Three weeks of MLB action are in the books, and Tyler Soderstrom of the Athletics stands alone atop the home run leaderboard with eight jacks. Of course, he’s not the only one showcasing a power stroke at the plate.
Let's take a look at three sluggers worth backing to launch a ball beyond the fence on Thursday, April 17th, with our MLB home run best bets.
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Thursday's Best MLB Home Run Prop Bets
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Cal Raleigh (+285)
Cal Raleigh became the second-fastest Mariners player to reach 100 home runs when he left the yard twice against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday. The effort also stamped his fourth career game with a blast from both sides of the plate. The All-Star catcher has now tallied five homers in his last five contests and continues to mash away from Seattle. Only five hitters boast a better OPS on the road than Raleigh does (1.173).
A favorable venue and familiar foe give Raleigh a great chance at staying hot on Thursday. Cincinnati’s Great American Ball Park ranks fourth in offensive park factors since the beginning of the 2023 season, according to Statcast. Brady Singer draws the start for the Reds. Raleigh is 5-for-14 with a dinger and two doubles versus the right-hander. Trust “Big Dumper” to provide a souvenir for someone in the outfield seats.
Corbin Carroll (+450)
The Diamondbacks sport a 9-5 record in April, and Corbin Carroll’s production has led the way. The 24-year-old checks in among the top five pros in home runs (six), RBI (15) and slugging percentage (.763) this month. Putting the barrel to the baseball has been the key to Carroll’s success. His average exit velocity of 95.9 miles per hour (MPH) is the sixth-highest mark in the league and is a jump of over seven MPH from his 2024 output.
Carroll will face Miami’s Edward Cabrera in an afternoon clash at loanDepot Park. Cabrera allowed three runs on four hits and three walks when he faced Arizona at home last August. That outing included surrendering a 387-foot opposite-field moonshot to Carroll on a sinker. Overall, Cabrera has been tagged for a homer in 12 of his previous 19 starts. Expect Carroll to stay patient before demolishing a pitch of his liking.
Taylor Ward (+400)
It has been a dismal start to the year for Texas hurler Kumar Rocker. The former Vanderbilt standout has posted a 7.94 ERA and 1.94 WHIP across three appearances (11.1 innings). Simply put, an inability to cause whiffs is costing him. Rocker’s strikeout percentage of 10.9% sits well below the MLB average, and his hard-hit percentage of 56.8% registers outside the top 350 pitchers. Batters have him figured out so far.
Rocker’s struggles bode well for the Angels’ lineup on Thursday. There are a few intriguing options to choose from, but Taylor Ward is my pick. Ward has logged an impressive .347/.417/.611 slash line to go with six home runs and seven doubles in 26 games played at Globe Life Field. Those looking for a longshot wager could throw some change on the outfielder to homer twice at +3500 odds. Ward has already achieved the feat once this campaign last Thursday.
