The Home Run Derby: Even Superstars Sometimes Can’t Hit a Single Home Run (Explained Simply)

What’s the Story with the 2026 Home Run Derby?

Imagine a friendly contest where baseball players try to hit the ball super far out of the park—that’s called a home run, and the event is the Home Run Derby. In 2026, eight players will take part in the 2026 Home Run Derby. For their sake, they should hope they do better than a player named Jazz Chisholm Jr. did last time.

• Last year (the 2025 Derby), Chisholm hit only three home runs.
• That was the fewest of any player since 2014.
• We don’t expect every player to suddenly become like Josh Hamilton (who had a magical, monster night once), but Chisholm’s showing was pretty embarrassing.

Important: At least Chisholm managed to hit some home runs. Some of the greatest players ever—including several who are in the “500‑home‑run club” (a special group for guys who hit the ball out of the park 500+ times in their careers)—have joined the Derby and failed to hit even one home run. You can read more about those appearances here.

Have Any Players Failed to Hit a Home Run in the Home Run Derby?

Yes! As of July 2026, there have been 19 times (called “instances”) where a player finished the Derby without hitting a single home run.

American League infielder Robinson Canó (24) of the New York Yankees hits during the 2012 Home Run Derby at Kauffman Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Here is the list of players who had a “zero‑home‑run” Derby (Mike Piazza did it twice, so he appears once but counts as two instances):

• Gary Gaetti (1988)
• Jose Canseco (1990)
• Cecil Fielder (1990)
• Ken Griffey Jr. (1990)
• Bobby Bonilla (1990)
• Darryl Strawberry (1990)
• Chris Sabo (1991)
• Howard Johnson (1991)
• Mike Piazza (1993, 1994)
• Gary Sheffield (1996)
• Greg Vaughn (1996)
• Nomar Garciaparra (1997)
• Jim Thome (1997)
• Troy Glaus (2001)
• Bret Boone (2003)
• Jason Bay (2005)
• Brandon Inge (2009)
• Robinson Canó (2012)
• Yasiel Puig (2014)

Callout: Even though this list shows 19 bullet points, it’s actually 18 different players because Mike Piazza had two go‑less Derbies (1993 and 1994). That’s why we say 19 instances but 18 players.

The Worst Derby Ever: The Windy 1990 Event

The 1990 Home Run Derby is remembered as the worst in league history. Eight players together hit only five home runs total. No typo—that’s tiny!

• It was held at Wrigley Field (a famous stadium) on an afternoon with strong wind blowing in from the outfield, which pushes the ball back and makes homers super hard. You can learn about that wind effect here.
• Because of that wind, only one player from the American League (one of the two big groups of teams) hit a homer: Mark McGwire.
• The winner that year was the Cubs’ Ryne Sandberg, who hit just three homers. Well done, given the conditions!

Why It’s Surprising These Guys Hit Zero

You might think only weak players fail to hit a single home run, but that’s not true. Look at the names above—many were power threats (guys who normally smack the ball far).

• Ken Griffey Jr. and Jim Thome each finished their careers with over 600 home runs.
• Gary Sheffield is in the 500‑home‑run club.
• Mike Piazza, Jose Canseco, and Robinson Canó all hit at least 400 homers in real games.
• None of them were slackers!

Mike Piazza’s back‑to‑back blanks are especially weird:

• In the 1993 season, he hit 35 home runs in normal games.
• In 1994, he already had 24 home runs in just 107 games before the season stopped early.
• Yet in both the 1993 and 1994 Derbies, he couldn’t hit one out.

The “Forgettable” Names on the List

Most fans remember the big stars, but a few names on the list didn’t hit as many homers in their whole careers.

• Brandon Inge is perhaps the least known (except to folks who followed talk‑show host Mike Francesa’s funny obsession with him—see this tweet).
• Out of the 18 players, only three—Inge, Puig, and Sabo—ended their careers with fewer than 200 home runs.

Chris Sabo is one of those three:

• He hit only 116 home runs across nine seasons.
• He started playing in the big leagues later than usual and retired after 1996.
• Unlike many on the list, he at least won a World Series (the big championship tournament) during his career.

Summary

To wrap it up in kid‑friendly terms:

• The 2026 Derby players hope to avoid Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s lame 2025 night (only 3 homers).
• Believe it or not, 18 different great (and not‑so‑great) players have had 19 zero‑homer Derbies as of July 2026.
• The 1990 event was the all‑time worst because of cold, windy Wrigley Field weather—just 5 homers total!
• Even legends like Griffey, Thome, and Piazza have struck out (figuratively) in the Derby.
• A few lesser‑known names like Sabo, Inge, and Puig also made the unwanted list, but Sabo got a championship ring.

FAQ

1. What exactly is the Home Run Derby?
It’s a special baseball event where the best hitters take turns swinging at pitches and try to hit the ball over the fence (a “home run”) as many times as they can. It’s like a long‑distance hitting contest.

2. Who had the worst recent Derby performance?
Jazz Chisholm Jr. in the 2025 Derby hit only three home runs, the lowest count for any player since 2014.

3. Which Derby was the overall worst ever?
The 1990 Derby at Wrigley Field. Eight players combined for just five home runs because strong wind blew the ball back into the field. Mark McGwire was the only player from his league to hit one.

4. Have famous home‑run kings ever failed to hit any?
Yes! Ken Griffey Jr. and Jim Thome (600+ career homers), Gary Sheffield (500+ club), and Mike Piazza (400+ homers) all had Derbies where they hit zero.

5. How many times has a player finished with zero home runs?
As of July 2026, there have been 19 such instances, made by 18 different players (Mike Piazza did it in both 1993 and 1994).