PHILADELPHIA – Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker wanted to experience the Home Run Derby at least once during his baseball career. As a kid, he loved watching the derby and said it would mean the world to win the contest.

Walker loves the new format where the sluggers participating in the derby take 20 swings in the first round and 15 during the next two levels. The days of rushing to slug as many homers because of a timer are over. The hitter can take his time.

“I wouldn’t have joined if I didn’t think I could win. I have that competitive spirit,” he said before the contest started. “I’ll say the people I’m going up against are real animals and they are really good at putting the ball out of the ballpark. So, it’s going to be a good show.”

Walker found himself in competition with eight mashers such as Willson Contreras, Junior Caminero and Bryce Harper. It turned out Walker was an animal as well.

On Monday night, in front of a sellout crowd of 43,863 at Citizens Bank Park, Walker won the derby by edging Kyle Schwarber by a homer, 12-11. Walker became the first player in Cardinals history – not even Albert Pujols or Mark McGwire did it –  to win the derby. Walker used his Iron Man bat to go all the way to the top.

“I can’t even describe how it means to win it,” Walker said. “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. … As a kid when I grew up, my favorite thing to do playing baseball was to hit home runs. When a competition is dedicated to doing it, I’m going to have fun doing it.”

It was obvious from the start that Walker was having fun. In the first round, Walker was able to advance to the next phase of the derby by slugging 13 homers, which tied Wilson Contreras for the most that round.

The second round had Walker facing Junior Caminero. Walker won that round easily. It took 15 swings for Caminero to hit five dingers. Walker only needed six swings to win that round.

In the third and final round, the two sluggers gave it a thrill. Schwarber, the hometown favorite, slugged 11 bombs, and the way he was hugging teammates Harper and Brandon March, it appeared Schwarber won the event.

But Walker had other ideas. Yes, he heard the jeers. But concentration took over the noise. It took his final six swings, including four in the bonus round, to win the event. According to MLB.com, the clinching homer traveled 407 feet with an exit velocity of 106 miles per hour.

“Honestly, the pressure, people booing me,” Walker said about why he won the event. “My one thought was to stay fluid. Can’t swing too hard. I’ll miss the ball. And that was it. (Bullpen catcher Kleininger Teran)  did an unbelievable job throwing money BP the whole time. So props to him.”    

 

When Walker received the derby trophy, he was surrounded by his family, including his parents, Derek and Katrina Walker. A few minutes later, he received some bling from Phillies great Ryan Howard for being the home run derby champ.

It was early this year when people were wondering if Walker had a future in “The Show.” A top prospect in the Cardinals organization in 2022 and ‘23, Walker struggled once he reached the big leagues. Entering the season, he never had a full season in the big leagues because of inconsistency in the batter’s box and with the glove. Last year may have been Walker’s worst season yet. He had a slash line of .215/.278/.306 with six homers and was -11 in defensive runs saved.

Now, Walker is not only an All-Star, but he is having an MVP-type of season. During the first half, he had a slash line of .294/.354/.532 with 22 home runs and a National League-leading 74 RBIs.

“It’s been unreal. I don’t know if I would be in this All-Star/Home Run Derby spot without (my family),” Walker said. “When things got tough, they were always there in my corner. … They kept the energy levels high. They kept the feelings high. Because a lot of this game is mental, and going into it out of high school, I didn’t realize that and definitely had to learn.

“I mean, my family, dad, mom, grandma, friends, girlfriend, sister somewhere over there, and then teammates, Coach, everybody, have always had my back, and that’s just something you can’t buy, and you can’t find very easily anywhere.”