Braves Freddie Freeman to Participate in the 2018 MLB Home Run Derby

The Atlanta Braves star first baseman is participating in this year’s Home Run Derby, but where will he rank among Braves who have participated in the event?

After leading all National League players in votes for the 2018 MLB All-Star Game, Freddie Freeman has joined the roster of Home Run Derby participants for this year’s contest in Washington, D.C.

Freeman is one amongst seven first-time derby participants.  Freeman’s first-round opponent, Washington’s Bryce Harper, is the only player in this year’s iteration of the derby to have participated in a previous year. He’s also going to have plenty of support as he’s the “hometown favorite” with the game being held in Washington, D.C.

Freeman will be the first Brave to participate since the derby went to a full bracket-style format in 2015. In fact, Freddie is the first Brave to participate in the derby since 2005 when Andruw Jones represented the Braves, and the Netherlands, in an International-themed Home Run Derby.

Prior to 2018, the Braves have had 10 participants since the Home Run Derby started up in 1985, and for the most part, Atlanta has not been well-represented in the exhibition. Let’s take a look at how each fared:

Next: Murphy, Ozzie, and Justice

1985 – Dale Murphy

In the inaugural MLB Home Run Derby, Dale Murphy finished tied for 2nd with 4 other players with 4 home runs. Dave Parker of the Cincinnati Reds won the contest with 6 home runs. Dale would go on to lead the National League with 37 home runs that season.

1987 – Ozzie Virgil, Jr.

With just 4 participants in the 1987 Home Run Derby, Ozzie Virgil, Jr. finished as the runner-up behind Andre Dawson. Dawson, who had a meager 4 home runs, won the contest over Virgil, Jr. who finished with 2 dingers. Virgil was not much of a hitter over his major league career, hitting just .243/.324/.416 over his major league career and finishing short of 100 career home runs, but he would have his career-high with 27 dingers in 1987.

1993 – David Justice

1993 proved to be another lackluster year in terms of Home Run Derby totals.  Juan Gonzalez beat Ken Griffey, Jr. in a playoff after each player totaled 7 home runs in regulation.  David Justice finished the derby in 6th place with a grand total of 2 jacks. Justice would go on to finish the 1993 season with 40 home runs, the first of two 40-homer seasons for him over his career, but really his last full great season for the Braves before injuries began to dig into his playing time over the next three seasons, leading to his trade to the Indians after the 1996 season.

Next: Crime Dog, Chipper, and Javy

1994 – Fred McGriff

Following the blockbuster trade of McGriff from San Diego to Atlanta in 1993, the Crime Dog finished as the runner-up in the 1994 Home Run Derby with 5 home runs, just 2 behind winner Ken Griffey, Jr. Of course, his impact would be felt much more in the next season as he was a key catalyst as the Braves brought home their first championship in Atlanta.

1997 – Chipper Jones

In just his 3rd full season in the big leagues, Chipper Jones made the NL All-Star team and participated in the Home Run Derby for the first time.

Having seen the HR totals skyrocket in the previous two derbies, Jones managed to hit just 3 home runs to finish the contest tied for 6th. Jones would finish the season with 21 home runs, which would remain his lowest single-season total for nearly a decade, even in injury-shortened seasons.

1998 – Chipper Jones and Javy Lopez

The 1998 Home Run Derby marked the first time that two Atlanta Braves participated in the same year.

In Chipper’s second try, he only managed to hit 1 home run and finished dead last.

Javy, on the other hand, hit a respectable 5 home runs in his first and only derby appearance, but finished well behind the winner (Ken Griffey, Jr. with 19).

Of course, the 1998 Braves team featured a host of power, with Chipper (34), Javy (34), Andres Galarraga (44), and Andruw Jones (31) all topping 30 home runs on the season.

Next: Chipper, Sheff, and Andruw