The Home Run Derby X finals are here. After the Blue Jays won in Kansas City to advance to Salt Lake City finals on Sept. 19th and 20th, the rosters are confirmed. The field is set.
Here are the players and teams that will be battling for $200,000 and eternal bragging rights this weekend in Salt Lake City.
Nationals (Ian Desmond, Ryan Zimmerman, Ali Newland)
Ian Desmond finished his first victory by lying down in the outfield, pretending to sleep, as he caught the final out. That's how easily the Nationals dispatched the Phillies, winning the Atlanta event 78-58. Desmond hit 21 home runs and scored 33 points in the final to lead the team while Ryan Zimmerman put up 20 and Newland tacked on 13. Newland led the team with 23 points in the semifinal matchup against the Braves.
Dodgers (Adrián González, Grady Emerson, Mya Perez)
The team might have two No. 1 overall MLB Draft picks -- González was selected first overall in the 2000 Draft, while Emerson has some scouts believing he could be first off the board in next year's Draft. They played like it in Round Rock. The Dodgers made it look easy with a 47-35 win over the Red Sox in the semi-final before a 66-38 pasting of the Astros in the final.
González put up 23 points on 15 home runs, Emerson added 18 points on 13 blasts, and Perez added eight points of her own before González was tagged back in to round out the scoring.
Blue Jays (Kevin Pillar, Rachel Garcia, Devon Travis)
The Jays spoiled a 2015 World Series homecoming for two Royals teams at Kauffman Stadium, with AUSL star Rachel Garcia leading the way. Garcia put up 51 points on 27 home runs across two rounds before Travis walked off the Mets in the final with a "HRDX grand slam" -- a hot streak home run hit into the target zone worth four points.
Cardinals (Adam Wainwright, Taylor Schumaker, Rick Ankiel)
Wainwright proved that pitchers can rake in Des Moines. Wainwright celebrated his birthday by putting up 41 points across two rounds to earn the MVP nod. Schumaker -- the reigning NFCA Freshman of the Year -- added 31 points while Ankiel added 33 and finished strong to give the Cardinals a narrow one-point victory.
Salt Lake Bees (Jose Reyes, Hannah Flippen, Cole Tucker)
Flippen, a University of Utah star, returns home! Now a member of the Talons team in the AUSL, Flippen will front the Salt Lake Bees home team. Tucker (you may be familiar with his wife) returns to the team he played for in 2024 and Reyes rounds out the squad. All three will be making their HRDX debuts.
Team Wild Card (Chris McHugh, Jayda Coleman, Sydney Romero)
McHugh set a HRDX record with 37 points as he helped the Nationals defeat the Braves, 72-59, in Durham. Because the Nats had already booked their spot in Salt Lake, the NC State slugger earned his spot on the wild card team.
Coleman and Romero teamed up with Adrián González to win in Oklahoma City. The two former Sooners put on a display for the home crowd -- defeating a team of three Sooners -- combining for 48 points for the victory. As the Dodgers had already won in Round Rock, Coleman and Romero earned spots on Team Wild Card.
New York Yankees (Nick Swisher, Jocelyn Alo, Todd Frazier)
There is some serious derby cred on this team. Swisher, who has been with HRDX since its inception in 2022, leads the way after putting up a 24-point round in a narrow loss in Des Moines. Alo, the NCAA all-time leader in home runs, scored 32 points in a single round in Oklahoma City to confirm her spot in Salt Lake. Frazier brings the 2015 MLB Home Run Derby crown and seven home runs from his appearance in Round Rock.
Royals (Mike Moustakas, Tiare Jennings, Bri Ellis)
Moustakas captains this Royals team after 20 points on 11 home runs in Kansas City this past weekend, with Jennings joining after solid work in OKC and Kansas City (70 points across four rounds of play). Ellis will make her HRDX debut after being named the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year in 2025.