Since the MLB Home Run Derby’s inception in 1985, only 13 former collegiate baseball players have claimed the top spot. The latest to achieve this feat is Pete Alonso from the University of Florida. Alonso, playing for the New York Mets, won the 2021 event at Coors Field in Denver, marking his second consecutive win. He initially took the crown in 2019 at Cleveland’s Progressive Field, becoming the first former college player to secure back-to-back titles. Historically, only Ken Griffey Jr. (1998-99) and Yoenis Cespedes (2013-14) have managed to defend their Home Run Derby titles successfully.
Here is a comprehensive list of collegiate stars who have won the MLB Home Run Derby:
– 1986: Wally Joyner (California Angels) – BYU (1981-83), 204 MLB home runs, 43 NCAA home runs
– 1987: Andre Dawson (Chicago Cubs) – Florida A&M (1973-75), 438 MLB home runs, NCAA stats not available
– 1992: Mark McGwire (Oakland Athletics) – USC (1982-84), 583 MLB home runs, 53 NCAA home runs
– 1995: Frank Thomas (Chicago White Sox) – Auburn (1987-89), 521 MLB home runs, 49 NCAA home runs
– 1996: Barry Bonds (San Francisco Giants) – Arizona State (1983-85), 762 MLB home runs, 45 NCAA home runs
– 1997: Tino Martinez (New York Yankees) – Tampa (1986-88), 339 MLB home runs, 54 NCAA home runs
– 2001: Luis Gonzalez (Arizona Diamondbacks) – South Alabama (1987-88), 354 MLB home runs, 23 NCAA home runs
– 2002: Jason Giambi (New York Yankees) – Long Beach State (1990-92), 440 MLB home runs (college stats not available)
– 2006: Ryan Howard (Philadelphia Phillies) – Missouri State (1998-01), 382 MLB home runs, 50 NCAA home runs
– 2015: Todd Frazier (Cincinnati Reds) – Rutgers (2005-07), 218 MLB home runs, 42 NCAA home runs
– 2017: Aaron Judge (New York Yankees) – Fresno State (2011-13), 239 MLB home runs (active), 18 NCAA home runs
– 2018: Bryce Harper (Washington Nationals) – College of Southern Nevada (NJCAA, 2010), 288 MLB home runs (active), 31 NCAA home runs
– 2019, 2021: Pete Alonso (New York Mets) – Florida (2014-16), 172 MLB home runs (active), 23 NCAA home runs
These winners represent a diverse group of institutions, spanning nine NCAA conferences and two divisions, with Andre Dawson hailing from a Division II Rattlers team and Bryce Harper from a junior college. The Pac-12 (McGwire, Bonds) and the SEC (Frank Thomas, Alonso) are the only conferences with multiple representatives.