The 2026 Home Run Derby takes place Monday night at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. The event starts at 8 p.m. ET and will stream on Netflix for the first time. Eight hitters will compete for the title.
This year’s Derby also brings a new format.
Instead of hitting for a set amount of time, each player gets a set number of swings. Players receive 20 swings in the first round. The semifinals and finals each use 15 swings. If a player hits a home run on the last swing, that player keeps hitting until a swing does not leave the park.
The four players with the most home runs in Round 1 move on to the semifinals. They are then seeded by their first-round totals. The top seed faces the fourth seed, and the second seed faces the third seed. The winners meet in the final round.
If players tie in the first round, the longest home run decides who advances. In the semifinals and finals, tied players take part in three-swing tiebreakers until one player finishes with more home runs.
2026 Home Run Derby Field
The eight participants are:
- Junior Caminero, Tampa Bay Rays
- Jac Caglianone, Kansas City Royals
- Ben Rice, New York Yankees
- Willson Contreras, Boston Red Sox
- Jordan Walker, St. Louis Cardinals
- Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies
- Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies
- Munetaka Murakami, Chicago White Sox
Several players enter with strong power numbers, but the new format could change the results. Every swing matters. Players can no longer wait for the right pitch because each swing counts, whether it becomes a home run or not.
That puts more focus on making solid contact.
Players to Watch
Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber will have the home crowd behind them in Philadelphia. Both have experience in big games and know the ballpark well.
Junior Caminero reached the Home Run Derby final last season before losing to Cal Raleigh. That experience could help this year.
Jac Caglianone has become known for his power and enters the event with plenty of attention. Ben Rice has also shown he can hit home runs in bunches.
Jordan Walker, Willson Contreras, and Munetaka Murakami all have enough power to make a run if they get into a rhythm.
Best Bet to Win
My pick to win the 2026 Home Run Derby is Kyle Schwarber.
The new swing-based format fits his approach. He has power to all fields, knows Citizens Bank Park, and should be comfortable hitting in front of the home fans. He does not need a long streak of swings to stay in the competition, and the crowd could help him keep momentum through each round.
Prediction: Kyle Schwarber defeats Jac Caglianone in the final to win the 2026 Home Run Derby
