The Complete History of the Colorado Rockies' Home Run Derby Participants

The Home Run Derby is perhaps the most entertaining event of the summer in baseball. As good as the All-Star Game is, it doesn't match the excitement that the fans feel for the derby.

The Colorado Rockies are one of the few teams in baseball without a player who has won the derby. Throughout the competition's history, several Rockies players have put up a good fight during the derby.

Colorado Participants Who Showed Fight in Home Run Derby

Colorado Rockies right fielder Larry Walker | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Fourteen of the Rockies players have participated in the contest. We should see a 14th Rockies player to enter this year, and his name is Hunter Goodman, as he's been a lethal hitter this season, with home run power that has him included in the derby.

Aside from Goodman, here are some of the Rockies legends who gave the fans a show even though they didn't come away with the trophy.

Michael Cuddyer (2013)

It was Cuddyer's first time participating in the Home Run Derby. He belted 15 home runs at Citi Field. Seven of the home runs came in the first round, eight of them in the second round. Unfortunately, Bryce Harper surpassed him in the second round with 16. Yoenis Cespedes would go on to win in the finals, defeating Harper.

Many of his home runs went to left field. At the time, Rockies bench coach Tom Runnells was throwing him pitches. In the second round, Cuddyer showed his power when three of his eight home runs went over 400 feet.

Matt Holliday (2007)

Holliday got his opportunity when he replaced Miguel Cabrera to join the derby. On this night, Holliday hit some good shots over the wall. He made it all the way to the second round, but it wasn't enough. Holliday finished with 13 home runs. Holliday hit eight of his 13 homers in the second round.

Alex Rios and Vladimir Guerrero Jr met in the finals. Guerrero Jr won the derby, and he only needed to hit three home runs.

The venue was AT&T Park in San Francisco, California.

Vinny Castilla (1998)

If there's ever one derby that Rockies fans wish they had seen one of their own win, it would be Castilla. The 1998 All-Star events took place at Coors Field.

Castilla is one of the most beloved and respected players in the history of the Rockies franchise. Castilla was an All-Star and finished the season hitting a career-high 46 home runs at the age of 30. The fans cheered loudly when they heard Castilla's name at the derby. Castilla himself has said that it is one of the best moments of his career.

Castilla didn't win the competition. However, he did hit 12 home runs and didn't receive an early exit. He made it to the second round. Ken Griffey Jr won the derby that year.

Ryne Sandberg (1990), Todd Frazier (2014), and Harper (2018) are the only three players to win the derby in the stadium of their own team.

Larry Walker (1997)

Walker, who later on went on to win the NL MVP that season, was the closest player to win the derby for the Rockies. Walker lost in the finals to the Yankees' first baseman Tino Martinez. The event took place in Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Ohio.

To this day, no Rockies player has hit more home runs in a single contest than Walker did in 1997. Walker finished hitting 19 home runs.

Dante Bichette (1994), Ellis Burks (1996), Walker (1999), Todd Helton (2001), Carlos Gonzalez (2012, 2016), Justin Morneau (2014), Troy Tulowitzki (2014), Charlie Blackmon (2017), and Trevor Story (2021) have all joined the Derby party.

It's been five years since we last saw a Rockies player join the derby. There's going to come a day when we will finally see a Rockies player leaving the stadium with the trophy. Patience and faith are key.

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