MLB All-Star Game: Braves DH Marcell Ozuna to participate in Home Run Derby

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Pack your bags and bats, Snitbear. The Big Bear has accepted an invitation to the Major League Baseball Home Run Derby.

The Atlanta Braves announced Monday that designated hitter Marcell Ozuna will compete in this year’s derby at Globe Life Stadium on July 15.

The news comes a day after Ozuna was named to the National League’s reserves for the 2024 MLB All-Star Game.

The BIG BEAR is gonna go BIG FLY in the #HRDerby! pic.twitter.com/yR8bGRo2jE
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 8, 2024

Ozuna is tied for fourth in the majors with 23 home runs as of Monday night. He trails only Yankees slugger Aaron Judge (32), Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani (28) and Orioles young star Gunnar Henderson (27).

Henderson will also compete in the derby along with the Mets’ Pete Alonso, Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. and Phillies’ Alec Bohm.

TRENDING STORIES:

Ozuna looks to become the first Atlanta Braves slugger to win the derby. Ronald Acuna Jr. advanced to the Home Run Derby semifinals in 2019, but lost to the Mets’ Pete Alonso.

Here’s how other Braves have fared in the derby since its inception in 1985.

1985: Dale Murphy, 4 home runs, finished second in National League

1987: Ozzie Virgil Jr., 2 home runs, finished second in National League

1993: David Justice, 2 home runs, finished third in National League

1994: Fred McGriff: 5 home runs, first in National League

1997: Chipper Jones, 3 home runs, third in National League

1998: Javy Lopez, 5 home runs, finished third in National League

1998: Chipper Jones, 1 home run, finished fourth in National League

2000: Chipper Jones, 2 home runs, eliminated in first round

2003: Gary Sheffield, 4 home runs, eliminated in first round

2005: Andruw Jones, 5 home runs, eliminated in first round

2018: Freddie Freeman, 12 home runs, eliminated in first round