Home Run Derby: Baseball’s Ultimate Power Display
The final few participants for the 2026 MLB Home Run Derby were announced today, completing the eight-player field for one of baseball’s premier events.
The Home Run Derby will air live on Monday, July 13, at 8 p.m. EDT on Netflix. This year’s event will take place at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia as part of MLB All-Star Week. It marks the 41st edition of the Home Run Derby, which debuted in 1985.
MLB is introducing a new format for this year’s competition. The league eliminated the timed clock in favor of a swing-based format. In the opening round, each hitter will receive 20 swings. The semifinal and championship rounds will feature 15 swings per batter.
If a player hits a home run on the final swing of a round, they will continue hitting until a swing does not result in a home run. After the first round, the top four home run totals will advance to the semifinals, with total home run distance serving as the tiebreaker if necessary. Any ties in the semifinals or finals will be decided by a three-swing swing-off.
The Field
DH Kyle Schwarber, Phillies — Schwarber leads Major League Baseball with 32 home runs this season. This will be his third Home Run Derby appearance after competing in 2018, when he finished runner-up, and again in 2022.
1B Ben Rice, Yankees — Rice has hit 28 home runs this season and will make his Home Run Derby debut.
3B Junior Caminero, Rays — Caminero has 27 home runs this season. He is making his second Derby appearance after finishing runner-up in 2025.
OF Jordan Walker, Cardinals — Walker has 22 home runs this season and will make his first Home Run Derby appearance.
1B Bryce Harper, Phillies — Harper has 20 home runs this season and is making his third Derby appearance. He finished runner-up in 2013 before winning the event in 2018 against his current Phillies teammate, Kyle Schwarber.
1B Willson Contreras, Red Sox — Contreras has 20 home runs this season and will make his first Home Run Derby appearance.
1B Munetaka Murakami, White Sox — The rookie has hit 20 home runs this season and will make his Home Run Derby debut.
OF Jac Caglianone, Royals — Caglianone has 15 home runs this season and will make his first Derby appearance.
The eight-player field features five American League players and three National League players, including hometown Phillies stars Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper. Seven of the eight participants rank among the top 20 in Major League Baseball in home runs entering the All-Star break.
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