MLB: HR Derby preview

The stage is set. Eight of Major League Baseball’s top sluggers will step into the batter’s box Monday night, each looking to leave as the 2026 MLB Home Run Derby champion.

The event will air live on Netflix from Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia at 8 p.m on Monday, featuring a brand-new format for this year’s competition.

This year’s field features some of the game’s biggest power threats, with home run leaders, rising stars and even teammates set to square off. With plenty of storylines and no shortage of power, this year’s derby has it all.

Arguably the biggest storyline of this year’s Home Run Derby, a rematch eight years in the making.

Now teammates, Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber will return to the derby after meeting in the 2018 final, when Harper rallied to defeat Schwarber in front of his home crowd in Washington.

Schwarber enters the derby leading the majors with 32 home runs, while Harper has 20. Schwarber may be the favorite to take home the title, but Harper has proven he knows how to deliver in these moments.

This time, the two Philadelphia sluggers will compete for the crown in their home ballpark, adding another chapter to one of the event’s most memorable matchups.

The first contestant to announce his participation in this year’s Home Run Derby was Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero, who finished as the 2025 runner-up.

Caminero enters this year’s derby ranked third in the American League with 28 home runs, trailing Yankees first baseman Ben Rice, who will also compete after hitting 29 home runs this season.

In just his third season in the majors, Rice is having a breakout year, earning his first All-Star Game selection while establishing himself as one of the league’s top power hitters.

Another AL East slugger will join the field in Red Sox first baseman Wilson Contreras, who will make his first Home Run Derby appearance. This season, Contreras reached the 20-homer mark in just 87 games – the fastest he has done so in his career.

With three AL East players in the field, Caminero, Rice and Contreras will bring this division rivalry to the Home Run Derby stage.

One player looking to make history is St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker, who hopes to become the first player in franchise history to win the derby.

The 24-year-old struggled early in his career, but now everything is falling into place for him. He enters the derby with 22 home runs and a league-leading 74 RBIs.

Walker’s power is built for the derby, as his 79.2 mph average bat speed ranks second fastest among qualified hitters.

Another young slugger set to take the stage is Royals' Jac Caglianone. Although Caglianone enters with the fewest home runs at 14, his raw power has been on full display this season. During a five-game stretch in June, he belted six home runs, each averaging over 420 feet.

Last but certainly not least, breakout rookie Munetaka Murakami completes this year’s Home Run Derby field. Murakami wasted no time showing everyone his elite power after hitting a home run in each of his first three games in the majors.

He racked up 20 before an IL stint in late May, but since returning to the White Sox lineup, he has decided to put his name in the Home Run Derby hat.

With a mix of established stars and young power hitters, the 2026 Home Run Derby promises to deliver plenty of fireworks. When the first swing is taken Monday night, one slugger will leave Philadelphia with the title.

Gina Scarpa is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, please email gfs5427@psu.edu.