Cal Raleigh beats Junior Caminero to win MLB Home Run Derby

Cal Raleigh made history on Monday night by becoming the first catcher to win the Home Run Derby, edging out Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero 18–15 in a thrilling final round.

The Seattle Mariners slugger added yet another milestone to a breakout season that already has him leading Major League Baseball (MLB) with 38 home runs at the All-Star break.



Raleigh is now the second Mariners player to win the Derby, joining franchise legend Ken Griffey Jr., who claimed the title three times.

Caminero, at just 22, was bidding to become the youngest champion in the event’s history but ultimately fell short after a strong showing throughout the competition.


Raleigh, known affectionately as 'Big Dumper', advanced from the first round of the Home Run Derby by the narrowest of margins - winning a tiebreaker over the Athletics’ Brent Rooker by less than an inch, with his longest homer traveling 470.61 feet to Rooker’s 470.53.


Raleigh then powered past Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz in the semifinals, 19-13, despite Cruz launching the night’s longest blast-a towering 513-foot shot over the right-center field seats at Truist Park.

Raleigh, pitched to by his father and caught by his younger brother, showcased his switch-hitting skills in the Home Run Derby, hitting from both sides before sticking with left-handed swings in the semifinals and final.


He advanced past Brent Rooker on a tiebreaker and beat Oneil Cruz 19-13 to reach the final. Cruz's 513-foot shot was the night’s longest and hardest-hit at 118 mph. Caminero edged Byron Buxton 8-7 in the other semifinal.

Early exits included Matt Olson, James Wood, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Rooker. Chisholm hit just three homers, the fewest since the timer era began in 2015.

Raleigh’s Derby victory caps off what has been a dream year so far. On pace for 64 home runs, he’s not only targeting the single-season record for a catcher but is also within reach of Aaron Judge’s American League record of 62 homers - a mark widely viewed as MLB’s 'clean' home run benchmark.

With his power on full display in Atlanta, Raleigh's win cements his rise as one of baseball's premier sluggers.