St. Louis Cardinals breakout star Jordan Walker won the 2026 Home Run Derby in epic fashion and became the first Cardinal to win the trophy.
Walker needed six homers in his final six swings to knock off hometown hero Kyle Schwarber in the final round, and the 24-year-old did just that. Standing at 6'6 and weighing 250 pounds, Walker used his massive frame to supply all the power, consistently remaining calm in the box and swinging freely. He capped off his derby-winning surge with a 407-foot blast to left to shock the hostile Philly crowd that loudly booed him throughout the final.
The young outfielder hit 13 homers in the first round to earn a spot in the semifinal where he breezed by Junior Caminero who only managed to hit five bombs in the round. In the final, his 12th home run surpassed Schwarber's 11 and earned himself a $1m bonus, significantly higher than his 2026 salary of $799,400.
Schwarber was the odds-on favorite to win the event, closing around +300, while Walker was an underdog at around +750.
Several legendary Cardinals have participated in a Home Run Derby before, but Walker is the only one so far to etch his name into the history books. Albert Pujols competed in three derbies (2003, 2015, 2022), Jim Edmonds competed in 2003, Mark McGwire in 1998 and 1999, Ray Lankford in 1997, and Jack Clark in 1985.
Walker's superb derby performance introduced him to the national crowd in a big way. A former top prospect, he struggled mightily in his first three years in the league, never recording a positive WAR. After a brutal spring training, there were doubts on if he would even make the team in 2026.
He found a wonderful groove in the first half the season however, putting together a .294/.354/.532 slash line while hitting 22 homers and leading MLB with 74 RBI. His 148 OPS+ and 3.8 WAR are career-bests by a mile, and he earned himself his first All-Star nod.
The Cardinals are 50-45 and a game back of the third Wild Card spot in the NL.
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