St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker earned $1 million by winning the Home Run Derby, a prize that exceeds his contracted salary for the 2026 season.
Walker, 24, defeated hometown favorite Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies in the final round of the event held at Citizens Bank Park. His prize money of $1 million more than doubled his earnings for the current season, which stand at $799,400 according to Spotrac.
The Home Run Derby featured a total prize pool of $2.5 million. The winner received $1 million, the runner-up Schwarber was awarded $500,000, and the other six participants each received $150,000. Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays received $100,000 for hitting the longest home run of the night at 491 feet.
Walker, who was on the receiving end of boos from the Philadelphia crowd, acknowledged their passion for their players. "I was once told you don’t boo nobody," Walker said on the field after his victory. "So it feels pretty good."
In the final round, Schwarber hit 11 home runs on 15 swings, setting a challenging target for Walker. After hitting six home runs with 12 swings, Walker then hit six consecutive home runs to secure the win, disappointing the home crowd.
"I can't even describe how it means to win it," Walker stated after the competition. "It was a lot of swings, a lot of pressure, but I think I just had fun no matter what. Like, every round, I was having a good time."
Walker has emerged as a key player for the Cardinals this season. After a promising debut in 2023 where he hit .276 with 16 home runs and 51 RBIs in 117 games, he experienced struggles in the following two seasons. In 2024, he played 51 games with a .201 batting average and five home runs, and in 2025, he appeared in 111 games, batting .215 with six home runs.
His performance this season represents a significant comeback. In 93 games, Walker is batting .294 with 22 home runs and 74 RBIs, leading Major League Baseball in the latter category. His contributions have helped the Cardinals, who are currently 50-45 and third in the NL Central, contend for a Wild Card spot.
Walker was selected to his first All-Star Game and was scheduled to represent the National League in the game against the American League.
