Jordan Walker of the St. Louis Cardinals won the 2026 T-Mobile Home Run Derby on Monday night. The 24 year old outfielder beat Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies in the finals by a score of 12 home runs to 11. The event was held at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia during the MLB All Star festivities.
Walker made his first appearance in the Derby after earning his initial All Star selection for the National League this season. He moved on to the finals by defeating Junior Caminero in the semifinals. In the championship round, Schwarber built a lead early as the hometown player. Walker then hit home runs on his final six swings to take control and secure the victory.
This result made Walker the first player in Cardinals history to win the Derby. He received the top prize of one million dollars. Walker has shown strong power hitting for the Cardinals in 2026, and his performance in the Derby reflected changes he made to his swing that helped him reach All Star status.
Other players in the field included Bryce Harper and Munetaka Murakami. Walker stood out by delivering key hits in the later stages of the competition. The Derby uses timed rounds where players aim to hit as many home runs as possible before recording three outs on swings that miss the fence.
After the win, Walker spoke about his interest in seeing more young Black players take up baseball. His path from the Cardinals roster to this title gives his team a point of pride during the All Star break. The competition brought together top power hitters from across the league for one night focused on long balls.
Walker's win fits into a season where he has contributed home runs regularly for St. Louis. It also marks a notable moment for the franchise in an event that has featured many past stars. Fans and observers noted the comeback element in the final round as a key part of how the night unfolded. The result adds Walker to the list of Derby winners in recent years.