Jordan Walker is exactly the type of player the St. Louis Cardinals need
It’s probably going to be a long time before we have a conclusive answer about whether the St. Louis Cardinals knew what they were doing in the 2020 MLB draft when they went heavy on high school players.
But, while the team has been able to develop and field some useful pitchers over the past decade or so, it’s been a long, long time since the club was able to find a big time middle of the order power source in the amateur ranks and bring him to the major leagues. The closest they’ve come to filling that bill since Albert Pujols are the likes of Matt Carpenter, Chris Duncan, Matt Adams and Randall Grichuk. So it’s worth taking a gamble on 18-year-old slugger Jordan Walker.
There’s no question that when Walker hits the ball, it goes a long way. They question is can he make contact consistently enough to be a middle of the order hitter in the big leagues? Even a guy who is a .240 hitter with 40 home run power would be useful because those guys are prohibitively expensive on the free agent market.
One thing Walker offers that Dunn didn’t is defensive ability. At 6-foot-5, he’d be huge by third basemen standards. Based on build, I could easily see him move across the diamond to be the heir apparent to Paul Goldschmidt. But I hope the Cardinals don’t give up the idea too quickly because with soft hands and a long body, Walker could play the hot corner with reach and range not seen in these parts since another tall guy, Scott Rolen, played the position.
Sure, number two prospect Nolan Gorman plays third base. But, first, the two players are eons apart in the development process — assuming Walker signs, which I think he will. Second, if Walker proves to be a better third baseman, Gorman seems like he could end up being a good fit for an outfielder corner. Unfortunately, by the time bother players could be in the big leagues together, the designated hitter will also be in the picture, which further eliminates concerns about their redundancy.
The Cardinals stuck with their recent custom of selecting high-upside pitchers with their later picks in the shortened 2020 draft to make sure the don’t walk away completely empty handed. But, drafting in the lower third of the first round as a playoff team last season, St. Louis made the most out of their opportunity to add a hitter to the middle of the lineup. While he’s young, Walker strikes me as a guy who will show what he can do sooner than later because of his athleticism and dedication to becoming a major league player.
If he can learn how to hit major league breaking balls, he has the tools to stick. And if he sticks, Walker won’t just help to win ballgames. He’s a multi-dimensional player that will make him a favorite among Cardinals fans. In short, if St. Louis want to win big, they needed to be willing to make a big bet. That’s exactly what’s happened in this draft. It’s not what we’ve come to expect from the team’s player development methods. But when the count is in your favor, it’s time to swing for the fences.
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Scott Wuerz is a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan. The Cheap Seats blog is written from his perspective as a fan and is designed to spark discussion among fans of the Cardinals and other MLB teams. Sources supporting his views and opinions are linked. If you’re looking for Cardinals news and features, check out the BND’s Cardinals section.
