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Cardinals star Jordan Walker’s Home Run Derby prize dwarfs his MLB salary
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- Cardinals star Jordan Walker’s Home Run Derby prize dwarfs his MLB salary
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The 2026 Home Run Derby looked done and dusted after budding St. Louis Cardinals star Jordan Walker needed to hit four more home runs with one swing left to defeat Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber , who was putting on a show for his home fans. And Walker, in a continuation of what a brilliant 2026 this has been for him on the diamond, pulled a rabbit out of his hat, clutching up as he snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
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This was a scintillating performance from Walker , who didn't receive much fanfare as far as Home Run Derby participants went. The spotlight was on the Phillies boys, but in the end, it was the rising 24-year-old star outfielder for the Cardinals that brought home the bacon.
Walker did end up with more than just the glory of winning a Home Run Derby against some of the toughest opposition imaginable (Schwarber hit 56 long balls in 2025 and he's currently leading MLB with 32 dingers this year). He also won a cash prize of $1 million, which, interestingly enough, is 125 percent more than he's making with his salary this year ($799,400), as pointed out by New York Post's Jon Heyman.
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Some may be wondering why Walker is making a relative pittance considering how he's been one of the brightest young players in MLB this year. But not too many could have foreseen that Walker would finally break out for the Cardinals after three uninspiring years in the big leagues.
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In fact, in 2024 and 2025, Walker put up negative value on the diamond, according to fWAR (his contributions were worth -2.0 fWAR these past two seasons). But he only recently turned 24 (back in May), and he's now making good on the promise that the Cardinals believed he had ever since they selected him in the first round six years ago.
He'll be eligible for arbitration next season, and he picked the exact right time to break out, as he's sure to get considerable raises moving forward.
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