Ranking the 5 best All-Star Home Run Derby slugfests featuring Pete Alonso, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. & more
The MLB Home Run Derby is one of the most exciting parts of the All-Star festivities. Showcasing the best power hitters in the league has resulted in some truly legendary battles and unforgettable moments over the years.
We get to see these superstars go head-to-head and elevate each other to new heights. In a competition of who can hit the most dingers, every player wants to win and every fan wants to watch.
While many All-Stars have battled it out in the Home Run Derby over the years, these are the five best slugfests of all time.
#5 Aaron Judge vs Miguel Sano
In 2017 Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees defeated Miguel Sano of the Minnesota Twins in the finals, 11-10. This was the first time in MLB history that a rookie won the Home Run Derby outright. Aaron Judge's rookie season was one of the best of all time. He could not be beaten.
This YouTube video highlights how great Aaron Judge was during the 2017 Home Run Derby and especially in the finals.
In the final round, Aaron Judge got the 11 home runs necessary to win in just over half his allotted time. This dominant performance in the final round secured him the win and etched his name in the record books.
#4 Robison Cano vs Adrian Gonzalez
Robinson Cano is no stranger to the All-Star weekend. He won the Home Run Derby in 2011. Representing the New York Yankees, Robinson Cano defeated Boston Red Sox slugger Adrian Gonzalez 12-11 in the finals. This win was made all the more sweet by beating a member of his team's most historic rival.
This video encapsulates just how great Robinson Cano was at the All-Star Home Run Derby in 2011.
This slugfest came down to the wire and was everything fans hoped for in a Home Run Derby.
#3 Todd Frazier vs Joc Pederson
Cincinnati Reds star Todd Frazier defeated Joc Pederson of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2015. This 15-14 win had all the homers you could hope for and a clutch dinger in extra time. Todd Frazier also became only the second player in MLB history to win the Home run Derby in front of his home crowd.
Todd Frazier's performance electrified the Reds' fan base in attendance. This video shows Todd Frazier's performance in the final round, including his clutch hit in extra time.
Winning the Home Run Derby in front of your home fans has to be one of the best ways to celebrate All-Star weekend.
#2 Pete Alonso vs Trey Mancini
In 2021, New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso became a back-to-back Home Run Derby champion. Baltimore Oriole Trey Mancini's 22 home runs were very impressive, but Pete Alonso's 23 just edged him out. Fans loved this finals round where they got to see the two put up 45 total homers in just a few minutes.
Video of the electric final round can be found below and shows how high the level of competition was.
This was almost the best slugfest in Home Run Derby history, but Pete Alonso secured that title two years earlier, in 2019.
#1 Pete Alonso vs Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
The 2019 All-Star weekend was unknowingly the last of the All-Star festivites for two years, with the Home Run Derby its crowning achievement. Pete Alonso took on Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays, a rookie with plenty to prove. This battle also went down to the wire with a final score of 23-22. Pete Alonso beat the second-generation superstar.
The final round of the 2019 Home Run Derby was posted to YouTube by the MLB.
Pete Alonso was crowned champion, but this was also a star-making performance from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. This slugfest between All-Stars is the best in Home Run Derby history and the standard to which every subsequent Home Run Derby will be compared.