PHILADELPHIA. The young St. Louis Cardinals outfielder, Jordan Walker, was crowned champion of the 2026 Home Run Derby after defeating Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber in a thrilling final with a score of 12-11, at a Citizens Bank Park completely devoted to its local idol.
Walker staged a spectacular comeback. He needed to hit four consecutive home runs in the tie-breaker round to surpass Schwarber and he did it, silencing the home crowd and becoming the first Cardinals player to win the prestigious power contest.
Although he did not manage to advance to the final, the Dominican Junior Caminero, of the Tampa Bay Rays, was once again one of the great figures of the night. In the semifinals, he hit an impressive 491-foot home run, the longest hit of the Derby, surpassing even the 490 feet reached by Willson Contreras in the first round.
Caminero, runner-up of the 2025 Derby, had started the competition with a brilliant performance by hitting 12 home runs in the first round. Nine of those hits traveled at least 420 feet, including connections of 487, 479, and 478 feet, solidifying his reputation as one of the young power hitters in the Major Leagues.
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However, in the semifinals the Dominican was unable to maintain the same offensive rhythm and finished with five home runs, being eliminated by Walker, who needed just six homers to advance to the championship duel.
In the other semifinal, Schwarber edged out Willson Contreras by the minimum, winning 9-8, setting the stage for a vibrant final between the hometown hero and the young star from St. Louis.
With his spectacular performance, Walker took the 2026 Home Run Derby title, while Caminero once again proved he is one of the event’s main attractions and left the longest home run of the competition for history.
