Two seasons ago, Bryce Harper became just the third player to win the Derby at his home park in Washington, D.C., where the Nationals hosted the All-Star festivities.
Part of a field of eight that included Kyle Schwarber (Cubs), Rhys Hoskins (Phillies), Jesús Aguilar (Brewers), Alex Bregman (Astros), Javier Báez (Cubs), Max Muncy (Dodgers) and Freddie Freeman (Braves), Harper gave the crowd a night to remember. Together, they slugged a then-record 221 home runs.
Harper began the competition by defeating Freeman in the first round, 13-12, as his father, Ron, pitched to him. Six of Harper's homers sailed more than 440 feet, including a 467-foot smash.
He faced Muncy in the second round, homering off five consecutive swings in another 13-12 victory to advance to the final round.
In the championship showdown, Harper and Schwarber put on a hitting clinic. Schwarber went up first and crushed 18 home runs. In the first two rounds, Harper had hit a combined 26. Could he reach 19 to take the crown?
The answer was an emphatic "yes." Harper blasted nine homers in the final 50 seconds and clinched the title in the 30-second bonus.
"It's unbelievable," Harper said afterward. "I think just having the crowd out there and really feeding off them [helped]. We have some of the best fans in all of baseball, and to be able to do that with my family out there -- that's an incredible moment, not only for me but for the organization and the Nationals' fans. I'm very blessed and humbled."