What managers can expect from Jordan Walker
St. Louis Cardinals rookie Jordan Walker has all the tools to make an impact right away in his first big league season, though managers may have to be patient with his strikeouts.
Video Transcript
- In spite of a slow finish to his spring, 20-year old Jordan Walker made the Cardinals and should get to play regularly between the corner outfield spots and DH. Walker firmly established himself as one of the game's best prospects while hitting .306 with 19 homers and 22 steals in AA last year, but he was viewed as a long shot to make the Cardinals until blasting three homers in his first six spring games this year. He's been the talk of the Grapefruit League since, even as he's gone homerless in his last 13 games and hitless in four in a row.
Walker is an awe-inspiring talent, one with the power potential to lead the league in homers someday. He's also an excellent athlete with plus speed for now, and he's generally been pretty smooth as a novice outfielder who was forced off his old position by Nolan Arenado's presence in St. Louis. He'll probably strikeout enough as a rookie to limit his batting average potential, but not so much that it figures to cost him playing time.
If all goes well, he should finish with 20 to 25 homers and 10 to 15 steals in his first big league season.
