Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker's swing measures above the rest of the league

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker was given the organization's vote of confidence when he was guaranteed to get 500 or more at-bats during what quickly became a prove-it year for the former first-round pick. After struggling in his first run in the majors, Walker worked with new hitting coach Brant Brown, and the results have been encouraging, but should not be all that surprising.

Earlier in the offseason, I wrote how Walker was a "Statcast darling" thanks to a long, powerful swing coming out of his massive 6'6" frame. The problem with that swing, though, was that he was hitting the ball on the ground far too often for someone with so much power potential. It may be unfair to challenge a 22-year-old with a make-or-break year after being moved up and down between St. Louis and Memphis while also working on a position switch, but so far, he has answered the call. While he still only has one extra-base hit on the year, a solo homer in the team's fifth game of the year, the underlying metrics show he's on his way for a breakout campaign.

Jordan Walker ranks near the top in Statcast bat-tracking metrics.

To the naked eye, it looks like Walker is laying off the low and away breaking ball, which had given him huge issues thus far in his career. Last year, Walker's swing rate on breaking balls was 37% with a whiff rate of 45%. Through 10 games in 2025, those numbers have dropped to 31% and 24%, showing an increase in plate discipline, which has doubled his walk rate from last season from 5.6% to 11.1%. Walker has constantly been in the low-to-mid 20% range for his strikeout rate, and he has been able to maintain that percentage even with his new patient approach.

In the first game of the 2025 season, Jordan Walker announced his breakout campaign with a hard-hit single in his first at-bat. How hard hit? 116.5 mph to be precise, which ranks as the third-fastest exit velocity so far this season. The immediate fan feedback was predictable, wondering how people can be happy about a single instead of a home run, but the process is something to be excited about. A week later, Walker continued his loud hits with a 115.8 mph single against the Angels.

Sure, singles are boring, but every hit counts, especially when they are consistently being hit as hard as Walker has. In terms of the Statcast metrics, the former first-round pick and top prospect is showing off a strong swing and quick hands. His 84.9% fast swing rate is tops in the major leagues, showing that when he swings, he commits to his effort. This swing rate, along with his better plate discipline, sets Walker up for plenty of hard-hit balls in the near future. Those fast swings have averaged 78.5 mph, which is the second-quickest in the majors, and his decreased chase rate has allowed him to attack the ball with confidence more often. Walker's average exit velocity sits at 91.7 mph, ranking in top quarter of the league, but his launch angle has plummeted to a 7.8-degree average. If Walker can adjust his swing slightly and get a few more degrees of launch from his powerful swing, he has the potential to be a 30-homer hitter as long as he maintains his patience at the plate.

Also encouraging is the improved outfield defense from the big right fielder. After totaling -11 DRS in his debut season and a -5 last year, Walker is currently being graded as an average outfielder with an above-average arm. His sprint speed is also ranking near the league leaders, with his 28.3 ft/sec ranking in the top 13% of runners. If he can continue his progression and maintain his positive trends, Walker could be in store for a huge season that could become a stepping stone to a successful career.