The High School Home Run Derby is back for its 12th rendition and will once again provide a jolt of power to the lineup of electric All-Star-related events.
Prep sluggers have taken their best hacks over the years. Sure, a Home Run Derby is not a direct predictor for big league success, but 19 previous participants have made it to the Major Leagues -- including a pair of winners: two-time All-Star Bobby Witt Jr. (2018) and Cardinals infielder Nolan Gorman (2017).
Five current Top 100 prospects have flexed in the event before: Max Clark (No. 12), Konnor Griffin (No. 13), 2022 winner Aidan Miller (No. 22), Sal Stewart (No. 52) and Robby Snelling (No. 81), the latter of whom has emerged as a left-handed pitching prospect. No. 1 Draft prospect Ethan Holliday participated last year and went deep 20 times over his two rounds.
This year’s edition High School Home Run Derby will take place Saturday at 10:30 a.m. ET inside Atlanta's Truist Park and will be streamed live on MLB.com. Here is a closer look at the nine participants in this year’s event:
Will Adams, 1B/LHP, Hoover HS (AL)
A two-way player who participated in the 2024 MLB Hank Aaron Invitational, Adams has exhibited solid bat-to-ball skills as the top-ranked prep first baseman in Alabama according to Perfect Game. The 6-foot-2, 202-pound southpaw has also worked his fastball up to 92 mph from the bump. He is committed to Louisiana State.
Easton Autrey, 3B/1B/OF, Corsicana HS (TX)
Autrey knows a thing or two about aiming for the fences in Major League ballparks. The 17-year-old went viral for this 544-foot monster homer during a showcase at Texas' Globe Life Field in November. Easton, who is the son of legendary Corsicana coach Heath Autrey, can barrel balls up with a solid left-handed swing and already has good size for a prepster at 6-foot-4 and 233 pounds. The slugger is a Texas commit.
Grady Emerson, SS/2B, Fort Worth Christian (TX)
Perfect Game's No. 1 ranked player in the 2026 prep class, Emerson earns solid reviews for his all-around play. Batting from the left side, he might end up being hit-over-power in the end, but he can still find the barrel and lift balls with regularity -- a good combination for this type of setting. Emerson was one of the youngest players on USA Baseball's 18U National Team last fall and earned All-Tournament honors in the WBSC World Cup Americas qualifier as the side's starting second baseman, batting .381 in eight games. Originally committed to TCU, he has since flipped to Texas.
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Brady Harris, OF/IF, Trinity Christian Academy (FL)
Harris possesses a quick right-handed bat with a barrel that stays in the zone for a long time with good jump. Standing at 6-foot-2, he still has room to fill out and add to his promising raw pop. The Florida commit draws solid reviews for his defensive work in center too, but it'll be the bat speed that has the potential to excite scouts and evaluators most come Saturday.
Jacob Lombard, SS/2B/3B, Gulliver Schools (FL)
Brother of MLB Pipeline's No. 36 overall prospect George Lombard Jr. -- who will be taking part in the MLB All-Star Futures Game later in the day -- and son of Tigers bench coach George Lombard, Jacob is one of the more balanced hitters in the 2026 prep class. He'll display both impressive discipline at the dish and improved exit velos as he's added strength throughout his high school career. Like his brother, he's considered an impressive defender at the six, giving him a solid prospect foundation at a premium position. If he can show off good pop in Atlanta, he could give himself a shot at beating George Jr.'s Draft position at No. 26 overall from 2023.
TJ McQuillan, 3B/OF, Mount Carmel HS (IN)
Blink and you might miss his swing. The 18-year-old has registered a max bat speed up to 87.7 mph, per Prep Baseball Report. (For reference, the fastest bat speeds recorded in the Majors this season have been 88 mph.) The 6-foot-1 left-handed slugger has earned a reputation as a punishing hitter who can use that torque to hit balls hard to right field. He is committed to Wake Forest.
Keaton Neal, SS/2B/RHP, Spring Hill HS (KS)
The 17-year-old has a legitimate chance to play either way in the future. His fastball has been clocked in the low-to-mid 90s, and some scouts see him as a middle-of-the-order bat whose profile leans hit slightly over power. Neal is committed to go to Florida, where Jac Caglianone starred as a two-way standout before going in the first round to the Royals last year.
Beau Peterson, 3B/C/RHP/UT, Mill Valley HS (KS)
Make that two sluggers from the Sunflower State. Standing at 6-foot-3 and batting from the left side, Peterson has plus-plus raw power and can put up big-time exit velocities that could help him pop Saturday beyond his home run totals. He typically balances that slugging ability with a solid approach -- one scout said he has one of the better hit/power combos in the 2026 class -- but in a Derby setting, he can let it fly more easily and willingly. The Texas commit has also been up to 95 mph on the bump, and using that arm, he likely profiles best at third base moving forward.
Malachi Washington, OF/2B, Parkview HS (GA)
Washington is a candidate to be the best overall athlete in the class, having also played football in high school, and his impressive speed and glovework in center field has long earned him looks from scouts. Originally thought to have a hit-first profile from the right side, the LSU commit has started to come into power through the spring and into the summer, and he has the bat speed to pummel balls in a controlled environment like Saturday's Derby. Washington's Parkview High School is just a 40-minute drive from Truist Park, giving the Peach Stater potential homefield advantage.