Few plays in sports rival the sheer excitement of a home run. Witnessing the explosive power as the ball rockets off the bat, soaring through the sky towards its destined landing spot, perhaps finding the outstretched hands of a fortunate fan, is a truly mesmerizing spectacle. There's an undeniable allure to observing a human effortlessly propel a wooden object, connecting with a small spherical target, sending it soaring hundreds of feet through the air. It evokes a larger-than-life sensation, captivating our senses and commanding our attention. That is the essence of the MLB Home Run Derby, a singular event that allows us to collectively appreciate this extraordinary skill, as we set aside everything else and immerse ourselves in its wonder. It is a truly marvelous experience, the Home Run Derby.

The Home Run Derby holds an unwavering allure that never fails to captivate. The challenge lies in selecting the most unforgettable moments from its nearly 40-year history. Without any particular ranking, let's start with the most recent year, ahead of Monday's 2023 MLB Home Run Derby, as we recount the 10 greatest moments in the storied history of the event.

2022 – This one's for Albert

It's not often that you get to go out still swinging in your last season, but that's exactly what Albert Pujols did in 2022. At 42 years old, Pujols only added to his memorable career by hitting the 700 total home run career mark (703 to be exact), all while returning to the team that he started with in the St. Louis Cardinals. The soon to be Hall of Famer also got a well deserved legacy pick for the All-Star Game, where he then decided to enter the Home Run Derby, his fifth overall.

Even before finishing the first round, some of the All-Star players from both sides decided to mob Pujols at the plate so he could receive one last ovation. It was a befitting moment for one of the most highly decorated and all-time great players of the game. Pujols actually proved to be a little bit of an upset that night, beating Kyle Schwarber 20-19 in the first round, hitting the most he'd ever hit in a single round. Pujols would lose to eventual champion Juan Soto the next round, however, being bested 16-15. His 35 total home runs hit that night gave him a Derby total of 106, which is second behind Pete Alonso (174).

2019 – Dinger Mania: Guerrero vs. Pederson

Since the implementing of the new format in 2015, which eliminated outs and introduced instead a clock and bracket system, the Home Run Derby has evolved into an even more exhilarating slugfest.

During this epic evening in 2019, three distinct performances unfolded that will be etched in Derby history. The victory of Pete Alonso propelled him from an obscure rookie to the home run hitting star he's known for now.

Although Alonso's victory in the final round against fellow rookie Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was captivating, it paled in comparison to the semifinal showdown between Guerrero and Joc Pederson. It's a clash that is still talked about, going down as one of the best battle's in Derby history.

After Guerrero unleashed an unprecedented 29 homers in a single round to defeat Matt Chapman in the opening round, both Guerrero and Pederson replicated the feat with another 29 apiece in the semifinals. This set the stage for an extraordinary sequence of not one, not two, but three swing-off tiebreakers to determine the ultimate finalist. Guerrero would ultimately emerge the winner, after, that is, both men amassing for nearly 80 home runs between them. What made the moment even more momentous was the two sluggers embracing at the end, exhaustion infused and all.

2018 – Bryce Harper becomes a star

Sports is wonderful, but they're even more so when all things seem to align where not even Hollywood could script it better. The 2018 Home Run Derby was held in Washington D.C. at Nationals Park, home of the Washington Nationals. It was also the then home to Bryce Harper.

Harper had been a budding superstar of the league ever sense before he stepped onto a major league field. Heralded as one of the next big things of the sport, before the 2018 Derby, Harper still hadn't seemed to transition to that next level of stardom quite yet. With little playoff appearances and no MVPs (yet), he was just looking for a big moment to showcase how exciting of a player he could be. Nationals Park was a perfect setting.

Harper would be entering free agency following the 2018 season, so if for nothing else, this would be his unknowing, but probably expected, swan song in D.C.

Fans were behind everything Harper did that night, which eventually propelled him to win it all in the end. Him and Kyle Schwarber had an exhilarating last round, where Harper trailed him by nine homers with only 50 seconds left. A buzzer beater to tie, followed by only two swings in his 30-second bonus round, and the nation's capital were in a frenzy as Harper claimed victory.

2017 – Judge lives up to the hype

When Aaron Judge arrived at Miami's loanDepot park, the young outfielder from the New York Yankees was just waiting to breakout. Having 30 home runs prior to the All-Star break that season, along with being in Yankees uniform, truly set him apart from other sluggers.

The 6-foot-7 Judge astonished the crowd with his display of power, launching homers that covered nearly two miles in total distance. He hit a staggering 16 home runs with exit velocities exceeding 115 mph, including some over the 500-foot mark, with the longest measuring at 513 feet. Judge became the first rookie to secure an outright victory in the Derby. He'd later finish the 2017 season with 52 home runs, quickly on his way to becoming the next great Yankee.

2008 – The first Hamilton show in New York

What tends to happen in a lot of Home Run Derby's is that the best part sometimes take place in the earlier rounds. That's what happened in 2008, when Josh Hamilton put on show that was only fitting to be in close proximity to Broadway. Hamilton hit a whopping 28 homers in the first round, where one nearly left the confines of Yankee Stadium entirely. He'd end up hitting a total of 35, which was more overall than the actual winner, Justin Morneau, had overall.

They honestly should have just given it the Hamilton after the first round. He had excited the whole crowd to exhaustion, including himself that night, where he only hit seven more homers in the second and final rounds.

2002 – Whoa Sammy

Look, we can be honest, right? Whether you're a diligent baseball purest prude or not, the steroid era… was awesome. That's not to say you have to agree to the actions of the players that partook in steroids or other performance enhancing drugs. You just have to agree that watching things like Sammy Sosa hitting 500-plus foot bombs was mesmerizing. Because that's what the former Chicago Cub was doing at then-Miller Park back in 2002.

Before fancy, more accurate things like Statcast were a thing, Sosa was dang near destroying the integrity of buildings, launching home runs off the corridors of the Brewers' stadium. Sosa didn't even win this Derby, but watching him hit homers that were hitting the top of the scoreboard in centerfield, the left field upper deck seats, and another that was reported of going 524 feet — the longest in Statcast history or otherwise — clearing Bernie Brewer's slide, was simply jaw-dropping.

1999 – Big Mac in Boston

This may have been the third of Ken Griffey Jr's. Home Run Derby record setting victories, but Mark McGwire was the star coming out of this one. It was one of the most loaded Derby's in history, that, besides the aforementioned, consisted of Sammy Sosa, Jeff Bagwell, Larry Walker and others. This Derby, of course, was coming just off the historic home run race from the previous season, where McGwire had hit 70 regular season home runs. Using Fenway's Green Monster as a target most of the night, McGwire hit what was considered at the time an unprecedented 13 home runs in the first round.

1998 – Griffey has a change of heart

There's not many times that Griffey was booed in his career, but two days before the 1998 Home Run Derby, he was. The Mariners had just played on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball broadcast, prior to the Derby that year, which is what led Griffey to initially passing on participating in the annual event. Being one of the most exciting hitters in the game at the time, fans let the slugger know exactly how they felt about his decision at the All-Star batting practice by booing him. Griffey in Coors Field… I mean, c'mon — who wouldn't be upset not seeing that?

Apparently, a conversation with Frank Robinson changed his mind, along with realizing this was an event for the fans. Griffey didn't disappoint and proceeded to win the whole thing.

1994 – Griffey hits the warehouse

While it wasn't one of Griffey's three Derby victories, it was one of his most memorable moments. Griffey was arguably in his prime at this stage in his career. He brought such a youthful exuberance to the event that was palpable to everyone with his iconic backwards hat look and energetic smile, while blasting moonshots in the process.

What made this Derby so memorable for Griffey was him completely exiting one ball from Camden Yards, demolishing it across to Eutaw Street and hitting the B&O Warehouse, the brick wall backdrop to the Orioles ballpark in rightfield. To this day, it's still the only home run to ever hit the building, game or Derby. After it was announced that the ball did indeed hit the warehouse, Griffey just had to stand back and smile.

1991 – Cal Ripken Jr. won a Home Run Derby?

Cal Ripken Jr. will be remembered for a lot of things in his baseball career, but being a power hitter isn't one of them. But for a few hours in 1991, he was just that.

Prior to 1991, Ripken's highest annual home run tally was a modest 27. So it's no wonder other sluggers in the event that year such as, Cecil Fielder, Howard Johnson, and Joe Carter, were all heavily favored over the Orioles' infielder.

Ripken defied expectations by surprising everybody in the Toronto Skydome that evening, smashing 12 home runs. In stark contrast, the remaining seven participants managed a combined total of 15 home runs, with none of them surpassing five. Ripken's unlikely performance not only secured him the Derby victory but also earned him the coveted AL MVP Award that season, making him the first player in history to achieve both accolades within the same season.