The highlight of MLB All-Star Weekend has, and will continue to be, the Home Run Derby, as some of the greatest sluggers to ever play the game have made names for themselves in this event that will take place at Truist Field later this summer.
With Atlanta serving as the league's host for the 2025 All-Star Game and the events that come with it, one of the Braves' biggest stars jumped at the opportunity on Wednesday to give the hometown fans something to cheer about as he looks to blast as many balls into the Truist Field bleachers as possible.
Braves Star Ronald Acuna Jr. to Represent Atlanta in Home Run Derby
There have been three players in MLB history to win the Home Run Derby in the city they call home. Ronald Acuna Jr. will attempt to become the fourth name on that list, joining Ryne Sandberg, Todd Frazier, and Bryce Harper, as he officially entered the 2025 Home Run Derby on Wednesday evening during a live spot on SportsCenter.
Ronald Acuña Jr. has announced he will be participating in the 2025 HR Derby in Atlanta 🚨 @elleduncanESPN pic.twitter.com/RjR2M7Dzjj
— ESPN (@espn) June 25, 2025
Acuna Jr. will be entering the competition for the third time in his career and, if successful, he would become the first Atlanta player to ever earn the moniker as MLB's Home Run Derby champion. With this commitment to compete in front of the Braves' home fans, Acuna Jr. ties Atlanta legend Chipper Jones for the most appearances in the event as a Braves player.
At this moment, the rest of the field for the 2025 Home Run Derby is unknown. There will certainly be plenty of heavy hitters in the bracket, however. If Acuna Jr. is to make history and raise the trophy in front of his fans in Atlanta, it will be a moment that is forever etched into Braves history along with all the other achievements from the franchise's stars.
Despite playing in just 29 games this season, Acuna Jr. has been phenomenal for Atlanta when he is in the lineup, as the veteran owns a batting average of .385 with nine home runs and 16 RBI in just 104 at-bats.
We'll have to wait and see whether the third time is the charm for Acuna Jr. when it comes to the Home Run Derby. What we know for sure, though, is that he will undoubtedly receive the largest reaction from the crowd on every dinger he hits that night.