​MLB’s Home Run Derby 2026: Here’s who will throw to each hitter, from Bryce Harper to Ben Rice, The Sporting News originally reported. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. It’s easy to overlook just how much success in the Home Run Derby hinges on the right pitching until the night arrives. Watching a powerful hitter grind through suboptimal pitches can be a frustrating experience, and in recent years participants have made the choice of pitcher a strategic priority. With the new format allowing batters to ignore pitches without penalty, some pressure on the pitchers should ease, but all eight participants this year approached their picks with a careful plan.
Here’s the lineup for who will be throwing in the 2026 Home Run Derby.
Batter: Jac Caglianone | Pitcher: Jeff Caglianone | Relationship: Father
Batter: Junior Caminero | Pitcher: Tomas Francisco | Relationship: Rays field coordinator
Batter: Willson Contreras | Pitcher: Jose David Flores | Relationship: Red Sox interim bench coach
Batter: Bryce Harper | Pitcher: Dino Ebel | Relationship: Dodgers third base coach
Batter: Munetaka Murakami | Pitcher: Luis Sierra | Relationship: White Sox pregame instructor
Batter: Ben Rice | Pitcher: Dan Rice | Relationship: Father
Batter: Kyle Schwarber | Pitcher: Rafael Pena | Relationship: Phillies assistant hitting coach
Batter: Jordan Walker | Pitcher: Kleininger Teran | Relationship: Cardinals bullpen catcher
Jac Caglianone has chosen his father, Jeff Caglianone, to serve as his Derby pitcher. Caglianone told MLB.com that this opportunity is a “bucket list” item for him, adding, “having my dad throw is a huge reason why I’m doing it in the first place.” Jeff Caglianone is a longtime coach at H.B. Plant High School and has previously thrown batting practice for notable players, including Plant alum Pete Alonso.
Tomas Francisco, the Rays’ field coordinator, returns to the Derby for the third time in four years. He previously pitched to Randy Arozarena in 2023 and to Junior Caminero last year. After Caminero’s strong second-place finish, Francisco is aiming for the win this time. When he isn’t tossing batting practice, Francisco works with Rays catchers on Kevin Cash’s staff.
Willson Contreras is in his first season with the Red Sox but has known his Derby pitcher since his Cubs days in the minors. He selected Jose David Flores, who began the year as Boston’s first-base coach and later became interim bench coach after manager Alex Cora and several other coaches were dismissed. Flores told MLB.com, “I’ve known Willson since he was a puppy. I’ll try to throw cookies and ideally place them on the barrel so he can find a good rhythm—it’s all about building rhythm.”
Bryce Harper’s Derby participation depended on finding a pitcher after his dad, who threw to him during his 2018 Derby win, hadn’t thrown batting practice in years. That gap is being filled by Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel, who has become Harper’s Derby pitcher for 2026 and brings a wealth of big-league experience to the mound.