Outfielder Jordan Walker has been one of baseball’s top talents since being chosen as the 21st pick in the 2020 MLB Draft. Despite quickly reaching the Major Leagues, the St. Louis Cardinals‘ young star has experienced ups and downs in his career.
This includes frequently moving between the major club and the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds. He began the 2024 season as the starting right fielder for the Cards but was sent down on April 24 after batting .155 with no home runs and just RBI in 58 at-bats.
Walker, 21, has performed well in the Minor Leagues, hitting .300 in his first 40 at-bats. The 6’6″, 250-lb. power hitter recently spoke with the Memphis Commercial Appeal about being sent back down to the farm for the second year in a row.
Back to the Minors
Despite expecting a breakout year with the Cardinals in 2024, Walker hasn’t had one so far. However, he remains positive as he works through his issues at the plate.
“Honestly, I'm just trying to be the best person I can be,” Walker said. “I believe that getting practice is always beneficial. If that means doing it in Memphis, then I'm all for it. I just want a chance to improve my hitting, and I know I will. I always have faith in myself regarding hitting.”
He acknowledged that there's a higher level of pressure playing in the Major Leagues.
“It’s definitely challenging to stay calm up there,” he noted. “Those games are high pressure, with fans shouting at you and everything. But one thing I did better last year, which I didn't do as much at the start of this year, is telling myself to relax before the game.”
Walker mentioned that he benefited from the guidance of his veteran teammate, 38-year-old Matt Carpenter, who was also in Memphis for a rehab assignment. The young outfielder stated that Carpenter provided valuable advice as he continues to enhance his game.
“He's been helping me and reminding me that I've played baseball for a while,” Walker said. “If I struggle for a month, it doesn’t define the type of player I am. He really emphasized that and also stressed the importance of sticking to what works. Just don’t stray from it.”
Jordan Walker Remains One of the Cardinals’ Top Young Stars
Walker had a successful rookie season in 2023, batting .276 with 16 home runs, 51 RBI, and a .787 OPS. Going into 2024, the Cardinals anticipated significant progress from him. Nevertheless, his setback is viewed as temporary, and it's widely believed that he will be called back up soon.
“There was a lot of discussion and consideration about what’s best for Jordan’s development; going to a less pressured environment and working on the things that he’s been focusing on in recent weeks made sense,” Cards manager Oliver Marmol stated at the time of the demotion, according to MLB.com‘s John Denton. “I had a good conversation with him this morning, and he felt good about going down there, putting in the work, and getting back to performing well. He needs to feel confident about his swing and pitch selection in order to come back up to help us.”
Marmol explained that it's important for Jordan to be selective about which pitches he swings at and to adjust to how the league is pitching to him. He acknowledged that being demoted is not ideal, but it may be necessary given the circumstances.
The plan is to give playing time to Iván Herrera and Willson Contreras as designated hitters, and to Alec Burleson if Walker is not going to be in the lineup regularly due to his age. It's believed that it's best for him to go down to the minors to play every day and improve his skills.
