The MLB Home Run Derby has become one of baseball’s premier summer traditions.
Every July, the game’s biggest sluggers gather under the lights with one goal: hit baseballs farther than anyone else.
For Mississippi baseball fans, the Derby has produced only a select few representatives over the past four decades. Whether born in the Magnolia State or developed at one of its college baseball powers, just five players with Mississippi ties have earned an invitation to Major League Baseball’s annual power showcase.
Here’s a look at every one of them.
Dave Parker (1985, 1986)
Mississippi connection: Born in Grenada
Teams Played for During Home Run Derby: Cincinnati Reds
All-Star: 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1985, 1986, 1990
Dave Parker was born in Grenada, Mississippi, on June 9, 1951, but his connection to the Magnolia State was brief. When Parker was about five years old, his family relocated to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he grew up just blocks from Crosley Field and developed into one of the greatest baseball players of his generation.
Nicknamed “The Cobra,” Parker represented the Cincinnati Reds in the inaugural Home Run Derby in 1985 at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis. He hit six home runs to win the first Derby championship in Major League Baseball history before returning in 1986 for a second appearance.
While his baseball roots were established in Cincinnati, Parker’s birthplace still gives Mississippi a unique place in Derby history. The Hall of Famer remains the first player born in the Magnolia State to compete, and the only Mississippi-born player to win the Home Run Derby.
Ellis Burks (1996)
Mississippi connection: Born in Vicksburg
Teams Played for During Home Run Derby: Colorado Rockies
All-Star: 1990, 1996
Ellis Burks was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, on September 11, 1964, but like Dave Parker, his connection to the Magnolia State was brief. His family relocated to the Dallas-Fort Worth area while he was still young, and Burks grew up in Arlington, Texas, where he developed into one of the nation’s top high school baseball prospects before being selected by the Boston Red Sox in the first round of the 1983 MLB Draft.
By 1996, Burks had become one of baseball’s most complete offensive players. That season with the Colorado Rockies, he earned his lone Home Run Derby invitation at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia.
Although he did not advance beyond the opening round, the Derby came during the finest season of his career. Burks hit .344 with 40 home runs, 128 RBIs and 32 stolen bases while finishing third in the National League MVP voting.
While his baseball roots were established in Texas, Burks remains one of only five players with Mississippi ties to compete in the MLB Home Run Derby, giving Vicksburg another place in the state’s rich baseball history.
Rafael Palmeiro (1998, 2004)
Mississippi connection: Mississippi State (1983-1985)
Teams Played for During Home Run Derby: Baltimore Orioles
All-Star: 1988, 1991, 1998, 1999
Unlike Dave Parker and Ellis Burks, Rafael Palmeiro’s Mississippi ties were formed on the baseball field rather than by birthplace.
Born in Havana, Cuba, Palmeiro moved with his family to the United States as a child and eventually settled in South Florida. After starring at Jackson High School in Miami, he chose Mississippi State, where he became one of the greatest players in Bulldogs history.
From 1983-85, Palmeiro teamed with fellow future major leaguer Will Clark to form the legendary “Thunder and Lightning” duo in Starkville. Together, they helped transform Mississippi State into a national power, combining for 101 home runs during their college careers. Palmeiro finished his Bulldog career with 67 home runs, a school record at the time, and was a First Team All-American before the Chicago Cubs selected him in the first round of the 1985 MLB Draft.
By the late 1990s, Palmeiro had become one of baseball’s premier power hitters. He earned his first Home Run Derby invitation in 1998 as a member of the Baltimore Orioles before returning for a second appearance in 2004.
His best performance came during the 2004 Derby at Minute Maid Park in Houston. Palmeiro blasted nine home runs in the opening round—more than any other participant—and added five more in the semifinals before being eliminated by Orioles teammate Miguel Tejada, who went on to win the championship.
Palmeiro’s two Derby appearances remain the most by any player with Mississippi college ties. Combined with more than 3,000 career hits, 569 home runs and four Silver Slugger Awards, they further cemented the legacy of one of the greatest players ever to wear a Mississippi State uniform
Brian Dozier (Southern Miss) — 2014
Mississippi connection: Born in Tupelo, raised in Fulton (Itawamba County AHS), played at Southern Miss (2006-2009)
Teams Played for During Home Run Derby: Minnesota Twins
All-Star: 2015
Brian Dozier’s invitation may have been the most unexpected of the group.Never viewed as a classic power hitter during his Southern Miss career, Dozier developed into one of baseball’s premier home run-hitting second basemen with the Minnesota Twins.His breakout first half in 2014 earned him a spot in the Home Run Derby at Target Field in Minneapolis.
With his brother, Clay, throwing batting practice, Dozier became the first Southern Miss player ever selected for the MLB Home Run Derby. Competing before the hometown Twins crowd, Dozier hit two home runs during the opening round before being eliminated. While the night ended quickly, it marked another milestone for one of the greatest players in Southern Miss baseball history. He also becomes the only player to ever play high school in Mississippi to compete in the Home Run Derby.
Brent Rooker (2025)
Mississippi connection: Mississippi State (2014-17)
Teams Played for During Home Run Derby: A’s
All-Star: 2023, 2025
Brent Rooker became the newest player with Mississippi ties to compete in the MLB Home Run Derby when he represented the Athletics in 2025.
A standout at Mississippi State from 2014-17, Rooker developed into one of the most feared hitters in college baseball. His historic 2017 season earned him the SEC Triple Crown after batting .387 with 23 home runs and 82 RBIs. He swept nearly every major national player of the year award, including the Golden Spikes Award, before being selected 35th overall by the Minnesota Twins in the 2017 MLB Draft.
After establishing himself as one of Major League Baseball’s premier power hitters, Rooker earned his first Derby invitation in Atlanta. He delivered one of the night’s most dramatic performances, hitting 17 home runs in the opening round and tying eventual champion Cal Raleigh for the final semifinal spot.
The tiebreaker came down to total home run distance.
Rooker fell just 0.08 feet—less than one inch—short of advancing, making it one of the closest eliminations in Home Run Derby history.
Although his night ended in heartbreaking fashion, Rooker became just the second former Mississippi State Bulldog and the fifth player with Mississippi ties to earn a spot in baseball’s biggest power showcase.
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