The 2025 MLB season rolls on with another full slate of games on Friday. With 15 matchups and all 30 teams to choose from, let's dive into the top MLB home run props, picks and predictions for Friday's action.
Betting on specific players to hit a home run is a fun and alternative way to get action on MLB games. The plus-money odds can provide bigger payouts if you nail the right batter to go yard. Let's focus on a couple of MLB players worth backing to hit a homer on Friday, August 22nd.
Get instant alerts when a line reaches your target via the BettingPros App >>
Friday’s Best MLB Home Run Props & Bets
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Corbin Carroll (+300)
Our first home run pick for Friday features one of the league's most homer-prone pitchers. Cincinnati Reds starter Zack Littell has allowed 27 home runs this year, which is tied for the second-most in baseball. His 1.61 HR/9 rate is also the fifth-highest among qualified MLB starters.
Plus, a ton of Littell's home runs have come on the road. He's given up 19 homers across 14 away starts. He has a whopping 1.93 HR/9 rate and a 5.36 FIP on the road this season as well. Though the Reds right-hander has cut down on the long balls recently, this is a good spot to fade him.
The Arizona Diamondbacks have a few options to choose from. Let's target Corbin Carroll, who's hitting it well lately. Over the past 16 games, he has six home runs with a .281 batting average, .609 slugging rate and .983 OPS. He also has 17 extra-base hits and a .913 OPS over the past 28 contests.
Carroll now has 27 homers on the season. His power cooled off in July, but it's back again this month. The Diamondbacks outfielder has a few splits in his favor today, in addition to facing a pitcher like Littell.
Carroll has hit 21 of his 27 home runs against right-handed pitching this year, with a .581 slugging rate and .912 OPS in the split. Plus, when facing righties at home, he has a .599 slugging rate and .916 OPS with a whopping .361 ISO as well. It's a good matchup for Carroll to take Littell deep.
Junior Caminero (+275)
Another homer-prone pitcher on Friday’s slate is St. Louis Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas. The veteran has allowed 21 home runs through 24 starts this season. Plus, his 1.54 HR/9 rate is the 10th-worst in baseball among pitchers with 120+ innings.
Mikolas has had issues with the long ball throughout his time with St. Louis. He allowed at least 25 home runs in four straight full seasons heading into this year, and it looks like he's going to surpass that mark again in 2025.
It's also worth noting that the right-hander's 1.54 HR/9 rate, 11.9% barrel rate and 15.3% strikeout rate are all career-worst marks. His 4.99 ERA and 5.31 xERA aren't too great either. Plus, Mikolas has a 6.47 ERA and 2.37 HR/9 rate on the road with 15 homers allowed across his 12 road starts.
As for the Tampa Bay Rays, let's roll with Junior Caminero to go yard. The third baseman has 35 home runs this season, with 25 of those coming against right-handed pitching. He has a .534 slugging rate and .837 OPS versus righties as well.
Caminero is on a major power surge lately. He's hit eight homers over the past 14 games with a .690 slugging rate and 1.032 OPS in this stretch. He's also crushing at home in the hitter-friendly George M. Steinbrenner Field. He boasts a .316 batting average, .603 slugging rate and .958 OPS at home this year.
