Before He was Home Run Derby Champion, Jordan Walker was Hitting Dingers in High School

Walker received 2019-20 Gatorade Georgia Player of the Year honors

St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker (18) hits a double against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning at Busch Stadium on July 8. Walker is the 2026 Home Run Derby champion, becoming the Cardinals' first-ever player in history to win the competition. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

St. Louis Cardinals All-Star right fielder Jordan Walker had plenty stacked against him on Monday night.

Beating the Odds

Walker faced a sizable deficit against Philadelphia Phillies All-Star Kyle Schwarber in the final round of the Home Run Derby, and it came with a reign of boos from roughly 40,000 Phillies fans.

Schwarber’s teammate and fellow All-Star Bryce Harper, who also competed in the derby, claimed “it’s over” when Schwarber had 11 home runs in the final round with Walker’s back against the wall.

Even ESPN Senior MLB Insider Jeff Passan’s words of “it’s gonna stink” started to ring true when he gave his opinion about the league eliminating the swing clock from the derby.

An Incredible Comeback

Walker, however, defied all odds and hit 12 homers to be crowned Home Run Derby champion. He became the Cardinals’ first-ever player in history to win the derby, and the first Georgia native since Hall of Famer Frank Thomas did it in 1995.

When asked about the jeers from the derby crowd, Walker simply said “I was once told you don’t boo nobodies, so it feels pretty good.”

Walker’s Standout Career at Decatur (GA)

Before Walker was smashing balls and silencing an entire crowd at Citizens Bank Park, he was hitting dingers at Decatur High School (GA).

In his 2019 junior year for the Bulldogs, Walker hit .519 with 17 homers, 60 runs batted in, a 1.555 OPS and 24 stolen bases. He batted .457 with four homers and 15 RBI before his 2020 senior season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Walker was named the 2019-20 Gatorade Georgia Baseball Player of the Year. He also received 2019 Perfect Game All-American honors and was an All-State first team selection.

A Budding Star in The Lou

The Stone Mountain, Georgia native – one of the top prospects in the Class of 2020 – was initially committed to play baseball at Duke but entered professional baseball after the Cardinals picked him 21st overall in the 2020 MLB Draft.

Walker officially joined the Cardinals for the 2023 season when he was named to the Opening Day roster. So far, Walker has 49 homers, 186 RBI, 61 doubles, 31 stolen bases and a .255 batting average in his major league career.

In the 2026 season alone, Walker is hitting .294 with 22 homers, 74 RBI, 19 doubles, 62 runs scored, 13 stolen bases and a .532 slugging percentage with the second half of the campaign set to begin later in the week.

St. Louis currently has a 50-45 record. The Cardinals are third in the National League Central Division and a game behind the Miami Marlins for the final wild card spot.