Home Run Derby records: Most home runs hit in a single round, year and career in MLB history

Julio Rodriguez just knows how to put on a show.

A year after blasting 32 home runs in the first round of the 2022 Home Run Derby, and coming up second narrowly to Juan Soto in the finals, Rodriguez put on an unbelievable first round in the 2023 edition of the derby in front of his home fans in Seattle. He sent 41 home runs into the seats during his opening round against two-time champion Pete Alonso.

Rodriguez's total easily nearly doubled the total of the two-time champion's 21 homers to set up a semifinal matchup between him and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who at one point held the record for the most home runs in a single Home Run Derby round. Guerrero wound up edging a tired Rodriguez in the round 21-20.

Who holds the record now? Here's what you need to know.

Most home runs in a round

The 2023 first-round performance from Rodriguez? That would be the new record. No one has ever hit more than Rodriguez's 41 home runs in a single round.

The previous record was set during an epic showdown between Guerrero and Joc Pederson in the 2019 semifinals. Guerrero edged out Pederson after three swing-offs 40-39, after the two tied 29-29 at the end of regulation.

Guerrero would lose in the final to Alonso. Two years later, Alonso hit the third-most in a round, 35 at Coors Field, with Soto hitting 31.

In the 2022 Home Run Derby, Rodriguez hit 32 home runs in the first round, the most by any rookie in the history of the derby.

Most home runs in a year

Once again, it shouldn't come as a surprise that all of these totals were compiled after 2014. But it does highlight some of the great showdowns of recent years.

Guerrero's 91 homers in 2019 are the record, but to be fair to Alonso, he never got to hit first in a round and set a total. Guerrero, on the other hand, always had to go first as the No. 8 seed. In other words, Alonso was limited to 57 because he only had to reach cutoff numbers.

Rodriguez already came up close to Guerrero in his rookie season with 81.

Most home runs in a career

It should come as no surprise that Alonso already holds the record given his two titles and his four appearances. But Guerrero and Rodriguez have made up plenty of ground in just two editions of the derby.

Guerrero and Rodriguez have already reached second and third all-time in career derby dingers after a pair of impressive performances to start their young careers.