One of baseball's premier annual events, the 2024 MLB Home Run Derby is set to take place July 15 from Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, with the Atlanta Braves represented this year due to Marcell Ozuna taking part in the contest.
An organization that has seen its fair share of players participate in the Home Run Derby since its' inception, here are the names that Ozuna is set to join next week.
Which Atlanta Braves have participated in the MLB Home Run Derby?
Dale Murphy (1985)
The Braves had a participant in the very first Home Run Derby in Murphy, who hit four home runs back in 1985. That season also marked a career-best for Murphy, with the former Braves outfielder hitting 37 home runs to lead the National League in the stat for the second consecutive year.
Ozzie Virgil Jr. (1987)
Atlanta's second participant came only two years later in Virgil, who hit two home runs in 1987. Virgil's 1987 season was also undoubtedly the greatest of his MLB career, tallying a career-high 27 homers in his second, and final, All-Star campaign.
David Justice (1993)
The first of many Braves to compete in the Home Run Derby during the 1990s was David Justice in 1993, who hit two home runs. Justice's season in 1993 also marked his first All-Star appearance, tallying 40 home runs and 120 RBI in one of the greatest single-season's of the lefty slugger's MLB career.
August 31, 1993 | Giants at Braves
— Braves on TBS (@BravesOnTBS) August 31, 2023
Bottom 5th: "It is 8 to 1! Home run #35 and 96 RBIs on the year now for David Justice!" - Pete Van Wieren#OTD 30 years ago pic.twitter.com/Y8VXkhokku
Fred McGriff (1994)
A year later, the Crime Dog, aka Fred McGriff, participated in the event during the 1994 season. The powerful Braves first baseman would hit five home runs to finish second in the contest. The Hall of Famer slugged 34 home runs with the Braves during his first full season in Atlanta.
Chipper Jones (1997, 1998, 2000)
Atlanta's first player to participate in multiple Home Run Derby events was legendary third baseman, Chipper Jones, who is the team's lone three-time participant. Jones' first of those three came back in 1997 when he hit three home runs, a season in which he hit 21 home runs with a career-high 111 RBI.
The following year, he would also participate in the 1998 Home Run Derby but only hit one during the derby. That season, Jones compiled a then career-high 34 home runs for Atlanta.
Lastly, in 2000, the eight-time All-Star would hit two home runs in his final appearance in the contest which was held at Turner Field. That season, Jones hit 36 home runs for the Braves, while also tying his aforementioned career-high 111 RBI from the 1997 season.
Javy Lopez (1998)
Chipper was not the lone Braves player to participate in the 1998 Home Run Derby, as catcher Javy Lopez was also a member of that group, with this being the only time Atlanta has had two different players in the same event. Lopez would best Jones by hitting five home runs in the contest, with the catcher also posting 34 homers in his second All-Star season for the Braves.
Gary Sheffield (2003)
Slugger Gary Sheffield made an appearance in the Home Run Derby during his second, and final, season in Atlanta back in 2003, hitting four home runs. That season for the Braves, Sheffield had one of the best years of his career, smashing 39 home runs with a career-high 132 RBI before joining the Yankees in 2004.
Andruw Jones (2005)
In the best season of his career, Andruw Jones participated in the 2005 Home Run Derby, hitting five total. In 2005, Jones led all of baseball with 51 home runs which set the franchise record for most homers in a single season. This record was broken by Matt Olson in 2023 when he slugged 54 home runs. Andruw Jones also led the National League with 128 RBI in 2005, finishing second in MVP voting.
Freddie Freeman (2018)
After Andruw Jones, the Braves did not see another derby participant until 2018 when Freddie Freeman gave it a shot. Freeman hit 12 home runs that year and fell to eventual winner Bryce Harper in the first round. That season, Freeman hit 23 home runs for the Braves and led the National League with 191 hits and 44 doubles.
Ronald Acuña Jr. (2019, 2022)
The last Braves player to appear in the MLB Home Run Derby before Ozuna was Ronald Acuña Jr., who took part in 2019 and 2022. In 2019, a year in which he hit 41 homers with an NL-leading 37 stolen bases, Acuña hit 25 home runs to defeat Josh Bell in the first round but fell to eventual winner Pete Alonso in the second round, 20-19.
As for his 2022 performance, Acuña launched 19 home runs in the first round but fell to Alonso once again. 2022 was a down season offensively for the Braves outfielder as he hit just 15 home runs over 119 games. This was expected as he had just returned from his season-ending knee injury in 2021.
How will Ozuna now fare in the 2024 MLB Home Run Derby? Could he become the first player in franchise history to win the event? It certainly feels possible as he's Atlanta's best slugger in 2024 with 26 home runs on the season so far.
Ozuna is built to hit home runs and he is going to give fans a show regardless if he wins or not. He has some stiff competition including Pete Alonso, Alec Bohm, Adolis Garcia, Gunnar Henderson, Teoscar Hernandez, Jose Ramirez, and Bobby Witt Jr. Be sure to tune in Monday night as the 2024 MLB Home Run Derby starts at 8:00 p.m. EST on ESPN.