It seems like whenever the St. Louis Cardinals come up in conversation, the focus immediately switches to the turmoil surrounding the Nolan Arenado trade speculation. We all know that the Cardinals are poised to enter a rebuilding phase, and they have made moves to reflect that thinking. But this does not imply that 2025 will be devoid of bright spots.
Jordan Walker is a young, talented prospect who the Cardinals can build around. Walker, who is still 22 years old, has a lot of power but struggled in 51 games last year, hitting.201 with five home runs and 20 RBIs despite being demoted to Triple-A three times. Walker has yet to live up to his great hype, but he still has youth on his side, and St. Louis’ coaching revamp over the offseason appears to be paying off quickly.
Jordan Walker and new Cardinals hitting coach meshing well
Despite his problems last season, Walker has proven that he can be successful in the major leagues. Walker made his MLB debut in 2023, playing 117 games and hitting.276 with 16 home runs and 51 RBIs.
Walker is relying on his new hitting instructor, Brant Brown, to help him back to this level or better. According to John Denton of MLB.com, these two appear to be getting along well already.
“Brownie’s done a really good job with body stuff and how each player moves, and he’s laid out his plan with me and it all starts in the pre-workout routine,” Walker said. “One thing that Brownie has been good about is pointing out the things I was good at when I was a prospect and what I did at the end of 2023 when I was hitting good. He has me so excited.”
Walker admits that he may have pressed too hard last season, since he has a tendency to expect fast results and not trust the process of becoming a superstar at the highest levels. Brown has gained Walker’s trust by emphasizing his successes rather than focusing solely on the changes that must be addressed. Although the Cardinals may not be contenders in 2025, fans will witness how bright the future is in St. Louis if Brown and Walker’s offseason effort translates to the field.
