NC State Baseball Star Stuns in Record-Breaking Home Run Derby Performance
Despite the NC State Wolfpack failing to make it past the round of 64 on the road to Omaha in the 2025 season, one standout athlete is continuing to not only make a name for himself but for the team as well. Chris McHugh is known for his offensive talent for absolutely crushing baseballs. In 2024, McHugh made an appearance in the MLB Home Run Derby X, putting up an astonishing 59 points across the two rounds he played. Back in Durham, NC, again this weekend, McHugh showed that he was just as good, if not better, than he was last year.
Representing the Washington Nationals, hitting alongside Nats icon Ryan Zimmerman, and AUSL slugger Ali Newland, McHugh was in good company on Saturday night. Hitting homers in the Durham Bulls Athletic Park is not new for McHugh after his stellar performance in last year’s Home Run Derby X. This year, though, he took his game up to a whole new level. In the semi-final round against the team representing the Boston Red Sox, McHugh set an HRDX record. One ball after another was sent flying into the stands and out of the park. Absolutely on fire, McHugh put up a massive 37 points for his team to secure them a spot in the final round.
McHugh spent most of his summer staying sharp playing for the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod League. The weekly demand of summer ball didn’t tire him out; instead, it ensured he was at the top of his game. On top of the 37 points he scored for the Nats in the first round, this member of the Wolfpack put up another 30 in the final to secure the win for his team. In-state rival and North Carolina Tar Heel Gavin Gallaher could not keep up with McHugh’s hot hitting. The six-foot-three infielder will return to play in Raleigh for his third season with the Wolfpack this year. In his 197 at-bats in 2025, McHugh unsurprisingly led NC State in hits, smashing out 72. He also led the team in RBIs with 48. This young New York native is only improving and will be an absolute essential piece of the Wolfpack’s batting rotation for the upcoming season.
