9 HRs in 60 seconds? Cunningham's flurry earns him High School HR Derby title

PHILADELPHIA -- On Friday afternoon, Brady Cunningham had to claw through a 30-second tiebreaker just to secure a spot in the High School Home Run Derby finals.

On Monday night, the Illinois slugger didn't leave any room for suspense.

Stepping onto the grass at Citizens Bank Park right after the first round of the T-Mobile Home Run Derby, Cunningham found his rhythm early, crushing nine home runs to capture the 2026 High School Home Run Derby title over Mississippi corner infielder Sullivan Reed.

"It's been an unreal experience so far," Cunningham said, standing on the same field where Major League Baseball's biggest stars had just finished taking their hacks. "Just so grateful to be here and stepping on that field with all those fans. You don't get many opportunities like that."

The final round was a straightforward one-minute sprint on the clock, with the batter who launched the most baseballs walking away with the crown.

Reed, a Mississippi State commit who led all hitters with 23 home runs in the preliminary rounds, went first. The right-handed power hitter struggled to find his timing early, failing to get his first ball over the wall until the 45-second mark. Though he found a late surge -- firing off four quick homers with 30 seconds remaining -- he finished his minute with a total of five.

That left the door wide open for Cunningham.

The 6-foot-2 Texas A&M commit from Brother Rice High School in Chicago started with a similar slow burn, hitting his first home run with 46 seconds left on the clock. But with 35 seconds remaining, Cunningham found his groove.

His swing leveled out, the power took over and the balls started flying in rapid succession. By the time the clock ticked down to 19 seconds, Cunningham had already launched his sixth home run, securing the outright win before finishing the round with a dominant nine total blasts.

"I pretty much knew that I beat him, and then I just kept going because I was just feeling it," Cunningham said with a smile. "It was amazing to hear the crowd noises. I just got addicted to the feeling and kept going."

Despite the massive crowd and the bright lights of All-Star Week, Cunningham’s motivation remained entirely grounded. With his family watching from the stands, the national showcase felt surprisingly familiar.

"They've always been a big part of my baseball journey. They've come to everything ever since I was little," Cunningham said. "So them being in the stands, it's just like we're in the backyard hitting. It's an amazing feeling."

With a major national trophy now added to his résumé, the newly crowned derby champion is keeping his eyes firmly on the bigger picture.

"Honestly, I'm just going to keep getting better in my game," Cunningham said of his next goals. "These bonuses will just come along the way. That's how I view it -- just take it one day, one step at a time."