Home Run Derby 2013: Yoenis Cespedes Slams 17 Home Runs in First Round

Jul 15, 2013; Flushing , NY, USA; American League player Yoenis Cespedes of the Oakland Athletics at bat during the Home Run Derby in advance of the 2013 All Star Game at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports /

Yoenis Cespedes impressed everyone as a rookie last season, aiding the Oakland A’s in surging to the top of the American League West and knocking off the Texas Rangers.

Tonight, he impresses again with 17 total home runs in the first round of the Home Run Derby, essentially giving him a spot in the next round. Here’s more details from Yahoo! Sports’ live blog.

"“Cespedes … surpassed any and all expectations with an explosive first round performance. Of his 17 home runs, 12 traveled beyond 400 feet, with several peppering the upper deck in the left field. He’s the leader in the clubhouse early and may have just emerged as the favorite.”"

Since the Home Run Derby’s current format back in 2000, there’s only been two other players that had more than 17 home runs in one round. Josh Hamilton has the record with 28 smoked over the wall in the first round back in 2008, and Bobby Abreu had 24 in 2005. Hamilton lost to Justin Morneau in the finals while Abreu defeated Ivan Rodriguez.

Cespedes has hit 15 home runs this season, well on pace to blow past his rookie total of 23 home runs in the 129 games he played in.

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