Apr 8, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker (18) points to the sky after hitting a home run against the Washington Nationals during the fifth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

Jordan Walker's Incredible Season Reaches New Peak After Another Big Day

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Zach Pressnell | Last updated Apr 12, 2026 3:18 PM ET

The St. Louis Cardinals came into the season in a rebuild. As a result, it didn't seem like the fans had too much to be excited about.

But that couldn't be further from the truth.

While rookie second baseman JJ Wetherholt dominated headlines in spring training and early into the season, it's young outfielder Jordan Walker who's been the Cardinals' best player. Walker originally debuted in St. Louis in 2023, so a lot of baseball fans forget the fact that he's only 23 years old. There are multiple top prospects around the league older than Walker. While he's struggled for the first three years of his career, it's important to remember he's young and a very raw talent.

And he's turned his play around in a big way this year.

Jordan Walker smashes 7th home run of the season

Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Walker smashed a huge home run this week. And then he smashed another one and another one. By the time the week was over, Walker had homered five times with his seventh homer of the season coming on Sunday against the Boston Red Sox.

Jordan Walker hits his MLB-leading 7th homer of the season pic.twitter.com/FREs3N5zfj
— MLB (@MLB) April 12, 2026

This seventh home run pushed him into the league lead through the first few weeks of the season. Walker only homered six times in 111 games last season. He hit five home runs in 51 games in 2024. The 2023 season was his best before this year, and he still only homered 16 times in 117 games. Now the young slugger has hit seven home runs in 15 games, including a home run in six of the last eight games.

Jordan Walker is a completely different animal this year

Tim Vizer-Imagn Images

Walker has made changes with his swing this year, but it seems like the biggest changes have come in his approach.

Last year, Walker was striking out a lot with a strikeout rate of over 30 percent. He was only making contact on 78 percent of swings in the zone. He was chasing a lot, taking a lot of strikes, and whiffing more than almost any player in the league.

This year, he's still chasing and whiffing, though the rates are slightly better. The main difference is the fact that he's being much more aggressive in the zone. He's also launching the ball in the air, which, paired with his incredible power, often leads to homers.

This breakout isn't by accident. And it might not be a hot stretch. This might be Walker finally putting all the pieces together. Could he be headed for 30 home runs this season?

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

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