St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker came to the big leagues with high expectations a few years ago. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, he hasn't lived up to the hype.
While he's struggled over the last few seasons, the young outfielder is beginning to heat up for the Cardinals right now and he could potentially be headed for much brighter days. Still, not everybody is sold on him yet.
Russ Eddins of Just Baseball recently shared some harsh opinions on the struggling Walker.
"While Walker has hit very well recently, it will not last. His BABIP over the last two weeks is an enormous .556," Eddins wrote. "His strikeout rate since May 15 is 41.2%, and his walk rate is 2.9%. Plus, he has put the ball on the ground 47.4% of the time. On the year, he ranks in the ninth percentile or worse in xwOBA, xBA, xSLG, squared-up rate, whiff rate and strikeout rate.
"Walker has provided very little value across the board. His defense has not significantly hurt the Cardinals, but it has not been great. His hard-hit rate is good, but he is not barreling pitches up. He chases way too much and whiffs a lot. With the Cardinals playing well and putting themselves in a playoff position, how much time is left for a struggling Walker?"
There are a lot of concerning numbers with walker. He's striking out a lot while not walking much at all. His underlying numbers suggest he's not going to be successful unless big changes are made.
But the one number that wasn't mentioned is his age: 23 years old.
Walker has plenty of time. Everybody seems in a hurry for him to make an All-Star Game or be cut from the Cardinals, but that's an extreme point of view to take. The young outfielder has time and potential to grow into a star.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!