How Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner turned failure into success
Mistakes. Goaltenders find them maddening. They also find them helpful. Notice how they act after giving up a goal. Sure, they react in the ways one would expect. But they also look up at the videoboard to assess what went wrong so they can learn from those miscues.
This is the exact process Edmonton Oilers rookie Stuart Skinner cites when talking about how he’s arrived at this stage in his career and his life.
He readily admits he’s a product of failure. He doesn’t hide from the fact that when he was younger — a self-described “scrawny kid” — he couldn’t do even 10 pushups and would vomit after doing one set of stairs or most any other physical workout.
Then there was the night in Wichita, Kansas, when he was the goalie for the Wichita Thunder of the ECHL. Skinner recalls giving up nine goals. League records show it was eight, but the point remains the same.
“I remember hanging out with [Oilers defenseman Vincent Desharnais]. We went back to our apartment and I remember saying, ‘I don’t know if the NHL is going to happen for us. It seems so far away,'” Skinner said. “Those are the moments you look back on and you feel a lot of gratitude. Because of that experience, it made me want to work that much harder.”
That failure spurred Skinner to become what he is now, a rookie goaltender who has a chance to play a significant role in helping his hometown Oilers win the Stanley Cup. To do that, Skinner and the Oilers will have to bounce back from a 4-3 overtime loss in Game 1 against the Los Angeles Kings, a game in which Edmonton let a 3-1 third-period lead slip away. (Game 2 is Wednesday night at 10 ET on ESPN.)
People around the Oilers will say Skinner’s rise was gradual, that while they knew they had a goalie who could play in the NHL, they weren’t sure how it would all work out. So the plan was to use a tandem approach, with Edmonton signing Jack Campbell to a five-year contract worth $5 million annually in the offseason.
At first, the plan came with questions. The Oilers were winning, but they were giving up quite a few goals in the process. In December everything changed. Skinner took over as the No. 1 goalie and has put together an All-Star season, with a 29-14-5 record, a 2.75 goals-against average and .914 save percentage, while creating buzz for the Calder Trophy, the award for the NHL’s best rookie.
Skinner says he’s still a work in progress, learning how to handle success, while those who have guided him have always believed he could be whatever he wanted to be.
“It is fun to see them grow and perform in the NHL as they are right now,” said Sylvain Rodrigue, goalie coach of the Bakersfield Condors, Edmonton’s AHL affiliate. “I told [Oilers coaches] Jay Woodcroft and Dave Manson — and it was not only me — our staff said that Stu was a project, but oh my God, he’s big and he has the ability. He just has to put everything together.”
SPEND FIVE MINUTES with Skinner and you’ll find he values discussing his shortcomings and is just as passionate about constantly improving and learning about the different avenues to reach the next level.
This continual path of self-discovery started in 2018, when Skinner, playing in the Western Hockey League, was traded from the Lethbridge Hurricanes to the Swift Current Broncos. He had dominated in youth leagues and was in the WHL at age 16. He participated in national team camps for Hockey Canada, and in 2017, at 19, was a third-round draft pick of the Oilers.
At the time of the trade, he was viewed as the missing piece that could help Swift Current win the WHL championship and reach the Memorial Cup.
“I thought I was this good junior goalie. … I thought I was great,” Skinner said. “I thought I did not have to work hard in practice. I guess I was a selfish, immature kid. I did everything for me.”
Skinner met someone in Swift Current who he says became one of the most influential people in his life. He doesn’t want to share their name. But he does share the guidance this person provided.
Everything they talked about was rooted in honesty. Skinner had to reconcile with his belief that he worked hard when in reality, he didn’t. It forced him to appreciate the value of accountability and the need to get better on a daily basis.
That was just the start.
Skinner doesn’t just talk about the people in his life, he provides all the ways they have helped him. And he completely rejects any suggestion that he is a self-made player.
“I know it was not easy to get to where I am at,” Skinner said. “It’s why I don’t know if I even like the term ‘self-made’ because of how many people have helped me get to where I am at. I don’t know if anyone is truly self-made.”
Dylan Wells is one of those who helped Skinner. Aside from his wife, Wells is Skinner’s best friend. They met at those Hockey Canada camps as teenagers. They became closer when Wells, also a goalie, was drafted in 2016 by the Oilers, a year before Skinner was picked by the same team.
Being in the same organization meant they were ECHL teammates. Wells, who now plays for the Dallas Stars’ AHL affiliate, said they lived together in the team hotel and were always trying to find ways to pass the time. Wells is an avid reader whereas Skinner was not at the time.
Wells got Skinner into reading, particularly books by Ryan Holiday.
“I believe the first book he read … I want to say it was ‘Ego is the Enemy’ or ‘The Obstacle is the Way,'” Wells recalled. “He cruised through it right away and asked, ‘Do you have another book I can read?'”
Holiday’s works are centered around themes such as learning from failure and finding success in ways that draw from stoicism.
There is a line from “Ego is the Enemy” in which Holiday wrote, “People learn from their failures. Seldom do they learn anything from success.”
Those words could be the most apt way to describe Skinner.
For years, Skinner said, he thought way too much about how hockey was played rather than concentrating on how he should play hockey. That’s where Oilers goalie coach Dustin Schwartz and Rodrigue have come in.
Rodrigue said he always saw the big picture with Skinner, even when Skinner went through difficult periods. He explained to him the difference between junior players who make it and those who don’t is the time they are willing to invest in the craft. With Skinner, it was about not necessarily changing his work habits, but being more efficient with how he worked.
“There are expectations of where the game is at and not fully understanding the demands of playing professionally and that it is a job now,” Schwartz said. “It’s about understanding the growth that goes into a game. Whether that’s the mental side, the physical side, the technical side or the tactical side. That all requires growth.”
Growth. It’s the one word that keeps coming up with anyone who discusses how Skinner has arrived at his current destination. Talking about growth can be uplifting, but considering what forced someone to grow also can be a little nerve-wracking because it means reviewing one’s mistakes.
Skinner doesn’t see it that way. He embraces those mistakes. It gives him an opportunity to talk about those who helped him take his failure and turn it into success. Oilers strength and conditioning coach Chad Drummond, for example. The work Drummond did with Skinner allows him to go weeks at a time without rest, something Rodrigue raves about.
“It would be a lot of suffering, you could say, but it was in the best way,” Skinner said of those first workouts with Drummond. “He is the guy I trust with everything. … I was 192 pounds when I met him and now I am 220 pounds. I can do pushups, I can do stairs. I am fortunate to have the people who have helped me get here.”
HEAD COACHES, EXECUTIVES, goaltending coaches and goalies themselves throughout the NHL all know the following to be true. One of the strongest ways to ensure a team’s success is to have two goaltenders who respect each other.
Yes, there is only one net. But there are 82 regular-season games at a time in which everything from a flat salary cap to managing workload has led to an increase in the use of goalie tandems.
So how do the Oilers, a legitimate Stanley Cup contender, manage having one goalie they signed to a large contract in free agency and another homegrown talent who is trying to prove himself?
“I’ve been fortunate in my position and my role that we’ve had good goalies come through Edmonton who are good people,” Schwartz said. “At the beginning of the season, we’d have our meetings and we’d do them together. We’d go for supper together. You spend every single day at the rink with these guys. They put their egos in check and understand that we are supportive of each other.”
Get Skinner talking about Campbell and he won’t stop. He goes off about how “super excited” he was when the Oilers signed Campbell. He says it was a chance to learn from an All-Star who had a 30-win season before rattling off Campbell’s save percentages from his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Skinner uses the word “unbelievable” several times when talking about how gracious Campbell has been with him. They go out to dinner. They bounce ideas off each other. They are always talking, especially when Skinner comes to Campbell for advice on technique, recovery or anything else.
“Every time we go on the ice for practice, we’re competing against each other but we also compete for each other, so he can be at his best, so I can be at my best and vice versa,” Skinner said. “There is a love for each other to see each other succeed. If us winning the Cup has Jack in net or me in net, that is our main goal as a team. Whatever will help us do that, both Soup and I want that. Us having that relationship with each other makes it easy no matter who is playing.”
Skinner talks about Campbell the same way Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman talked about his relationship with Linus Ullmark. And while Swayman and Ullmark are known for their trademark postgame hugs, there have been moments this season when the fondness Campbell and Skinner have for one another also has been apparent.
Such as earlier this month when Campbell recorded his first shutout of the season. Campbell still had his mask on when he and Skinner flashed giant smiles at each other. Then Skinner put his arm around Campbell and yelled, “YEEEAAAAHHH!” while patting him on the back repeatedly.
Not every goaltending duo in the NHL will form a bromance, but that cohesion can’t help but have a positive impact. Skinner knows this firsthand having gone through it with Wells in the minors.
“I feel like every team I have played on, I have formed a good friendship with my goalie partner,” Wells said. “He’s the only person on the team who understands what you are going through with certain situations. It’s hard to understand what a goalie is going through. They are sounding boards for each other. When I was watching Stuart, you are happy for his success and you are there for him when things don’t go well. You hope for the same in return. I know when I was in net, I felt that love and he did too.”
Skinner and Wells are so close that when they both came to the United States and needed American cell phones, they got a family plan along with Skinner’s wife, a plan they still use. Wells joked that while they still talk often, one conversation they count on is the monthly discussion about paying their phone bill. Wells even lived with Skinner and his wife during the pandemic.
“From the first day I met Stu, I knew how special of a goalie he was,” Wells said. “I consider myself very lucky to be along the way and put the work in with him to grow both of our games. We saw each other’s struggles. … Deep down, I knew he was going to be a star NHL goalie and watching him now, it’s a testament to the work he has put in.”
So for someone who had to endure failure to reach this stage of his career, how is Skinner handling his success?
“I’ve been thinking about that lately, what success really is to me,” Skinner said. “There is a quote, and I forgot the book, but it really resonated with me. Somebody said, ‘A form of success is meaningful relationships and meaningful work. Trying to strive for that is what makes you successful.’
“Learning from how you deal with loss and failure really helps you for when the lights are on you, the cameras are on you and you are in the NHL. It’s important to know how to deal with that. The same goes for success.”
Skinner said he and Desharnais talk about that day in Wichita at least once a week. They think about those long days and nights on buses going to Kansas City, Indianapolis, Tulsa and Rapid City, South Dakota.
They are open about how those buses have been replaced by charter jets and how they’re now going to places like Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Skinner jokes about how they get “tons of food” before and after games, and says he “should be the most grateful person alive” because he is able to make a living this way.
Those close to Skinner say his ascension is rewarding for them too. Schwartz said he’s been watching Skinner since he was in juniors. Schwartz said they have “a unique relationship” because he’s had this front row seat watching Skinner become more than some scrawny kid who tapped into this potential.
Schwartz said what he loves most about Skinner is how he is with people. Schwartz has two children, who are 9 and 12. Every time they come to the rink, Skinner is the first person they want to see because he makes time for them. They even golf together.
So to see Skinner become a successful rookie goaltender in the NHL, not to mention a husband and new father, resonates in a way that goes beyond the typical player-coach relationship.
“His values and principles are in the right place,” Schwartz said. “He’s going to be a great dad with values and how he carries himself. He’s learned so many lessons along the way and he has grown into being an incredible dad, husband and like anyone, you see the value in treating others the right way.”
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Kiley McDaniel
The 2025 MLB draft begins at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN, so it is time for one final update as teams lock in their Day 1 boards.
The drama starts right at the top this year, as the Washington Nationals have a difficult decision to make with the No. 1 pick a week after firing their general manager.
In a year without a slam-dunk top player, Oklahoma high school star Ethan Holliday (yes, the son of former major leaguer Matt) and a group of college left-handers (LSU’s Kade Anderson, Tennessee’s Liam Doyle and Florida State’s Jamie Arnold) rank among the top prospects in the class.
Which direction will the Nationals go — and how will the Los Angeles Angels and Seattle Mariners follow with the No. 2 and No. 3 picks?
Since this is a last-minute update on what teams could do Sunday night, my writeups here are focused on what has changed since the previous edition. You can find a more detailed look at each team’s strategy in my mock draft 3.0. And remember, this is the order in which I think the players will come off the board, while my draft rankings are the order in which I’d pick the players.
Draft tracker: Results, analysis for every Day 1 pick
More coverage: Mock draft 3.0 | Big question for all 30 teams
Watch: Sunday at 6 p.m. on ESPN
1. Washington Nationals
Kade Anderson, LHP, LSU
Rank: 1
There have been a lot of rumors flying around over the past few days about what is happening in the wake of the firing of GM Mike Rizzo.
The industry feeling is that what has changed is 1) Anderson is a little more likely to be the pick mostly because Holliday is now a little less likely to be the pick, and 2) taking a bigger cut is a real option, with Eli Willits the main cut-rate possibility, though Aiva Arquette has also been mentioned.
All but Willits are advised by Scott Boras, and he’ll never tip his hand until he has to; now is not the time yet. Nothing is decided here and price will be a factor. If I turned this in 15 minutes before the draft, the Nats might still not have made the decision, so I’ll stick with what seems most likely, even if I don’t feel great about it. Landon Harmon is a rumored later round, overslot target.
For context, a scouting director for a team picking in the top 10 said I shouldn’t feel confident about anything happening in the top three picks specifically, adding, “I’m hearing there’s wars happening in all of those rooms right now” (as of Friday night). I ran that by another director picking up high: “Yeah, we’re hearing the same thing.”
2. Los Angeles Angels
Liam Doyle, LHP, Tennessee
Rank: 6
I’m going to stick with Doyle because he makes the most sense for what the Angels have proved they’re looking for in recent drafts: a polished, quick-moving college player who will come at a savings.
I’ve heard at least six players seriously connected to this pick in the past few days: Anderson, Doyle, Arnold, Arquette, Ike Irish and Willits. There are a couple more I’ve been told are under consideration who I’m not taking seriously as options here.
It could be any of these players based on final conversations and bonus pricing info on each player coming in at the last minute. Doyle has a real shot to slide to No. 9 or No. 10 if he doesn’t go here, so he is motivated to give a competitive number.
0:55
Liam Doyle’s MLB draft profile
Kiley McDaniel explains what makes Tennessee’s Liam Doyle one of the top prospects in this year’s MLB draft.
3. Seattle Mariners
Seth Hernandez, RHP, Corona HS (CA)
Rank: 4
The hot rumor of the past few days is that Tyler Bremner will be the pick here at big savings, and that holds up to further analysis because, in style, Bremner and Hernandez (long connected to this pick) are pretty similar.
It’s pretty widely known that Anderson is the No. 1 player for Seattle and will be the pick if he gets here, which still has maybe a 20-30% chance of happening.
If Anderson isn’t here, I think the decision comes down to Bremner at the most savings, Irish at a little less savings or Hernandez at the least savings, broadly speaking. Some sources have said Arquette, Arnold and Kyson Witherspoon are also in play here, but they seem like tertiary options.
I think Bremner having more support in the No. 11-15 area that was reflected in the last mock will raise his price a bit to where Hernandez will be the pick, but this one is also wide open at the moment and will come down to a last-minute bonus price check if Anderson isn’t available.
Ethan Holliday, 3B, Stillwater HS (OK)
Rank: 2
There has been some waffling late in the process from sources who think maybe the Rockies wouldn’t pay the overslot price to get Holliday down here — but much of what I hear very late in the process is wrong or intentional misinformation, so I’ll stick with what I’ve been hearing for a literal year.
I think the other options for Colorado if Holliday doesn’t get here are all college pitchers: Anderson, Arnold and Witherspoon, with Willits and Arquette getting some mentions.
1:10
Ethan Holliday’s MLB draft profile
Kiley McDaniel explains what makes Ethan Holliday one of the top prospects in this year’s MLB draft.
Eli Willits, SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton HS (OK)
Rank: 3
Willits seems securely in play at the top two picks and possibly at No. 4, so the Cardinals landing him here would be considered a solid outcome. I think Anderson and Holliday are the primary targets for this pick and Willits is next up, with Arnold and Irish as the possible underslot options.
Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State
Rank: 5
It sounds like Hernandez or Willits will be the pick if either is here, so the Pirates are rooting for Seattle to either land Anderson or opt for a cheaper alternative to Hernandez.
Otherwise, JoJo Parker, Arnold, Arquette and Irish are believed to be the four leading options here. Arnold has the most late support, but this one might also come down to money.
I hope you feel sympathy for me having to do this in public when none of these teams know what it will do and won’t for hours.
1:05
Jamie Arnold’s MLB draft profile
Kiley McDaniel explains what makes Florida State’s Jamie Arnold one of the top prospects in this year’s MLB draft.
JoJo Parker, SS, Purvis HS (MS)
Rank: 7
I think this will come down to Parker, Iris, and Billy Carlson — and I think Parker has the edge.
Aiva Arquette, SS, Oregon State
Rank: 9
I think the Jays will pick Parker if he gets here and will consider Arnold along with Arquette and Irish if they are still available here. This decision seems to come down to Arquette or Irish, with Carlson and Witherspoon also under consideration.
4:15 p.m. ET UPDATE: Ike Irish, RF, Auburn
Rank: 13
I’m getting some late-breaking info that Irish is more of a fit here than Hall, so shuffling a few picks that follow to accommodate for that.
Cincinnati seems to be the floor if Hernandez or Doyle slip, and otherwise the Reds seem to be the ceiling for Hall. Irish, Witherspoon and Carlson are also in the mix.
Billy Carlson, SS, Corona HS (CA)
Rank: 8
Carlson’s range seems to be No. 7 to No. 12 (or maybe No. 14). I think the White Sox really want to land the Parker brothers (JoJo and Jacob) but can’t get JoJo to this pick.
The White Sox have been all over high school hitters all spring, and Carlson gets the nod over Gavin Fien.
Tyler Bremner, RHP, UC Santa Barbara
Rank: 18
Bremner is picking up steam at this pick, and I think his floor is now Boston’s pick at No. 15. It’s a bit surprising he could go ahead of Witherspoon, but Bremner clearly has been getting interest in the top half of the first round that just hadn’t leaked out to the industry at large until late. I think this will be a college player, likely a pitcher, with Witherspoon and Brendan Summerhill also mentioned here a lot.
4:15 p.m. ET UPDATE: Steele Hall, SS, Hewitt-Trussville HS (AL)
Rank: 13
A few names shuffled around late Sunday, and now one of the Rangers’ top targets will be available. Marek Houston is also in the mix here.
I think Hall and Carlson are the targets here, but neither will make it to the pick, so Cunningham will become the pick, narrowly over Josh Hammond. I was hearing Cunningham would fit more 20-30, and the late chatter is that he has multiple homes in the teens. As with the White Sox, the belief all spring was that the Rangers want a prep hitter here.
4:15 p.m. ET UPDATE: Kyson Witherspoon, RHP, Oklahoma
Rank: 10
In a last-minute update, I shuffled four players and Witherspoon fits here as a solid value.
Irish is in play at most picks starting at No. 2 all the way down to the middle of the first round, but I think his slide would stop here. The Giants have long been tied to Marek Houston and Charles Davalan (a long shot at this pick, but gone by their next one), with Andrew Fischer getting some love as well.
4:15 p.m. ET UPDATE: Kayson Cunningham, SS, Johnson HS (TX)
Rank: 25
I think this pick will come down to Cunningham or Sean Gamble in this situation; Gamble could make it to their next pick.
The Rays are tied to prep position players for later picks and could pull a shocker, as I projected in my previous mock, by taking Jaden Fauske here.
I think Hall, Carlson and Cunningham are the main targets, but none of them is available in this projection. Witherspoon is from Florida and is a great value, while the Rays still have a chance to land Fauske at their next pick.
Gavin Fien, 3B, Great Oak HS (CA)
Rank: 12
I’ll stick with Fien here as one of the steadiest projections all spring. It sounds like Tyler Bremner will be the pick if he gets here, but that’s now looking unlikely.
Gavin Kilen, SS, Tennessee
Rank: 20
Kilen fits the type of prospect the Twins have targeted for a while. I could see Houston, Caden Bodine or Gage Wood being options here, too.
Josh Hammond, SS, Wesleyan Christian HS (NC)
Rank: 17
I think the Cubs are targeting in-game power here, and Hammond makes a lot of sense. They’ve scouted Quentin Young pretty hard this spring as well, but this is too early for that kind of risk. Xavier Neyens, Wehiwa Aloy and Wood all fit, as well.
Marek Houston, SS, Wake Forest
Rank: 22
I think Cunningham is the target here, but he isn’t available in this scenario. Hammond and Bodine are also mentioned here and I think Slater de Brun will be the selection at Arizona’s next pick.
Jace LaViolette, CF, Texas A&M
Rank: 21
LaViolette should go in one of the next three picks and fits Baltimore’s style. He won’t get to the Orioles’ next pick, but they may be able to float targets down there with their extra pool muscle, as covered in the previous mock.
Brendan Summerhill, CF, Arizona
Rank: 14
Summerhill has a very unclear and wide range of teams that are interested but could fit here. Daniel Pierce, Houston, Bodine and Coy James are all in the mix for this pick.
Wehiwa Aloy, SS, Arkansas
Rank: 15
I think LaViolette, Neyens, Southisene and Aloy are all in the mix here, along with possible underslot deals for Davalan or de Brun.
Gage Wood, RHP, Arkansas
Rank: 16
It now looks like Bremner won’t get here, but the Braves have been tied to Wood for about a month. Otherwise, the hit-first shortstops like Houston and Pierce are tied here.
Daniel Pierce, SS, Mill Creek HS (GA)
Rank: 19
Hammond seems to be the target, but he doesn’t make it to K.C. in this edition. I think the Royals will take a prep pitcher with one of their high picks, likely either Watson or Fisher, and maybe another later on Day 1. Eyanson and Wood are two college arms being considered.
Coy James, SS, Davie County HS (NC)
Rank: 69
James has a good shot at being a Tiger, and some of Detroit’s primary options go right ahead of this spot in this scenario, so I think this could be a curveball pick to most viewers.
Fauske is another possibility here, along with Kruz Schoolcraft, Pierce, Watson, Dax Kilby (more at their next pick), de Brun (same), Southisene and Fischer.
Anthony Eyanson, RHP, LSU
Rank: 45
There’s lots of late momentum for Eyanson here, which is counter to the history of A.J. Preller’s time making picks for the Padres, so I’m going out on a limb.
Kilby on a cut, Young, Schoolcraft, Alec Blair, Josh Owens and de Brun all seem like high schoolers in the mix here.
Caden Bodine, C, Coastal Carolina
Rank: 23
Philly normally takes high-ceiling high school players, but this is too good of a value to pass up. Matthew Fisher, Sean Gamble and Blair are the leading prep targets, and Fischer is also mentioned.
Tate Southisene, SS, Basic HS (NV)
Rank: 37
Kane Kepley on a big cut, Devin Taylor on a smaller one, Kilby and Watson are all options here.
Note: No. 27 is the final pick of the first round of the 2025 MLB draft. You can read mock draft 3.0 for my thinking and potential targets for teams making the comp and second-round picks that follow and see the full draft order here.
28. Kansas City Royals: Aaron Watson, RHP, Trinity Christian HS (FL)
29. Arizona Diamondbacks: Slater de Brun, CF, Summit HS (OR)
30. Baltimore Orioles: Xavier Neyens, 3B, Mount Vernon HS (WA)
31. Baltimore Orioles: Andrew Fischer, 3B, Tennessee
32. Milwaukee Brewers: Charles Davalan, LF, Arkansas
33. Boston Red Sox: Marcus Phillips, RHP, Tennessee
34. Detroit Tigers: Jaden Fauske, RF, Nazareth Academy HS (IL)
35. Seattle Mariners: Zach Root, LHP, Arkansas
36. Minnesota Twins: Devin Taylor, LF, Indiana
37. Baltimore Orioles: Jordan Yost, SS, Sickles HS (FL)
38. New York Mets: Patrick Forbes, RHP, Louisville
39. New York Yankees: Dax Kilby, SS, Newnan HS (GA)
40: Los Angeles Dodgers: Quentin Young, 3B, Oaks Christian HS (CA)
41. Los Angeles Dodgers: Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP, Sunset HS (OR)
42. Tampa Bay Rays: Sean Gamble, 2B, IMG Academy HS (FL)
43. Miami Marlins: Alec Blair, CF, De La Salle HS (CA)
44. Chicago White Sox: Ethan Conrad, RF, Wake Forest
45. Colorado Rockies: Cam Cannarella, CF, Clemson
46. Miami Marlins: Josh Owens, SS, Providence Academy HS (TN)
47. Los Angeles Angels: J.D. Thompson, LHP, Vanderbilt
48. Athletics: J.B. Middleton, RHP, Southern Miss
49. Washington Nationals: Max Belyeu, RF, Texas
50. Pittsburgh Pirates: Luke Stevenson, C, North Carolina
51. Cincinnati Reds: Taitn Gray, C, Grimes Community HS (IA)
52. Texas Rangers: Michael Oliveto, C, Hauppauge HS (NY)
53. Tampa Bay Rays: Dean Moss, CF, IMG Academy HS (FL)
54. Minnesota Twins: Josiah Hartshorn, LF, Orange Lutheran HS (CA)
55. St. Louis Cardinals: Cooper Flemming, SS, Aliso Niguel HS (CA)
56. Chicago Cubs: Alex Lodise, SS, Florida State
57. Seattle Mariners: Malachi Witherspoon, RHP, Oklahoma
58. Baltimore Orioles: Mason Neville, CF, Oregon
59. Milwaukee Brewers: Mitch Voit, 2B, Michigan
60. Atlanta Braves: Kane Kepley, CF, North Carolina
61. Kansas City Royals: Riley Quick, RHP, Alabama
62. Detroit Tigers: Dean Curley, 3B, Tennessee
63. Philadelphia Phillies: Matthew Fisher, RHP, Evansville Memorial HS (IN)
64. Cleveland Guardians: A.J. Russell, RHP, Tennessee
65. Los Angeles Dodgers: Chase Shores, RHP, LSU
66. Cleveland Guardians: Cade Obermueller, LHP, Iowa
67. Tampa Bay Rays: Briggs McKenzie, LHP, Corinth Holders HS (NC)
68. Milwaukee Brewers: Daniel Dickinson, 2B, LSU
69. Baltimore Orioles: Brandon Compton, LF, Arizona State
70. Cleveland Guardians: Aiden Stillman, LHP, Trinity Prep HS (FL)
71. Kansas City Royals: Angel Cervantes, RHP, Warren HS (CA)
72. St. Louis Cardinals: Joseph Dzierwa, LHP, Michigan State
73. Pittsburgh Pirates: Ethan Petry, 1B, South Carolina
74. Colorado Rockies: Easton Carmichael, C, Oklahoma
75. Boston Red Sox: Jake Cook, CF, Southern Miss
The 2025 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby is fast approaching — and the field is set.
Braves hometown hero Ronald Acuna Jr. became the first player to commit to the event, which will be held at Truist Park in Atlanta on July 14 (8 p.m. ET on ESPN). He was followed by MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, James Wood of the Washington Nationals, Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins, Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays, Brent Rooker of the Athletics and Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees.
On Friday, however, Acuna was replaced by teammate Matt Olson.
With all the entrants announced, let’s break down their chances at taking home this year’s Derby prize.
Full All-Star Game coverage: How to watch, schedule, rosters, more
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 434 feet
Why he could win: Olson is a late replacement for Acuna as the home team’s representative at this year’s Derby. Apart from being the Braves’ first baseman, however, Olson also was born in Atlanta and grew up a Braves fan, giving him some extra motivation. The left-handed slugger led the majors in home runs in 2023 — his 54 round-trippers that season also set a franchise record — and he remains among the best in the game when it comes to exit velo and hard-hit rate.
Why he might not: The home-field advantage can also be a detriment if a player gets too hyped up in the first round. See Julio Rodriguez in Seattle in 2023, when he had a monster first round, with 41 home runs, but then tired out in the second round.
2025 home runs: 36 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: It’s the season of Cal! The Mariners’ catcher is having one of the greatest slugging first halves in MLB history, as he’s been crushing mistakes all season . His easy raw power might be tailor-made for the Derby — he ranks in the 87th percentile in average exit velocity and delivers the ball, on average, at the optimal home run launch angle of 23 degrees. His calm demeanor might also be perfect for the contest as he won’t get too amped up.
Why he might not: He’s a catcher — and one who has carried a heavy workload, playing in all but one game this season. This contest is as much about stamina as anything, and whether Raleigh can carry his power through three rounds would be a concern. No catcher has ever won the Derby, with only Ivan Rodriguez back in 2005 even reaching the finals.
2025 home runs: 24 | Longest: 451 feet
Why he could win: He’s big, he’s strong, he’s young, he’s awesome, he might or might not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. This is the perfect opportunity for Wood to show his talent on the national stage, and he wouldn’t be the first young player to star in the Derby. He ranks in the 97th percentile in average exit velocity and 99th percentile in hard-hit rate, so he can still muscle the ball out in BP even if he slightly mishits it. His long arms might be viewed as a detriment, but remember the similarly tall Aaron Judge won in 2017.
Why he might not: His natural swing isn’t a pure uppercut — he has a pretty low average launch angle of just 6.2 degrees — so we’ll see how that plays in a rapid-fire session. In real games, his power is primarily to the opposite field, but in a Home Run Derby you can get more cheapies pulling the ball down the line.
2025 home runs: 20 | Longest: 479 feet
Why he could win: Buxton’s raw power remains as impressive as nearly any hitter in the game. He crushed a 479-foot home run earlier this season and has four others of at least 425 feet. Indeed, his “no doubter” percentage — home runs that would be out of all 30 parks based on distance — is 75%, the highest in the majors among players with more than a dozen home runs. His bat speed ranks in the 89th percentile. In other words, two tools that could translate to a BP lightning show.
Why he might not: Buxton is 31 and the Home Run Derby feels a little more like a younger man’s competition. Teoscar Hernandez did win last year at age 31, but before that, the last winner older than 29 was David Ortiz in 2010, and that was under much different rules than are used now.
2025 home runs: 16 | Longest: 463 feet
Why he could win: If you drew up a short list of players everyone wants to see in the Home Run Derby, Cruz would be near the top. He has the hardest-hit ball of the 2025 season, and the hardest ever tracked by Statcast, a 432-foot missile of a home run with an exit velocity of 122.9 mph. He also crushed a 463-foot home run in Anaheim that soared way beyond the trees in center field. With his elite bat speed — 100th percentile — Cruz has the ability to awe the crowd with a potentially all-time performance.
Why he might not: Like all first-time contestants, can he stay within himself and not get too caught up in the moment? He has a long swing, which will result in some huge blasts, but might not be the most efficient for a contest like this one, where the more swings a hitter can get in before the clock expires, the better.
2025 home runs: 23 | Longest: 425 feet
Why he could win: Although Caminero was one of the most hyped prospects entering 2024, everyone kind of forgot about him heading into this season since he didn’t immediately rip apart the majors as a rookie. In his first full season, however, he has showed off his big-time raw power — giving him a chance to become just the third player to reach 40 home runs in his age-21 season. He has perhaps the quickest bat in the majors, ranking in the 100th percentile in bat speed, and his top exit velocity ranks in the top 15. That could translate to a barrage of home runs.
Why he might not: In game action, Caminero does hit the ball on the ground quite often — in fact, he’s on pace to break Jim Rice’s record for double plays grounded into in a season. If he gets out of rhythm, that could lead to a lot of low line drives during the Derby instead of fly balls that clear the fences.
2025 home runs: 19 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: The Athletics slugger has been one of the top power hitters in the majors for three seasons now and is on his way to a third straight 30-homer season. Rooker has plus bat speed and raw power, but his biggest strength is an optimal average launch angle (19 degrees in 2024, 15 degrees this season) that translates to home runs in game action. That natural swing could be picture perfect for the Home Run Derby. He also wasn’t shy about saying he wanted to participate — and maybe that bodes well for his chances.
Why he might not: Rooker might not have quite the same raw power as some of the other competitors, as he has just one home run longer than 425 feet in 2025. But that’s a little nitpicky, as 11 of his home runs have still gone 400-plus feet. He competed in the college home run derby in Omaha while at Mississippi State in 2016 and finished fourth.
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 442 feet
Why he could win: Chisholm might not be the most obvious name to participate, given his career high of 24 home runs, but he has belted 17 already in 2025 in his first 61 games after missing some time with an injury. He ranks among the MLB leaders in a couple of home run-related categories, ranking in the 96th percentile in expected slugging percentage and 98th percentile in barrel rate. His raw power might not match that of the other participants, but he’s a dead-pull hitter who has increased his launch angle this season, which might translate well to the Derby, even if he won’t be the guy hitting the longest home runs.
Why he might not: Most of the guys who have won this have been big, powerful sluggers. Chisholm is listed at 5-foot-11, 184 pounds, and you have to go back to Miguel Tejada in 2004 to find the last player under 6 foot to win.
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