Jordan Walker: From Prodigy to Powerhouse – The Cardinals’ Rising Star Finds His Swing

Once upon a time, in 2019, reporters and analysts were all asking the same questions. Is Jordan Walker really that good?

True MLB fans probably started asking themselves that question in 2019 — when Walker was just 17 years-old. Even then, he showed signs of being a prodigy. Standing 6-foot-5, with a 220-pound wide shoulder frame and a 3.98 Grade Point Average, he was already on the radar of the Saint Louis Cardinals. 

According to Cardinals sports writer John Denton, the late scout Charles Peterson assembled a meet-and-greet in suburban Atlanta for some of the top 2020 Draft prospects in the Southeast. 

It was more of a formality, as the Cards’ primary focus had always been the 17-year-old from Decatur, Georgia.

According to  Randy Flores, the Cardinals’ assistant general manager and director of scouting, Walker stood out not just as an exceptional athlete but also as a young man comfortable in his own skin. 

“There’s a line that players often give when they are doing these interviews when you ask them about whether they would rather start their pro careers or collegiate careers,” Flores said. 

“They usually give some prepared statement of, ‘I’m fine either way,’ and it sounds practiced and not authentic. In Jordan’s case, his face, his smile and his eyes showed you how authentic he was, and it seemed as if he was finding his way [as a young adult]. There was an ease to him that didn’t seem practiced or fake. In that split second, you came away from the conversation with him impressed with how comfortable he was with his path and where he was going in life.”

The prodigy from Decatur High School in Georgia was drafted 21st overall by the Cardinals in the 2020 MLB Draft and began his ascent through the minor leagues.

On March 30, 2023, at just 20 years old, Walker made his MLB debut, making him the youngest Cardinal to debut since 1999. Even with his immense talents, his seasons were marked with inconsistencies, which led to back stints in the minors to hone his skills and swing mechanics.

Eventually, Walker worked on his swing with Cardinals’ hitting coach Brant Brown. The adjustments began to bear fruit in the latter part of the 2024 season. In September, Walker’s performance saw an uptick; he hit .253 with five home runs, six doubles, and 16 RBIs, culminating in a .780 OPS for the month. Notably, he recorded a 425-foot home run and registered the hardest-hit ball of the Cardinals’ season at 115.5 mph, signaling a positive trajectory in his development.

As the 2025 season unfolds, Walker stepped on a sprinkler head while tracking a fly ball in right field and sustained a right knee injury. Cardinals’ manager Oliver Marmol said Walker is feeling good and his progress is ahead of schedule. 

As he is looking to return to full baseball activities as soon as possible, Walker continues to focus on consistency and further refining his skills. His journey underscores the challenges young athletes face in adapting to the highest levels of competition and the resilience required to succeed. 

With his physical attributes and a recalibrated swing, Walker is poised to solidify his role as a key contributor to the Cardinals’ lineup, embodying the potential the organization envisioned when they drafted him.