Todd Frazier defeated two-time Home Run Derby champion Prince Fielder in the first round with just seconds left on the clock. Then he took down one of the best hitters in the American League in Josh Donaldson in the semifinals.
And then he showed rookie Joc Pederson how it's done.
Frazier won the 2015 Home Run Derby thanks to a 15-home run final round against Pederson, who ripped 14 after sliding past Manny Machado in the first round and Albert Pujols in the semis.
But it was the hometown favorite that captured the victory.
The Cincinnati Reds' third baseman slugged a total of 39 home runs and won the event in front of his home crowd. Frazier appeared in his first Home Run Derby in 2014, but he fell to two-time champion Yoenis Cespedes in the final round.
Todd Frazier for the win ... 2nd player to win #HRDerby in his home ballpark (Ryne Sandberg, 1990)!
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) July 14, 2015
Major League Baseball instituted a new format for the 2015 event and the record for home runs in a single derby was shattered.
There have been more HR hit in this #HRDerby than in any previous Home Run Derby
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) July 14, 2015
The rules were tweaked a bit because of the threat of inclement weather, so each batter's time to hit was reduced from five minutes to four minutes, there would be 30 seconds of bonus time awarded if a batter hit two home runs that equaled or exceeded 425 feet, and the clock would not stop after each home run in the final minute of the batter's turn.
After Chicago Cubs' first baseman Anthony Rizzo kicked off the night under the new Home Run Derby rules, the system didn't look too promising. It took a few more participants to find their rhythm and adapt, and at the end of the night it appeared as if this could be the way it is from now on.
Frazier's performance was one for the ages. He faced big deficits in each of his matchups against Fielder, Donaldson and Pederson and the new format made for a dramatic night. Frazier defeated each of his opponents in the final seconds of his round and if it weren't for his clutch late surges, he would have been toast in the first round.
Here are some other notable stats from the Derby, according to ESPN Stats & Info:
- Frazier joined Ken Griffey Jr. as the second player to win the Home Run Derby the year after finishing second in the event.
- Frazier became the third Reds player to win the Derby, joining Dave Parker (1985) and Eric Davis (1989).
The All-Star break will continue on Tuesday night when the AL and NL square off in the 86th All-Star Game at 7:30 p.m. ET on FOX.
