3 MLB stars who should follow Nick Kurtz’s Home Run Derby lead

If Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz gets his wish, then he’ll be coming to a Home Run Derby near you. Specifically, Kurtz wants to compete in the 2026 Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Kurtz is from Lancaster, Pa., and recently told “Foul Territory” that it’d be “pretty cool” to participate.

“After watching [teammate Brent Rooker] do it, and talking to Rook about it, he said it was so much fun,” Kurtz said. “So I’d enjoy doing that, I think, yeah.”

Kurtz owned a .305 average and 23 home runs through his first 72 big-league games, and he’s quickly emerged as one of the sport’s more noteworthy young sluggers. If he keeps at his current pace, Kurtz should indeed find himself in the Home Run Derby discussion next year.

Here’s who we believe should follow Kurtz’s lead and participate in the 2025 MLB Home Run Derby.

3. Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels

As Mike Trout quickly closes in on 400 home runs, it’s easy to forget that we’ve never seen the three-time AL MVP compete in a Home Run Derby. That’s not for lack of trying, at least not on Major League Baseball’s part. Trout admitted in 2019 that the league asks him to participate every year, though he’d always turned it down to spend extra time with his family instead.

“I’m obviously a big fan of watching it,” Trout said at the time. “It’s just what it is. I enjoyed watching it as a kid, thought it was cool. I just never really wanted to do it.”

Trout added that he’d eventually consider competing one day, though his recent stretch of injury-plagued seasons may have altered those plans. Let’s hope he at least thinks about entering the 2026 event, especially given Trout’s New Jersey ties and familiarity with Philadelphia.

2. Shohei Ohtani, DH/P, Los Angeles Dodgers

Unlike Trout, we have seen Ohtani compete in a Home Run Derby. The three-time MVP had a thrilling first-round matchup with then-Nationals superstar Juan Soto in the 2021 event, though Soto pulled off a 31-28 victory at Colorado’s Coors Field.

We shouldn’t need to explain why we want to see Ohtani participate in another Home Run Derby. Anything featuring Ohtani is worth watching, and he’s on the eve of his fourth 40-home run season in five years. In fact, Ohtani has an excellent chance to become the first player since Sammy Sosa (1998-2001) to record 50 homers in four straight seasons.

Baseball is better when players like Ohtani, New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge, and Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes are on our TV. Skenes is obviously not competing in the 2026 Derby, but we’ll happily take seeing Ohtani — and Judge, for that matter — step to the plate at Citizens Bank Park.

1. Giancarlo Stanton, DH, New York Yankees

If Major League Baseball is willing to have a ‘legends’ spot on the All-Star Game roster for players like Clayton Kershaw or Miguel Cabrera, then they should consider a similar addition to the Home Run Derby. Although Stanton isn’t a traditional legend like Kershaw or Albert Pujols, he’s undoubtedly one of the greatest sluggers in recent history and a Home Run Derby champion; Stanton defeated then-Cincinnati Reds third baseman Todd Frazier at the 2016 event in San Diego.

Various injuries have kept Stanton off the field for much of the last seven years, and he’s only played over 115 games once in that span. However, opposing pitchers still fear a healthy Stanton, as those on the 2024 Cleveland Guardians know firsthand. 

Stanton mashed nine homers in his first 33 games for the Yankees this year, and his 7.0% home run percentage at publication marked his highest in nearly a decade. Ideally, we’ll eventually see Stanton compete in one final Home Run Derby.

Who do you believe should compete in the 2026 Home Run Derby? Let us know.