Jordan Walker didn’t just hit a home run on Saturday. He obliterated a baseball.
The St. Louis Cardinals outfielder crushed his 18th homer of the season in the team’s 9-6 win over the Minnesota Twins — and the exit velocity turned heads across the league. According to MLB Statcast data relayed by Sarah Langs, Walker’s blast left the bat at 116.6 mph. That makes it the second-hardest-hit home run in the Statcast era (since 2015) for the Cardinals organization. It’s also the second-hardest-hit homer in Major League Baseball this season.
For context, only one Cardinals player has hit a ball harder since Statcast started tracking: Giancarlo Stanton, back in 2016. That’s the company Walker is keeping now.
A Breakout That’s Been Brewing
Walker’s 2026 season is shaping up to be the one everyone in St. Louis hoped for. After struggling through parts of the last two years, the 23-year-old has flipped a switch. He’s hitting for power, driving in runs, and making hard contact look routine.
Saturday’s moonshot wasn’t a fluke. It was the latest exclamation point on a campaign that has quietly put Walker in the conversation for National League MVP honors. Shohei Ohtani remains the heavy favorite — that’s not really in dispute — but Walker’s name is starting to surface in discussions about who might join Ohtani as a finalist.
Fans online noted the absurdity of the exit velocity, with some calling it a “video game swing.” The Cardinals have not commented directly on the Statcast numbers, but manager Oliver Marmol has repeatedly praised Walker’s adjustments at the plate this season.
What This Means for St. Louis
The Cardinals are hovering around contention in the NL Central, and Walker’s bat is a major reason why. If he keeps mashing at this level, the team could be dangerous down the stretch. A 116.6 mph homer is a statement — and it’s the kind of momentum builder that can carry a clubhouse.
More to come as this story develops.
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