When Ronald Acuña Jr. stepped aside from the 2025 T-Mobile Home Run Derby, the door quietly opened for another Braves superstar to seize the spotlight. Matt Olson didn’t hesitate. The stage was set for the Atlanta-born hometown hero to steal the show.
From the moment he came home to Atlanta to join the Braves, Olson has been among baseball’s most impressive sluggers. His swing is perfectly tuned for the Home Run Derby format: towering fly balls, relentless pull power, and some of the hardest contact in the sport. Combine that with the energy of a hometown crowd (with family and friends in attendance), and you will have all the ingredients for a champion worthy of historical remembrance.
May the legend of Matt Olson’s 2025 Home Run Derby begin.
Table of Contents
Matt Olson Has Elite Power Built for the HR Derby
Since joining the Braves in 2022, Olson has crushed 134 home runs. That’s good for the fifth-most in Major League Baseball over that span. His Statcast profile is something to behold.
- Average Exit Velocity: 93.7 mph (97th percentile)
- Barrel Rate: 16.3% (94th percentile)
- Hard-Hit Rate: 54.5% (96th percentile)
- Max Exit Velocity (Career): 118.6 mph
This isn’t occasional power. It’s relentless. Over the past four seasons, Olson has maintained a fly ball percentage near 62%, well above the league average. He’s made a career out of driving the ball in the air, especially to the pull side.
And nowhere is that more evident than in right field at Truist Park. Since donning a Braves uniform, Olson has launched dozens of homers into the Chophouse, the party deck beyond the right-field wall that has become his personal target practice. More than 40% of his home runs in Atlanta have been pulled to that area, an ideal landing zone for Derby swings. Cheers to Olson spilling some beers on Monday night.
This Isn’t Matt Olson’s First Home Run Derby
This won’t be Olson’s first Derby. In 2021, he made his debut at Coors Field, the most hitter-friendly park in the country. He didn’t disappoint, smashing 23 home runs in the first round. He ultimately fell by a single homer to Trey Mancini’s 24. Olson’s last ball had home run distance but it hooked foul as time expired, leaving him one short. It set the stage for Mancini to make a magical run to the finals. Now it’s Olson’s turn.
Matt Olson Doesn’t Just Represent the Braves; He Was Born in Atlanta
This year’s contest is personal. Olson was born and raised in Atlanta. As a kid, he went to the last Home Run Derby hosted in Atlanta in 2000 (won by Sammy Sosa). He grew up dreaming of doing it himself.
“It makes it 10 times better,” he said. “I had visions of doing it myself, so to be able to get the chance, I thank Ronald.”
The crowd at Truist Park will be behind him every swing. The energy of thousands of Braves fans chanting his name can give him the boost most players never get to feel.
Matt Olson’s Competitive Nature vs. Competition
“I mean, I want to win. It can be competitive, for sure. Sometimes too competitive,” Olson said after the 2021 Home Run Derby.
There’s no denying this year’s field is stacked. Sluggers from across baseball will be trying to steal the spotlight. However, most of the contestants are newbs this year. Olson’s been there before.
2025 Home Run Derby Contestants
| Player | Team | HR Total | Longest HR (feet) | Hardest-hit HR (mph) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cal Raleigh | Mariners | 36 | 440 (June 22 & July 4) | 115.2 |
| James Wood | Nationals | 24 | 451 (June 13 & 21) | 116.3 |
| Byron Buxton | Twins | 20 | 479 (June 11) | 112.5 |
| Oneil Cruz | Pirates | 16 | 463 (April 23) | 122.9 |
| Junior Caminero | Rays | 23 | 425 (June 30) | 110.6 |
| Brent Rooker | Athletics | 19 | 440 (May 22) | 110.0 |
| Jazz Chisholm Jr. | Yankees | 17 | 442 (March 29) | 110.9 |
| Matt Olson | Braves | 17 | 434 (April 4) | 113.4 |
In a competition where rhythm, familiarity, and confidence often matter as much as raw strength, Olson stands out.
Home Run Derby Contestants Single-Season Career Highs in Home Runs
We will see where Cal Raleigh ends up this season, but the fact is that no other player in the contest has anywhere near Matt Olson’s single-season career high in home runs.
| Player | Team | Single-Season HR High | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Olson | Braves | 54 | 2023 |
| Cal Raleigh | Mariners | 38 | 2025 (this season) |
| James Wood | Nationals | 24 | 2025 (rookie) |
| Byron Buxton | Twins | 35 | 2022 |
| Oneil Cruz | Pirates | 34 | 2023 |
| Junior Caminero | Rays | 23 | 2025 (rookie) |
| Brent Rooker | Athletics | 30 | 2023 |
| Jazz Chisholm Jr. | Yankees | 27 | 2023 |
We Like Matt Olson’s Odds in the Home Run Derby
Now we’re taking a look at DraftKings odds on who will win the 2025 Home Run Derby and explain why we like Matt Olson.
Full Disclosure: Talkin’ Tomahawk is an Atlanta Braves site and due to the fanboy homer nature of our perspective, it’s impractical to think we would pick anyone other than the hometown hero.
Odds effective 07/12/2025 at 9:43 AM. Check DraftKings SportsBook for updated odds.
| Player | Odds to Win |
|---|---|
| Oneil Cruz | +310 |
| Cal Raleigh | +320 |
| James Wood | +500 |
| Matt Olson | +700 |
| Byron Buxton | +800 |
| Brent Rooker | +850 |
| Jazz Chisholm Jr. | +1100 |
| Junior Caminero | +1100 |
Conclusion
The Home Run Derby always produces surprises. But sometimes, the favorite is the favorite for a reason. Matt Olson’s swing is engineered for this stage. He’s already sent countless baseballs into the Chophouse, and on Monday night, he’ll have the chance to do it over and over again with the whole country watching.
Don’t be surprised when he’s the last man standing.
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