2025 MLB Home Run Derby Participants, Start Time & Expert Predictions

• The 2025 MLB Home Run Derby takes place Monday, July 14 at 8:00 PM ET at Truist Park in Atlanta
• Cal Raleigh leads the eight-man field with 38 home runs, while seven participants make their Derby debuts
• Find the complete list of Home Run Derby participants, start time details, and expert betting predictions below

The 2025 MLB Home Run Derby returns to Atlanta for the first time since 2000, with the T-Mobile Home Run Derby scheduled for Monday, July 14 at Truist Park. Eight sluggers will compete for the crown, including Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who enters with a historic 38 home runs.

Seven of the eight Home Run Derby participants make their debuts this year. The mix of established stars and rising phenoms makes this one of the most interesting lineups we’ve seen in a while.

Let’s dive into the full Home Run Derby roster, details on how to watch, and some expert betting picks that could give you an edge.

2025 MLB Home Run Derby Participants

There will be a unique mix of raw power and new faces at the Derby. Raleigh’s 38 bombs lead all catchers at the All-Star break in baseball history. He’s looking to become the first backstop ever to win the event.

Complete Derby Field

The hometown crowd gets their guy after all. Matt Olson replaced Ronald Acuña Jr., who withdrew with back tightness. The Braves’ first baseman becomes the only participant with previous Derby experience.

Wood and Caminero could make history at just 22 years old. Either would become the youngest Derby winner ever. But don’t sleep on Cruz’s freakish power metrics. His 122.9 mph exit velocity is the hardest-hit ball in the Statcast era.

What Time is the MLB Home Run Derby?

Mark your calendars. The Derby kicks off at 8:00 PM ET sharp on Monday night, serving as the traditional appetizer before Tuesday’s All-Star Game.

ESPN broadcasts the event for the 31st and final time. Yes, you read that right. It’s the end of an era. The three-round format features time limits and bonus periods, with the top four from Round One advancing to the semis. Simple enough.

2025 Home Run Derby Expert Predictions

Best Bet: Oneil Cruz to Win (+350 at BetMGM)

Let’s talk about value. Cruz at +350 is a gift.

The Pirates slugger doesn’t just hit baseballs hard. He absolutely demolishes them. His 122.9 mph rocket remains the hardest-hit ball ever tracked. Ever. Plus, he’s generated six of the ten balls this season that cleared 118 mph. Nobody else comes close.

His average exit velocity of 96.1 mph and MLB-leading bat speed make for the perfect Derby recipe. Cruz is 6 feet 7 inches tall, which gives him an advantage that most hitters would love to have. The controlled Derby setting gets rid of his biggest weakness (strikeouts don’t matter here), which lets his raw power shine.

Longest Home Run: Oneil Cruz (+170 at FanDuel)

FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK

Offer

T&Cs

Bet $5 & Get $150 in Bonus Bets if Your Bet Wins

Must be 21+. T&C Apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

LOCK IN PROMO

SIGNUP PROMO

BET $5
GET $150

BET NOW

Same player, different prop. Makes perfect sense.

Cruz launched a 463-footer this season (second-longest in the field) and previously crushed one 472 feet. Combine that distance potential with his record-breaking exit velocity, and you’ve got your longest homer candidate.

The Derby’s batting practice environment plays right into his hands. No breaking balls, perfect pitch location, maximum launch conditions. At +170, this feels like stealing.

Semifinal Value: James Wood to Reach Semis (-140 at DraftKings)

DRAFTKINGS SPORTSBOOK

Sign Up Today & Receive Up to
$1,050 in Bonuses!

LOCK IN PROMO

SIGNUP PROMO

SIGN UP
& GET $1,050

BONUS BETS + DEPOSIT BONUS

GET PROMO

DraftKings missed the memo on Wood’s semifinal price. They’re offering -140 while everyone else sits around -160. Take the gift.

Wood’s power metrics scream semifinalist. He sits in the 97th percentile for both average exit velocity (93.6 mph) and barrel rate (18.5%). The kid leads the entire Derby field in average homer distance at 411 feet. That’s consistency you can bank on.

Plus, the 6-foot-7 lefty gets Truist Park’s shorter right field porch. His path to the top four looks wide open. This -140 line won’t last long once sharp money finds it.

The bottom line is the 2025 Derby sets up perfectly for upsets. Cruz’s otherworldly power makes him a good bet for both props, but my favorite value is Wood’s semifinal advancement at DraftKings’ price.