List of Major League Baseball players with a home run in their first major league at bat

A man, wearing a dirt-stained Yankees pinstripe uniform and batting helmet with the interlocking "NY" logo, follows through after swinging at a pitch.
A man wearing a Yankees pinstripe uniform swings at a pitch.
Tyler Austin (left) and Aaron Judge (right) are the only teammates to homer in their first major league at bats in the same game and to accomplish this in back-to-back at bats.

In baseball, a home run is credited to a batter when he hits a fair ball and reaches home safely on the same play, without the benefit of an error.[1] 136 players have hit a home run in their first at bat of a Major League Baseball (MLB) game to date,[A] the most recent being Jhonkensy Noel of the Cleveland Guardians on June 26, 2024.[3] George Tebeau and Mike Griffin both hit home runs in their first at bats on April 16, 1887. Both players are recognized as the first player to homer in his first major league at bat because the exact time when each home run was hit is unclear.[4][5]

Luke Stuart, Walter Mueller, and Johnnie LeMaster hit inside-the-park home runs in their first at bats.[6] Bill Duggleby, Jeremy Hermida, Brandon Crawford, Kevin Kouzmanoff and Daniel Nava hit grand slams in their first at bats—Kouzmanoff and Nava doing so on the first pitch.[7] Ernie Koy and Heinie Mueller were the first players to accomplish the feat in the same game, doing so for the Brooklyn Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies, respectively, in the first inning of Opening Day in 1938.[8][9] This was equalled in 2016 by Tyler Austin and Aaron Judge, who became the only players to achieve the feat as teammates (playing for the New York Yankees) and in back-to-back at bats.[8][10] Two players, Bob Nieman and Keith McDonald, each homered in their second at bat as well.[11][12] Paul Gillespie and John Miller are the only players to hit home runs in both their first and last major league at bats;[13][14] for Miller these were the only two home runs of his MLB career.[15][16] For 23 players, their first at bat home run was the only home run of their major league careers. On the other hand, Gary Gaetti hit more home runs (360) than any other player to hit one in their first at bat.[17][18]

Of the 31 players eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame who have hit a home run in their first major league at bat, two – Earl Averill and Hoyt Wilhelm – have been elected,[16] neither of them on the first ballot.[19] Players are eligible for the Hall of Fame if they have played in at least 10 MLB seasons, and have either been retired for five seasons or deceased for at least six months.[20] These requirements leave 19 players ineligible who are active and 75 players ineligible who did not play in 10 seasons.[B]

  1. ^ "What is a Home Run (HR)?". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Archived from the original on December 15, 2019. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
  2. ^ Nemec, David; Rucker, Mark (2004). The Beer and Whisky League: The Illustrated History of the American Association – Baseball's Renegade Major League. Lyons Press. ISBN 9781592281886.
  3. ^ Martinez-Lopez, Melanie. "Wildest 1st AB ever? Guards' No. 26 prospect loses bat, then HRs". MLB.com.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Tebeau SABR was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Griffin SABR was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Home Run in First At-Bat". Baseball-Almanac.com. Baseball Almanac. Archived from the original on August 8, 2019. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  7. ^ Chimelis, Ron (June 13, 2010). "The story of Daniel Nava, Red Sox sensation, is worth telling for years to come". The Republican. Springfield, Massachusetts. Archived from the original on June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  8. ^ a b Vorkunov, Mike (August 13, 2016). "Yankees' Tyler Austin and Aaron Judge Hit Back-to-Back Homers in Debuts". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  9. ^ Corcoran, Cliff (August 13, 2016). "Youth movement: On day celebrating past, Yankees' future arrives with a bang". SI.com. Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  10. ^ "Yankees prospects Aaron Judge, Tyler Austin hit back-to-back home runs". SI.com. Sports Illustrated. August 13, 2016. Archived from the original on June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  11. ^ Eubanks, Lon (July 9, 2000). "McPower Surge". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 25, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  12. ^ "Lightning strike twice: Rookie ties HR record". ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures. Associated Press. July 6, 2000. Archived from the original on May 25, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  13. ^ Cooney, Mike. "Paul Gillespie". Society for American Baseball Research. Archived from the original on May 25, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  14. ^ Raymo, Denise A. (September 4, 2011). "Major presence". Press-Republican. Plattsburgh, New York. Archived from the original on May 25, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference MillerBR was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ a b Chuck, Bill (June 10, 2020). "First At-Bat Home Runs". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  17. ^ Cite error: The named reference GaettiBR was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  18. ^ "Career Leaders & Records for Home Runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 8, 2010. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  19. ^ "Baseball Hall of Fame Inductees". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on November 27, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  20. ^ "Rules for Election". National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Archived from the original on May 30, 2010. Retrieved October 8, 2016.


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