St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker continues to be used in a limited fashion following his call-up on August 12. When will he get the chance to improve?
Jordan Walker Continues to be Mismanaged by Cardinals
Offensive Woes
Walker, who began the 2023 season as the Cardinals’ #1 prospect and the #4 prospect in baseball, entered the 2024 season slated to be the starting right fielder. Through 117 games in 2023, Walker slashed .276/.445/.342, raising hopes that he would cement his role as a top player within the organization. He displayed plus power, as he was projected to as a prospect, belting 16 homers. Although the Cardinals had their worst season in over 30 years, Walker’s development shined through as a bright spot in a dismal situation.
However, Walker began to struggle mightily with the advent of the 2024 season. In 58 plate appearances through March and April, Walker hit only .155. During that time, he had no home runs and only four RBI. The Cardinals, contrary to their plans in spring training, were forced to send Walker down to Triple-A Memphis.
The injuries to Tommy Edman and Lars Nootbaar spurred a crisis in the Cardinals outfield. In the meantime, the emergence of Alec Burleson and defensive phenom Michael Siani have filled this gap.
Resurgence in Memphis
Walker, following his struggles to begin the season, found a groove during his time with Triple-A Memphis. Through 78 games, he slashed .257/.426/.321 with nine home runs and 33 RBI. His performance especially heated up in the month of July, which he capped off with a monster, 434-foot homer.
JORDAN WALKER 434 FT NUKE pic.twitter.com/F6rcqlVdKZ
— Jacob (@JacobE_STL) August 11, 2024
Return to St. Louis
As the Cardinals faded toward .500, much criticism went toward their abysmal numbers against left-handed pitchers. In a mostly left-handed hitting lineup, games against lefty starters frequently saw the inconsistent offense being shut down. In 2024, the Cardinals have only hit .232 against lefties, a 19-point difference from their splits against righties.
The Cardinals struggled to gather wins after the All-Star Break against a line of lefty pitchers. The front office added outfielder Tommy Pham as a platoon bat to stem this issue. Pham performed well in his first couple of games. However, his efficiency has been limited by his inability to hit for power and his lack of reliability on defense.
Although there were many calls for Jordan Walker to get another chance in the majors during this time, the Cardinals only decided to make this move upon the injury to veteran infielder Matt Carpenter. While this freed up a spot on the roster, many wondered why the decision had been delayed for so long given the Cardinals’ need for offensive pop.
In his first series back against the Cincinnati Reds, Walker only started the first game, going 0-for-3 with a walk. Despite this, with the Cardinals having lost the series to the Reds, a question remains: why does Walker remain on the bench?
Platoon Role
As reported by Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Cardinals plan to use their prospect in a platoon role, primarily against lefties, down the stretch.
#stlcards are positioning Jordan Walker as a platoon player vs. lefties — he’s not in the lineup again today — which would have meant a lot of playing time a few weeks ago. But …
As of right now #Cardinals face RH starters in six of next seven games.https://t.co/g8CAsPxRPR
— Derrick Goold (@dgoold) August 14, 2024
The Cardinals have faced major criticism in recent years for the management of their prospects, especially those who play the outfield. Highly touted prospect Dylan Carlson never truly panned out and was dealt to the Tampa Bay Rays at the trade deadline. Players such as Adolis Garcia and Randy Arozarena have been traded away only to become stars in other markets. Is Jordan Walker simply the latest case of a mismanaged Cardinals prospect?
The decision to send down a projected starter after only 20 games is, indeed, questionable. The same goes for the decision to delay his call-up to a point in the season when his playing time will be severely limited by the team’s schedule.
With all the mystery to prospect analysis and projection, there is one tried and true fact. A player does not get better sitting on the bench.
In a disappointing season for the Cardinals, one is tempted to look toward the future. The continued mismanagement of a top prospect does not bode well for such a perspective.
Photo Credit: © Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
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