The 2018 MLB Home Run Derby takes place at Nationals Park tonight, so I figured this would be a good time to share some more of my photos from this year’s Midwest League Home Run Derby, which happened June 19 at Cooley Law School Stadium, home of the Lansing Lugnuts.

(Note: I shared these photos with my Patreon supporters last week. Click here if you’re interested in getting occasional early or exclusive content from me, or simply want to help support the work I’ve been doing as The Midwest League Traveler since 2011. All pledges are sincerely appreciated!)

The MWL Home Run Derby was won by Bowling Green Hot Rods catcher Ronaldo Hernandez, who recently was named the MWL Player of the Month for June. Hernandez hit 27 home runs during the two-round contest.

Since I’ve already shared a closer-up photo of Hernandez batting during the derby – you can see it in this post – here is a panned-out picture of him batting, so you can see how other All-Star players positioned themselves to watch the event.

Hernandez faced Lake County Captains outfielder Will Benson in the final round of the contest. Here are close-up and panned-out shots of Benson hitting in the first and second rounds, respectively:

The next two photos are probably my favorite ones that I shot during the Home Run Derby. The first one is of then-Cedar Rapids Kernels outfielder Alex Kirilloff…

…and the second one is of Clinton LumberKings first baseman Ryan Costello.

All photos by Craig Wieczorkiewicz/The Midwest League Traveler