Twins' Byron Buxton will participate in 2025 Home Run Derby in Atlanta

This should be quite the couple days for Buxton, who is headed back to his home state of Georgia to play with baseball's biggest stars in front of his family and friends. The derby will take place on Monday, July 14, followed by the All-Star Game the next night.

Buxton is on pace to have the best season of his career, and that has included plenty of "Buck Truck" celebrations following homer runs. He's hit 20 homers this year, tied for 12th-most in baseball. That puts him just eight away from tying the career-high of 28 he set in 92 games in 2022. Buxton has hit those 20 bombs despite missing 17 of the Twins' 90 games this year.

Oh, and he's also 16 for 16 on stolen base attempts while playing elite defense in center field.

The derby will feature eight competitors and three rounds at the Braves' Truist Park. Other confirmed participants at this moment are the Braves' Ronald Acuña Jr., the Nationals' James Wood, and the Mariners' Cal Raleigh, who leads all of baseball with 35 homers.

Buxton will be the first Twins player to compete in the derby since Miguel Sano in 2017. Justin Morneau is the only Minnesota player to ever win it, doing so in 2008 after also competing in 2007. Other previous Twins to participate: Tom Brunansky (1985), Gary Gaetti (1989), Torii Hunter (2002), Joe Mauer (2009), and Brian Dozier (2014).

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