The fantasy world has known of Yoenis Cespedes’ power for more than a year now. However, none of us — MLB included — quite understood the raw, natural, God-given prowess that he truly holds — it was on display for the world Monday night as he dominated the 2013 All-Star Home Run Derby at Citi Field.
The Athletics outfielder tied for the third most home runs in any given round in the history of the derby before defeating 20-year-old Bryce Harper in the finals. To prove just how impressed the baseball world was, here are reactions from Twitter during Monday night’s contest.
Shout out to @ynscspds! He put on a show! #HRDerby
— Josh Hamilton (@thejoshhamilton) July 16, 2013
I think the world found out tonight how much pop Yoenis cespedes has #freak #HRDerby
— Matt Carpenter (@MattCarp13) July 16, 2013
Cespedes’s eyebrows much less thick in person. #HRDerby pic.twitter.com/GFPZdZO0m8
— Batting Stance Guy (@BattingStanceG) July 16, 2013
Yoenis Cespedes makes fans go crazy with his home runs. #HRDerby http://t.co/yeRKxAJpCG http://t.co/Cvkgf1Sfcz
— Yahoo! Sports (@YahooSports) July 16, 2013
That was almost as impressive as the Yoenis Cespedes training video. #HRderby #athletics
— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) July 16, 2013
So many hugs #Cespedes #HRDerby https://t.co/IdB62CbxSP
— MLB (@MLB) July 16, 2013
Cespedes first round. All I can say is WOW! #HRDerby
— Craig Kimbrel (@kimbrel46) July 16, 2013
Parks Cespedes can hit a home run out of: Central Glacier Grand Canyon Denali Yosemite Yellowstone And apparently Citi Field #hrderby
— Sean Doolittle (@whatwouldDOOdo) July 16, 2013
Yoenis Cespedes has a really good chance of hitting a plane leaving or approaching La Guardia. #HRDerby
— Paul Severino (@SeverinoMLB) July 16, 2013
Little nervous about @ynscspds….. #HRDerby
— Clayton Kershaw (@ClaytonKersh22) July 16, 2013
Cespedes hit 32 home runs over the course of the night, the last one hailing 455 feet to deep center field. Cespedes is the first player in derby history to win the event without even being on the All-Star team. He’s only batting .225 this year with 15 home runs. I would expect those numbers to start creeping up.
Josh Helmuth is the editor for CraveOnline Sports. You can follow him on Twitter @JHelmuth or subscribe at Facebook.com/CraveOnlineSports for the latest in sports on your newsfeed.
Photo Credit: Getty