Three of the seventeen current and past softball players scheduled to participate in the 2025 MLB Home Run Derby X are Ali Newland, Ashton Lansdell and Jocelyn Erickson, the headline passed across ticker screens. They’ll join the power-hitting spectacle in a co-ed format alongside MLB legends and local college standouts. But on the eve of the event, nestled within the manic atmosphere of Truist Park, the stage belonged to the Derby’s eight male sluggers—Cal Raleigh, James Wood, Byron Buxton, Oneil Cruz, Junior Caminero, Brent Rooker, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and hometown favorite Matt Olson.
At center field that night, the University of Florida’s catcher‑turned‑slammer Jocelyn Erickson—fresh off her second consecutive Rawlings Gold Glove—stood poised in the Home Run Derby X alley, a hardened smile on her face. She eyeballed her bat: lacquered aluminum, stickered with SEC pride, and braced herself for her 2½ minutes at-bat. Next, Ali Newland—LSU’s national champion—prepared to unleash her signature power swing, a move that earlier this summer cleared fences 14 times in one college‑team round . And Ashton Lansdell, the agile Ole Miss infielder, practiced her footwork, aiming to back up her six impressive dingers from the college finals.
Meanwhile, neighboring batting cages surged with banter from the Derby’s eight MLB stars. Cal Raleigh, fresh off his league-leading 38 homers, shared a laugh with brother‑catcher Todd about strategy swings . James Wood, fresh-faced and humble at 22, spoke softly about honoring Nationals greats, while Byron Buxton steeled himself with a wartime coach by his side.
Truist Park roared as the clock struck 8 p.m., ESPN lights glinting off helmets and bats. The 3-on-3 Derby X rules meant each team—MLB slugger, softball star, and college standout—would tag in and out, sprinting from offense to defense with each swing. Erickson dug in first. Pitch came—swish! A clean drive, slicing the night sky. The stadium held its breath. Then Newland followed, launching a moonshot that kissed the top of left-field foul pole. Lansdell, last of the trio, hooked one low and fast—inside the zone, more than enough to count.
The MLB legends joined in, and the points race began. All season’s exit velocity leaders—Cruz with record‑breaking 122.9 mph, Caminero with lightning swings, Rooker’s consistent pop—now shared space with college thunder . Matt Olson, the hometown hero, tossed in athleticism, ready to defend his turf after replacing Ronald Acuña Jr. at the eleventh hour.
As the final horn sounded, the scoreboard told a story of power, precision, and inclusivity. Teams featuring softball standouts like Erickson and Newland were right in the mix—proving the Derby X isn’t just a novelty, but a legitimate test of raw ability and poise under pressure. In the end, Buxton edged out Cruz for the title, but the spotlight belonged equally to the women: “This changes everything,” Erickson said, collapsing into the arms of teammates amid cheers.
