Feb 22, 2026; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker (18) celebrates after scoring against the Houston Astros during the fifth inning at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Cardinals' Patience with Jordan Walker Not Paying Off

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Curt Bishop | Last updated Mar 18, 2026 7:35 AM ET

The St. Louis Cardinals are focusing on their youth in 2026 and giving more opportunities to players who haven't exactly had the chance to shine in their time in the big leagues. However, there is one player who may be down to his last chance.

Jordan Walker burst onto the scene in 2023 and was one of the few bright spots in a disastrous 71-91 season. Since then, he has fallen on hard times.

The Cardinals want to give him every chance to prove himself in 2026, but there are a lot of red flags early on. Sooner or later, it may be time for the Cardinals to pull the plug on Walker.

Cardinals' patience with Walker being tested

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Walker is hitting just .176/.222/.176 without any home runs, only two RBI and a .398 OPS this spring. Meanwhile, players like Nelson Velazquez and Thomas Saggese are performing much better at the plate, and are also pushing for more outfield opportunities.

At a certain point, the Cardinals are going to have to make the obvious decision. Even though they are rebuilding and not prioritizing winning this year, they still need to see results from Walker, and if other players are performing better, then they ultimately deserve to have the most opportunities.

For the past two seasons, Walker has been unable to replicate his 2023 success. He has power in his bat, but a big problem for him is that he has been hitting the ball on the ground too frequently. The Cardinals need to see him tap into his power if they are going to give him a full runway this season.

And when Lars Nootbaar finally returns from his heel surgeries, the outfield picture becomes more complicated for St. Louis, especially if Velazquez and Saggese are performing well. At that point, Walker may find himself out of the Cardinals' shuffle.

In addition, Joshua Baez is emerging as a real power threat in the minor leagues, so that could also complicate things for Walker. It will be interesting to see what the Cardinals decide to do with Walker, but at a certain point, they are going to have to make a decision on Walker and give other players opportunities if he can't get his bat going.

2026 is a crucial year for him, but it might be time for the Cardinals to give opportunities to players who are going to produce better at the plate.

This article first appeared on St. Louis Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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