Pete Alonso Home Run Derby history: How the Mets slugger can join Ken Griffey Jr. as only three-time winners

Only one participant in the 2024 Home Run Derby has won the event before, but that player has a chance at history.

Pete Alonso is aiming to tie the all-time record for Home Run Derby wins by taking back the crown in Texas on Monday, three years after he became only the fourth multi-time winner in the history of the event. 

It's no secret Alonso takes the Home Run Derby very seriously. He's participated in each Derby since his MLB career began, and it's tough to blame him considering the show he routinely puts on. While last year's derby didn't go his way, he's bringing back 2021 and 2022 pitcher Dave Jauss in hopes of rediscovering some of the magic that helped him become so successful on this stage.

This year's Derby gives Alonso a chance to add to his All-Star legacy and match Ken Griffey Jr.'s record three titles, but a win won't come easily. The field includes young stars Gunnar Henderson and Bobby Witt Jr. along with true power bats in Marcell Ozuna and Adolis Garcia.

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Here's a look back at Alonso's history in the Home Run Derby.

Pete Alonso Home Run Derby history

2019

Alonso didn't even see a major-league pitch until March 2019, but he looked like a seasoned pro by July. Alonso stopped by Cleveland to win his first Home Run Derby in the midst of his rookie-record 53-home run season, beating out fellow rookie Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the finals after the Blue Jays slugger's ridiculous run.

Alonso opened the Derby with a win over hometown favorite Carlos Santana, and he outlasted Ronald Acuna Jr. in the semifinals. Guerrero and Joc Pederson put on a show in the Derby's other semifinal matchup, going to a tiebreaker and ultimately a swing-off, but Alonso got the best of Guerrero in the finals with 23 home runs to his 22.

The 2019 edition was the first year in which the Home Run Derby winner received $1 million, so Alonso made out very well for a rookie who wasn't making anything close to his worth at the time. 

OTD in 2019, Pete Alonso became the second rookie to ever win the Home Run Derby.

Will Alonso join Ken Griffey Jr. as the only two players to ever win three Home Run Derby titles? pic.twitter.com/vjFPdab1kC

— MLB Vault (@MLBVault) July 8, 2023

2021

There were plenty of home runs in the thin air of Coors Field during the 2021 Home Run Derby, but no one dominated quite like Alonso.

Alonso's 35 home runs led the first round and were enough to outlast a strong performance by Royals catcher Salvador Perez. He only needed 16 home runs to get past Juan Soto in the semifinals, and 16 was again the highest total of the round. 

Nothing sums up the ruthlessness of Alonso's Derby approach than the final round in 2021. While the narrative was building toward potential heartwarming Trey Mancini win just a year after Mancini was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer, Alonso erupted for 23 home runs to earn his second consecutive title.

As nice as Mancini's story was, Alonso went to Colorado to mash and did that better than anyone, finishing with 74 total home runs. 

Pete was born for this. #HRDerby #MakeItMajor pic.twitter.com/R9uBCvYdDt

— MLB (@MLB) July 13, 2021

2022

Alonso entered the 2022 Home Run Derby with hopes of the first-ever three-peat and his sights set on tying Griffey's record. He didn't necessarily disappoint in the competition, but he didn't achieve that goal.

Alonso advanced past Ronald Acuna Jr. in the first round before coming up short against Julio Rodriguez in the semifinals. Alonso's 23 home runs in the semifinals were more than both Juan Soto and Albert Pujols, but Rodriguez simply couldn't be contained and advanced fairly easily with 31 home runs of his own.

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2023

Alonso didn't do his best in the first round of the 2023 Home Run Derby, though it might not have mattered much in the end as Julio Rodriguez blasted 41 home runs to his 21. Rodriguez, playing in his home stadium, was the only player with more than 28 home runs in the first round and thus became virtually unbeatable.

That doesn't mean Alonso didn't have his share of issues, though. A last-minute pitching change seemed to throw off the entire operation, as the pitches Alonso saw were too unpredictable and didn't allow him to get into any kind of rhythm. 

Fortunately for Alonso, Jauss is back in the fold and there are no first round matchups in this year's contest.

Most Home Run Derby wins

Griffey still stands alone with three Home Run Derby wins, and the list of multi-time derby winners beyond him is a short one.

Alonso, Yoenis Cespedes, and Prince Fielder have all joined the list in the last 15 years, and Alonso has a chance to move up the ranks if he can walk out of Globe Life Field a winner.

Because no other Home Run Derby participant this year has won in the past, there will still only be four players with more than one Derby win when the 2025 contest takes place in Atlanta.