Jordan Walker was drafted in 2020 and advanced quickly through Single-A, High-A, and Double-A with strong batting results. He entered 2023 as a top prospect, made the Cardinals’ Opening Day roster at age 20, and avoided Triple-A early. His early major-league performance included a hitting streak but also low walk totals and high strikeout numbers, along with difficulty adjusting to right field. The Cardinals sent him to Triple-A Memphis in late April, where his batting line was weaker but his walk, strikeout, and ground-ball rates improved. He returned to the majors in early June and finished his first full St. Louis season with solid overall production and near league-average plate discipline.
"Drafted 21st overall out of high school in 2020, the former third baseman tore through the Single-A, High-A and Double-A levels with a combined .310/.388/.525 line through 2022. Widely considered one of the game's five best prospects entering 2023, Walker cracked the Cardinals' Opening Day roster as a 20-year-old and avoided Triple-A time. That may have been too aggressive on the Cardinals' part, as Walker's career has not gone smoothly."
"With Nolan Arenado entrenched as the Cardinals' third baseman three years ago, they shifted Walker to right field. He got the lion's share of playing time there during the initial few weeks of his rookie campaign and turned heads during a career-opening 12-game hitting streak. Although Walker batted a respectable .279/.329/.412 with two home runs in his first 20 games in the bigs, it was discouraging that he drew just three walks against 20 strikeouts. With Walker also struggling to adjust to a different position, the Cardinals sent him to Triple-A Memphis for the first time in late April."
"Walker mustered a subpar .239/.349/.398 line in 135 plate appearances during what amounted to a 29-game trip to Memphis, but his walk, strikeout and ground-ball rates all trended in the right direction. The Cardinals saw enough progress to summon the 6-foot-6, 250-pounder back to the majors at the beginning of June. He held his own from then on and finished a 117-game, 465-plate appearance first season in St. Louis with a strong .277/.346/.455 line (116 wRC+), 16 homers, and walk (8.0%) and strikeout (22.4%) rates that hovered around league average."
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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