The 2024 MLB Home Run Derby was a thrilling showcase of power. Atlanta Braves slugger Marcell Ozuna participated, hitting 16 home runs in the first round. Unfortunately, he faced elimination in that round as well. He added his name to a prestigious list of Braves players who have competed in this iconic event. Let’s take a look at the Braves legends who have previously participated.
Dale Murphy (1985)
Dale Murphy was the first Atlanta Braves player to appear in the Home Run Derby, participating in the inaugural event in 1985. Murphy led the National League with 37 home runs that year, but only hit four during the contest. His powerful season helped solidify him as one of the game’s top sluggers in the mid-1980s.
Ozzie Virgil Jr. (1987)
Ozzie Virgil Jr. followed Murphy just two years later, representing the Braves in the 1987 Home Run Derby. Virgil hit two home runs during the competition, capping off a career year in which he hit a personal-best 27 homers and earned his second All-Star selection.
David Justice (1993)
David Justice was the first of many Braves players to participate during the 1990s. In 1993, Justice hit two home runs in the Derby and later finished the season with 40 home runs and 120 RBI. It was one of his finest seasons, marking his first All-Star appearance.
Fred McGriff (1994)
The following year, Fred McGriff, known as the “Crime Dog,” competed in the 1994 Home Run Derby. McGriff launched five home runs, finishing second in the competition. His power was on full display that season, as he went on to hit 34 homers in his first full season with the Braves.
Chipper Jones (1997, 1998, 2000)
Chipper Jones remains the only Braves player to participate in the Home Run Derby three times. His first appearance came in 1997 when he hit three home runs. He returned in 1998, though he only managed to hit one home run in the Derby that year. Jones’ final Derby appearance was in 2000 at Turner Field, where he hit two homers. Jones posted impressive power numbers throughout his career, making him a staple in Braves history.
Javy Lopez (1998)
Javy Lopez joined Chipper Jones in the 1998 Home Run Derby, marking the only time two Braves competed in the same contest. Lopez outperformed Jones, hitting five home runs. He went on to hit 34 home runs during the 1998 season, his second All-Star year.
Gary Sheffield (2003)
Gary Sheffield took his turn representing the Braves in the 2003 Home Run Derby. In his second and final season with Atlanta, Sheffield hit four home runs during the competition. His 2003 season was stellar, he posted 39 homers and 132 RBI before moving on to the Yankees the following year.
Andruw Jones (2005)
Andruw Jones participated in the Home Run Derby during the best season of his career in 2005. Jones hit five home runs in the contest and led all of Major League Baseball that year with 51 homers, setting a Braves franchise record that stood until Matt Olson surpassed it in 2023.
Freddie Freeman (2018)
Freddie Freeman brought the Braves back to the Derby in 2018. Freeman hit 12 home runs but was eliminated in the first round by eventual winner Bryce Harper. Freeman’s power was evident that season, as he also led the National League with 191 hits and 44 doubles.
Ronald Acuña Jr. (2019, 2022)
Ronald Acuña Jr. made two appearances in the Home Run Derby, first in 2019 and then again in 2022. In 2019, he hit an impressive 25 home runs in the first round, defeating Josh Bell before falling to Pete Alonso in the semifinals. In 2022, Acuña hit 19 homers in the first round but once again was eliminated by Alonso. Although 2022 was a challenging year due to his recovery from injury, Acuña remains one of the most dynamic players in the game.
Marcell Ozuna joined an elite group of Braves sluggers who have left their mark on this thrilling annual event. Fans watched closely to see if he can add his own chapter to Braves Derby history. The magic did not happen this year, but it was great to see him out there. The Derby would not have been the same without Ozuna in the lineup.
