Dominicans Seek to Extend Their Home Run Derby Dominance in 2025
Atlanta’s Truist Park is preparing for a night of high emotions, where Dominican power will seek to continue making its mark on the 2025 Home Run Derby. Junior Caminero (Rays) and Oneil Cruz (Pirates) will be the representatives of the Dominican Republic, with the mission of keeping alive an impressive streak: three consecutive titles won by Dominican hitters.
Since 2022, Dominicans have dominated this power event, with Juan Soto (Dodgers) taking the title in 2022, followed by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in 2023 and Teoscar Hernández in 2024. Caminero and Cruz arrive with their sights set on extending this historic streak and achieving a fourth consecutive title for their country, something unprecedented in the recent history of the Derby.
Caminero, with 23 home runs this season, and Cruz, with 16, possess the power needed to compete at the highest level. However, the competition will be fierce, facing rivals like Cal Raleigh (38 HR), James Wood (24), Byron Buxton (20), Brent Rooker (19), Jazz Chisholm Jr. (17) and Matt Olson (17), the latter playing at home with the Atlanta Braves.
The Truist Park, with a capacity of 41,000 spectators, will be the stage for this home run spectacle. With dimensions of 335 feet for left field, 400 for center, and 325 for right, a home run festival is expected.
In addition to the prestige, the winner will take home a million dollars, a prize that has made a generational difference compared to the times of legends like Vladimir Guerrero Sr., who won the Derby in 2007.
The participation of Caminero and Cruz not only represents the hope of a triumph, but the continuity of a legacy of power. Dominicans are ready to make history.
