Mountain Dew® Baja Blast® Crowns Junior Caminero the First-Ever MLB Baja Blast Champion

Mountain Dew® Baja Blast® Crowns Junior Caminero the First-Ever MLB Baja Blast Champion

Key Takeaways

PURCHASE, N.Y. (October 2, 2026) - After a regular season packed with towering home runs and free Mountain Dew^® Baja Blast^® for fans nationwide, Mountain Dew® Baja Blast^® has officially named Junior Caminero the 2026 MLB Baja Blast Champion.

Caminero earned the title by leading Major League Baseball (MLB) with 21 home runs traveling 420 feet or more during the regular season, the most by any player this year.

The recognition caps the regular-season portion of the inaugural 'Get a Baja for a Blast' product reward program. During the first season of Mountain Dew^® Baja Blast^® as the Official Soft Drink of MLB, every qualifying 420+ foot home run gave fans the opportunity to score free Mountain Dew^® Baja Blast^®.

"Fans embraced the 'Get a Baja for a Blast' program all season long, and Junior led the way," said Michael Smith, VP of Marketing for Mountain Dew, PepsiCo Beverages U.S. "We're excited to recognize him as the first-ever MLB Baja Blast Champion and keep rewarding fans throughout the postseason."

To commemorate the achievement, Mountain Dew^® Baja Blast^® surprised Caminero with a custom Champion Box featuring a commemorative bat, custom jersey and more than 420 cans of Mountain Dew^® Baja Blast^®.

"It's really cool to be named the 2026 MLB Baja Blast Champion," said Junior Caminero. "I had 21 home runs go 420+ feet this season, so it's special to be recognized for that. Knowing those home runs helped fans score free Mountain Dew® Baja Blast® makes it even better. Hopefully I can give everyone a few more big moments this postseason."

The Regular Season Has a Champion. The Blast Continues.

While Junior Caminero has been crowned the first-ever MLB Baja Blast Champion, the excitement is far from over. Due to overwhelming fan enthusiasm, fans can continue scoring free Mountain Dew^® Baja Blast^® throughout the postseason and World Series whenever a qualifying 420+ foot home run is hit.

About the 'Get a Baja for a Blast' Program

In its first season as the Official Soft Drink of MLB, Mountain Dew^® Baja Blast^® launched the 'Get a Baja for a Blast' promotion, rewarding fans nationwide whenever a player hit a home run traveling 420 feet or more. Each qualifying home run - a total of 998 during the 2026 regular season - unlocked opportunities for fans to score free Mountain Dew^® Baja Blast^® while celebrating some of baseball's biggest moments.

Visit BajaBlastHomeRuns.com for program details and redemption information on how to score free Mountain Dew® Baja Blast® all postseason long. Follow @MountainDew and @MLB for the latest updates and postseason action.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated nearly $94 billion in net revenue in 2025, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay's, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and drinks, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with pep+ (PepsiCo Positive). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that places sustainability at the center of our business strategy, seeking to drive growth and build a stronger, more resilient future for PepsiCo and the communities where we operate. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com, and follow on X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @PepsiCo.

About MLB

Major League Baseball (MLB) is the most historic professional sports league in the United States and consists of 30 member clubs in the U.S. and Canada, representing the highest level of professional baseball. Led by Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr., MLB has achieved three straight years of total attendance gains for the first time in 18 years and remains the best-attended sports league in the world. Since 2023, historic rule changes have improved the quality of play on the field, emphasizing speed and athleticism at a better pace. In 2025, MLB had its third straight season clocking in with an average game time of 2:40 or below for the first time in 40 years. Viewership of MLB games nationally, locally, on MLB.TV and in Canada and Japan all increased over last year, with most platforms achieving double-digit percentage increases. Game Seven of the thrilling 2025 World Series presented by Capital One averaged 51.0 million viewers combined across the United States, Canada, and Japan, making the 11-inning contest the most-watched MLB game in 34 years, dating back to Game Seven of the 1991 World Series. MLB.TV set another consumption record this season with 19.4 billion minutes watched, an increase of +34% over last year. The MLB App registered its most-trafficked season ever with daily traffic increasing by +18% over 2024. As the league expanded its marketing efforts and promotion of star players like reigning Most Valuable Players Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge, MLB has significantly increased its younger fan base as evidenced through viewership, social media, ticket purchasing, and participation metrics. Through its MLB Together social responsibility efforts, MLB remains committed to making a positive impact in the communities of the U.S., Canada and throughout the world. With the continued success of MLB Network, MLB digital platforms, international events, and local media production and distribution, MLB continues to find innovative ways for its fans to enjoy America's National Pastime and a truly global game. To learn more about MLB, please visit mlb.com.

Media Contacts:

• Jena Sussman, [email protected]
• Kristyn Brown, [email protected]

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