July 14 (UPI) — Cal Raleigh rolled his wrists, dipped his right shoulder and obliterated 18 final-round blasts, out-slugging Junior Caminero to win the 2025 MLB Home Run Derby on Monday in Atlanta.
With the victory, Raleigh became the first catcher in MLB history to win the event. The Seattle Mariners star, who hit pitches thrown by his dad while using his brother as a catcher, also took home $1 million. The Big Dumper totaled 54 homers through the three-round event.
“It means the world,” Raleigh said on the ESPN broadcast. “I could’ve hit zero home runs and I would have had just as much fun.
“It’s unbelievable.”
Raleigh, who leads MLB with 38 home runs at the All-Star break, is the second Mariners player to win the event, joining Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr.
Caminero hit 44 blasts, including 21 in the first round. The Tampa Bay Rays third baseman hit 15 in his face-off with Raleigh.
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz hit the longest home run of the night with a 513-foot shot to right field in his semifinal showdown with Raleigh. Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton was the other semifinalist.
Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood, Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson, Athletics designated hitter Brent Rooker and New York Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. were eliminated in the opening round.
The MLB sluggers obliterated baseballs throughout the event, often clearing the Chop House restaurant in right field at Truist Park.
Wood started the night with 16 first-round homers, including a 486-foot blast to right field. Rooker followed with 17 blasts, including three that traveled farther than 450 feet.
Caminero hit 21 home runs in the next exchange before Cruz matched Caminero’s 21 first-round homers. Buxton hit 20 in the next plate appearance.
Chisholm struggled to find a rhythm, totaling just three homers. Raleigh followed with 17, tying Rooker. Olson ended the first round with 15.
Despite tying Rooker, Raleigh advanced to the semifinals because his longest home run traveled 470.61 feet, compared to Rooker’s longest at 470.54 feet.
Caminero eliminated Buxton in the first semifinal, out-slugging the Twins outfielder 8-7. Raleigh started the second semifinal with 19 bombs, which proved to be enough to beat Cruz’s 13 and put him in the finale.
Raleigh started the final round with his 18 bombs, building a respectable cushion on Caminero. The Rays infielder came close to catching Raleigh down the stretch, hitting 14 blasts in the timed portion of the round. But he hit just one more in the bonus portion, falling short of Raleigh’s total.
MLB stars will take the field for the 2025 All-Star Game at 8 p.m. EDT Tuesday in Atlanta. The Midsummer Classic will air on Fox.