2015 Home Run Derby Results: Stats, Highlights for All Participants

With a scintillating and clutch display of slugging, Cincinnati Reds star Todd Frazier delighted the hometown fans by winning the 2015 Home Run Derby. He slugged 15 home runs in the final round to nip Los Angeles Dodgers super rookie Joc Pederson.

Major League Baseball on Twitter has Frazier's decisive homer in the final round:

Check out MLB.com to see highlights of the entire event.

ESPN's SportsCenter was among the first to congratulate Frazier online:

Frazier joined Chicago Cubs Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg as the only players to win the event in their home ballpark. As if winning the Derby in front of his home fans weren't enough, the accomplishment was made even better because his brother Charlie was the one throwing to him in every round.

Fox Sports Ohio captured this triumphant moment for the Fraziers:

As Britt McHenry of ESPN points out, it doesn't get much better than that:

Here's a look at the complete results for every participant and matchup from Monday night's showcase:

Finals
Round 2
Round 1
Player	HR	Long	Average Distance
Joc Pederson	14	461	424
Todd Frazier	15	449	421
Player	HR	Long	Average Distance
Todd Frazier	10	444	417
Josh Donaldson	9	450	419
Player	HR	Long	Average Distance
Albert Pujols	11	443	434
Joc Pederson	12	448	430
Player	HR	Long	Average Distance
Anthony Rizzo	8	--	--
Josh Donaldson	9	465	411
Player	HR	Long	Average Distance
Prince Fielder	13	474	432
Todd Frazier	14	455	422
Player	HR	Long	Average Distance
Joc Pederson	13	487	426
Manny Machado	12	469	431
Player	HR	Long	Average Distance
Albert Pujols	10	446	422
Kris Bryant	9	462	427

Overcoming a Slow Start

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

In every round, Frazier seemed to get off to a slow start. However, like Hulk Hogan getting a rush of adrenaline from his Hulkamaniacs, Frazier looked to become energized by the tens of thousands of Reds fan at Great American Ball Park.

Frazier would find the necessary rhythm and swing, and he'd go on a run that led to his advancement. The most dramatic round for the champion came in the initial matchup with the Texas Rangers' hefty masher Prince Fielder.

Frazier had his work cut out for him as two-time champion Fielder put up 13 in the five minutes and 30 seconds of swinging he was allowed. Big League Stew from Yahoo Sports didn't sound too optimistic about Frazier's chances to move on:

It didn't look good early, but Frazier found his rhythm and managed to tie Fielder heading into the 30-second bonus time. Frazier then got the crowd amped with a Derby-style walk-off homer to move to the next round.

He'd have similar runs in each of his matchups, including the thrilling final against Pederson that saw the champion clinch the win on his first swing of bonus time.

That Joc Is a Beast

John Minchillo/Associated Press

While he didn't win, Pederson's performance was out of this world as well. He consistently hit the most majestic shots, and even more impressively, he hit several to straightaway center field and the opposite way. 

MLB on Twitter posted some of Pederson's most impressive shots and distances:

After hitting six in a row, fatigue got the best of the Dodgers' young slugger in the final round, but his 14 dingers were nothing to sneeze at. At 23 years old, Pederson's power is perhaps only surpassed by that of Miami Marlins titan of the long ball Giancarlo Stanton.

Pederson looked exhausted after the Derby, but if he competes again, you'd have to believe he's one of the favorites to win the event in 2016 at Petco Park in San Diego, California.

Baseball Got it Right

John Minchillo/Associated Press

Who knew a format change would wind up making such a big difference? With the contest growing stale over the last few years, the usually rigid powers that be for Major League Baseball decided to speed things up and inject some head-to-head competition and a sense of urgency.

The results were almost unanimously positive across the Twitterverse. You know something was good when ESPN First Take's Skip Bayless gives his stamp of approval:

Bayless wasn't alone in singing the new format's praises. ESPN's Jayson Stark and Dan Shulman were complimentary as well:

The brackets, timed swing sessions and timeout—everything worked beautifully. It's only been one year, but it seems safe to say that the Home Run Derby has leapt to the top of the list of all major sports All-Star events. Perhaps the only event that comes close in excitement is the NBA's Three-Point Shootout.

In an exciting time for the sport of baseball with a plethora of young and dynamic stars, the 2015 Home Run Derby kept the momentum going as it became the thing people will be talking about on Tuesday morning.

Hooray for baseball.

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