2025 Home Run Derby: Cal Raleigh, Byron Buxton Reward Fantasy Baseball Managers

Take a deep dive into how the 2025 Home Run Derby contestants have performed in fantasy baseball, with analysis on Cal Raleigh, James Wood, Junior Caminero, and more.

Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) hits a sacrifice fly in the third inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz (15) steals third base against he St. Louis Cardinals during the second inning at PNC Park. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Oneil Cruz, Pittsburgh Pirates

Last but certainly not least, we have Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates—bringing the fewest home runs (16) of any Derby participant to the party. The towering 6-foot-7 slugger hasn't quite lived up to his lofty fourth-round ADP and currently ranks as the 21st outfielder in Yahoo leagues. Before the season, Senior Fantasy Baseball Expert Shawn Childs had this to say about the tantalizing, yet unpredictable Cruz:

“The coin flip for Cruz in 2025 is whether his trade of power for contact over the final two months of last season will translate to lower strikeouts this year and an uptick in home runs. Pittsburgh plans to switch him to center field, giving him dual eligibility. He’s getting better, but Cruz must settle into a favorable slot in the batting order to help his counting stats. Buy his 30/30 potential in power and speed while understanding his batting average risk if his approach moves in the wrong direction. On the downside, his ADP already reflects a more productive season.”

That downside has become all too real. Despite his elite athleticism and game-breaking speed, Cruz is hitting a brutal .212 with 49 runs, 16 home runs, 37 RBIs, and 29 stolen bases. His power-speed combo is still impressive, but it's being dragged down by an inability to consistently reach base—and he’s simply not getting enough RBI chances in a struggling Pirates offense.

What’s worse, he’s entering the break ice cold, batting just .180 with four homers and nine RBIs over his last 30 games. Fantasy managers who took the plunge on Cruz are feeling the sting of a classic high-risk, high-reward profile that hasn’t quite panned out. Unless he turns it around post-Derby, Cruz is shaping up to be one of 2025’s most frustrating busts.