#jordan-walker

#jordan-walker

The Cardinals have more firmly committed to a retool than they did last offseason. They treated last season primarily as an evaluation year but weren't as aggressive in selling off veteran pieces as they've been this winter. Unfortunately, they didn't see any development from former first-round picks and top prospects Jordan Walker and Nolan Gorman. They're in a similar position now as they were 12 months ago, though the pressure is probably ramping up on both players.

The Cardinals have maintained this season is primarily about evaluating young players. It felt like a potential make-or-break year for Jordan Walker, in particular. Walker was viewed as an impact bat when he was a prospect. He impressed with a .276/.342/.445 showing with 16 homers as a 21-year-old rookie. That promising debut feels like an increasingly distant memory. Walker regressed to a .201/.253/.366 line in 51 major league games last year.