If you had “Jordan Walker wins Home Run Derby” on your preseason bingo card, congratulations; you should try the lottery.
With a fantastic showing on Monday night in Philadelphia, Walker became the first Cardinal to win the Home Run Derby, outlasting Kyle Schwarber in the final round and silencing the home crowd.
As if his breakout season couldn’t be going any better, Walker had a special, unforgettable night and will be leaving the City of Brotherly Love with some serious hardware.
Jordan Walker Wins Home Run Derby, becomes 1st Cardinal To Do So
The Final Round
The odds couldn’t be more stacked against Walker in the Derby’s finale. After breezing through the first two rounds, the 24-year-old was matched up against Schwarber, who was competing in front of his home fans. The persistent boos in the pressure-filled environment were on display minutes prior when Walker’s former teammate in St. Louis, Willson Contreras, couldn’t best Schwarber in the semifinals after tying Walker with a round-best 13 homers in the opening round.
Plus, Schwarber had just put on his best show of the night. He crushed 11 homers on 17 swings and was the first participant to hit the bonus magenta ball over the fence, giving Walker a very tall task.
But Walker met the moment. Fighting through boos, Walker got himself into striking distance as his swings dwindled. He wound up with eight homers and just one swing remaining, but with the new Home Run Derby format, as long as Walker kept homering, he could keep swinging. And keep homering, he did.
Walker’s final six swings were homers, the last four being that bonus magenta ball that almost no other slugger could square up. Three of his last four blasts landed over the wall in left-center, with the final drive being a no-doubt shot to left field. It was a remarkable showing, and after his final home run, Walker gave hugs to Cardinals teammates Iván Herrera and Riley O’Brien before giving a bigger embrace to his pitcher, St. Louis bullpen catcher Kleininger “KT” Teran.
31 Total Homers on Elite Bat Speed
Donning a backward hat, Walker showed off his supreme raw power and bat speed all night, consistently drilling baseballs over the fence. After hitting 13 dingers in the first round, six in the semis, and 12 in the final round, Walker paired his winnings with also hitting the most home runs on the night.
He was the second hitter in the 20-swing opening sequence, following and matching Contreras. Although the Red Sox first baseman wowed with tape measure shots by flirting with 500 feet on his blasts, Walker made his mark with line drive lasers that rapidly flew out of Citizens Bank Park. Fatigue wore him down as the pitches piled up, but Walker’s work in the early portions of the round – 10 homers on his first 13 swings – set him up nicely to advance.
After moving on with the top four hitters from the first round, Walker was paired up against Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero, creating a face-off of the hitters with the best average bat speeds in MLB. But the two contestants had vastly different showings in the second round.
Despite competing in the Derby last year, Caminero couldn’t get into a groove as time progressed, hitting just five home runs in 15 swings. It left the door wide open for Walker, who ran through it easily. The 6-6, 250-pounder went on to demolish six homers on eight swings, easily cutting baseballs through the air pull-side and to waiting fans in the stands.
In the final round, five of Walker’s homers eclipsed 108 mph off the bat. And in each of the last two rounds, Walker’s average exit velocity on home run swings was 107 mph. Overall, he clubbed 31 homers on 47 swings, which is about a 66% home run rate. The longest homer he hit on Monday was a 470-foot tank in the first round, and he crushed six that landed farther than 450 feet. It was a beautiful display on the stage made for those of Walker’s ilk.
Calm Under Pressure
Evidenced by his overcoming the obstacle of the final round, Walker maintained a similar expression on his face throughout the entire night. He was relaxed, composed, and locked in, and it was apparent in his easy swings. When the boos commenced, he wasn’t afraid to break out a smile. It was reminiscent of how Walker has looked over the first half of this season and of what he’s described as his mindset at the plate that’s led to his All-Star production.
With his parents, sister, and grandmother in attendance, Walker defied the odds that were against him. The Atlanta, Georgia, native quieted the Philadelphia crowd and accomplished a feat that legends of the game and former St. Louis sluggers Albert Pujols and Mark McGwire couldn’t. With this victory, Walker takes home $1 million, which is about 25% more than his 2026 league minimum salary of $799,400.
Through the first 95 games of the regular season, Walker has looked immensely more confident as a ballplayer. And after winning the Home Run Derby, in the fashion that he did, that confidence can only increase.
Main Photo Credits: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
