For their sake, the eight players participating in the 2026 Home Run Derby should hope they fare better than Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Chisholm only hit three home runs during last year’s derby, the worst output of any player since 2014. Although we don’t expect every player to magically turn into Josh Hamilton on derby night, Chisholm’s output was embarrassing.
However, at least Chisholm managed to go deep. Some of the greatest players in history, including multiple members of the 500-home run club, have participated in the Home Run Derby and failed to hit even one ball out of the park.
Have any players failed to hit a home run in the Home Run Derby?
As of July 2026, there have been 19 instances of players failing to go deep in a Home Run Derby.
- Gary Gaetti (1988)
- Jose Canseco (1990)
- Cecil Fielder (1990)
- Ken Griffey Jr. (1990)
- Bobby Bonilla (1990)
- Darryl Strawberry (1990)
- Chris Sabo (1991)
- Howard Johnson (1991)
- Mike Piazza (1993, 1994)
- Gary Sheffield (1996)
- Greg Vaughn (1996)
- Nomar Garciaparra (1997)
- Jim Thome (1997)
- Troy Glaus (2001)
- Bret Boone (2003)
- Jason Bay (2005)
- Brandon Inge (2009)
- Robinson Canó (2012)
- Yasiel Puig (2014)
The 1990 Home Run Derby is widely regarded as the worst in league history, with eight players combining for just five home runs. That’s not a typo, either. Combine an afternoon at Wrigley Field with heavy wind blowing in from the outfield, and you get a derby where Mark McGwire was the only American League player to homer.
The Cubs’ Ryne Sandberg won the 1990 Home Run Derby with three homers. Well done.
Piazza failing to homer in consecutive derbies is remarkable, especially considering that he went deep 35 times during the 1993 season. He’d already hit 24 home runs through 107 games when the 1994 season ended prematurely.
It’s surprising how many legitimate power threats are on this list. Griffey and Thome each retired with over 600 home runs, and Sheffield is a member of the 500-home run club. Piazza, Canseco, and Canó all hit at least 400 homers in their careers. None of them were exactly slouches.
Inge is perhaps the most forgettable name, outside of those familiar with Mike Francesa’s obsession with the former Tigers third baseman. Of the 18 players on that list, only three — Inge, Puig, and Sabo — finished with fewer than 200 home runs.
Sabo only hit 116 homers over nine seasons, though he also debuted late and retired following the 1996 season. Unlike a significant number of the other 17 players on our list, he at least managed to win a World Series.
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