate is most evident in his 100th percentile bat speed, which enables tremendous raw power that would be an absolute treat to see in the Derby at Truist Park.
Advertisement
Perhaps more importantly for this event, Caminero also has a flair for the dramatic: He already boasts a lengthy highlight reel of exhilarating home runs, whether that's in the big leagues or the Dominican Winter League, making it easy to get excited about how he would perform in a competition in which the sole purpose is to launch balls into outer space over and over and over. Oh, and it should be noted that he has 17 home runs this season, most on the Rays and fourth in the AL. Caminero is an easy pick to be invited; I hope it happens.
— Jordan Shusterman, Yahoo Sports
Jac Caglianone, Royals
So Caglianone's been in the big leagues for a little over two weeks and just hit his first two MLB home runs … so what? The kid has monster power. Caglianone earned the highest power grade of any of MLB Pipeline's Top 100 prospects entering 2025, and the Royals rookie has been hitting bombs all along his journey to the majors.
Advertisement
There's the 459-footer he crushed in Triple-A a few weeks ago. There's the 115.4 mph rocket he hit in spring training. There's the estimated 516-foot monster shot he hit in college. The list goes on.
Caglianone was built to hit dingers. The Home Run Derby is the perfect showcase for him. Why not put one of baseball's most exciting power-hitting prospects on the national stage against the biggest sluggers in the sport?
— David Adler, MLB.com
James Wood, Nationals
Wood is going to be an All-Star this season, and he should also be in this year's Home Run Derby. After hitting nine home runs in 79 games last year, the 6-foot-7 Nationals outfielder has started to tap into his immense potential and his massive power in his second season in the big leagues.
Advertisement
The 22-year-old already has 20 homers this year — including a walk-off in the 11th on Thursday — which puts him on pace for a possible 40-homer season. Watching his lofty swing launch balls into the Chophouse at Truist Park would be a delight.
— Russell Dorsey, Yahoo Sports

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

USA Today

29 minutes ago

• USA Today

Corbin Carroll Player Props: June 21, Diamondbacks vs. Rockies

Corbin Carroll will look to build on a one-hit performance in his most recent game (1 for 3 with a triple). His Arizona Diamondbacks square off versus Carson Palmquist and the Colorado Rockies on Saturday at 9:10 p.m. ET on COLR and ARID. Find odds, stats, and more below to make your Corbin Carroll player prop bets. Carroll is hitting .255 with 13 doubles, nine triples, 20 home runs and 30 walks. Among all hitters in MLB action, Carroll's home run total ranks sixth and his RBI tally ranks 32nd. Watch tonight's Diamondbacks game on Fubo! Corbin Carroll Prop Bets and Odds How to Watch Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Colorado Rockies Corbin Carroll vs. Carson Palmquist Corbin Carroll prop bet insights MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Saturday at 1:27 p.m. ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub. Corbin Carroll stats against the Rockies Rockies starter: Carson Palmquist

Yahoo

30 minutes ago

• Yahoo

Former WNBA Star Gets Ripped For 'Nasty' Hailey Van Lith Message

Former WNBA Star Gets Ripped For 'Nasty' Hailey Van Lith Message originally appeared on The Spun. Chicago Sky rookie Hailey Van Lith is trending on social media this weekend because of something she didn't even do. Advertisement The Sky selected Van Lith with the No. 11 overall pick in this year's WNBA Draft. She helped out her stock tremendously by averaging 17.9 points and 5.4 assists per game at TCU. Not only was she named Big 12 Player of the Year, she took the program to the Elite Eight. Van Lith is still trying to figure out her role in Chicago, but that hasn't stopped her from making an impact. The TCU product is currently averaging 5.2 points and 1.3 assists per game for the Sky. Despite getting off to a respectable start this season, Van Lith has been publicly called out by a five-time WNBA All-Star. During an appearance on the "Let Her Shoot" podcast, Angel McCoughtry questioned if Van Lith is in the WNBA because of her social media following. Advertisement "Hailey Van Lith, she's a decent player," McCoughtry said, via Sporting News. "Are there players out there who may be better than Hailey Van Lith? I believe so. They're not popular... If Hailey Van Lith had 10,000 followers, would she be in the league? Just her true talent, take away the followers." May 6, 2025; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Sky guard Hailey Van Lith (2) warms up before a WNBA game against the Minnesota Lynx at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn ImagesKamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images It didn't take long for WNBA fans to rip McCoughtry for this message. "That's so nasty man," one fan said. "HVL had a successful college career and lead TCU to an elite 8 in the '25 NCAA tourney after they were a 2nd round exit in the WBIT the szn prior. It's normal for rookies to struggle, most take an adjustment period. Sucks to see old ppl be so hateful." Advertisement "The way the WNBA media covers their league is so toxic," a second fan wrote. "It's fair to ponder Hailey Van Lith's upside as a player. It's also reasonable to debate her fit with the Chicago Sky. But to suggest she would not be qualified to be in the WNBA if she didn't have a large social media following is…an asinine stretch of a take," another fan replied. "This is the dumbest thing I've ever heard," a fourth person commented. Van Lith has not responded to McCoughtry's claim. At this point, she wouldn't gain anything from it. Fans will get to see Van Lith in action this Saturday against the Phoenix Mercury. Advertisement Related: Hailey Van Lith Looks Amazing In Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Digital Cover Former WNBA Star Gets Ripped For 'Nasty' Hailey Van Lith Message first appeared on The Spun on Jun 21, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.

Fox Sports

32 minutes ago

• Fox Sports

Giants pitcher Sean Hjelle accused of abuse by wife, MLB investigating

Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The San Francisco Giants said Major League Baseball is looking into allegations of abuse made by the wife of reliever Sean Hjelle. Caroline Hjelle made a post on TikTok on Friday of her with the couple's two children with a caption that said: 'When my MLB husband abandons us on Mothers Day a week after this (video was taken) once I finally found about his affairs and stopped putting up with his abuse, so I've been raising two boys alone.' The Giants said in a statement Saturday that they are 'aware of these serious allegations' and that MLB is handling it. Manager Bob Melvin said before Saturday's game against the Boston Red Sox that Hjelle would be available to pitch. 'Obviously we're aware of it,' Melvin said. 'He told me about it last night. We talked to MLB. At this point, it's in their jurisdiction right now so I really can't comment on it further.' Hjelle took the loss in Friday night's game against the Red Sox, allowing a tiebreaking homer to Ceddanne Rafaela in the sixth inning. Hjelle is 1-1 with a 4.66 ERA in six appearances this season. ___ AP MLB: recommended