Jordan Walker's emotional reaction to All-Star nod should make Cardinals fans proud

The St. Louis Cardinals managed a huge 3-0 shutout victory over the Chicago Cubs to secure the series outright, but that was only the second most important storyline of July 4th’s affair. 

In a fog-ridden contest, where players struggled to see the ball, the story was clear—St. Louis’ very own Jordan Walker was named a National League All-Star. 

The 24-year-old phenom is slashing .290/.348/.519 and has already set a new career high with 19 home runs. 

“I don’t have to remind anybody in this room; this game is hard,” manager Oliver Marmol said to the Cardinals clubhouse. “There’s a ton of ups and downs and twists and turns in this game. So many times, we get to a point where we doubt ourselves. This is why this one’s super special. …

“This All-Star selection, J-Walk, isn’t about, in my opinion, three months of production, brother. It’s about three years of perseverance.” 

Walker was clearly teary-eyed as his teammates smiled and waited for the room to erupt. 

“This entire room has seen this dude get criticized, sent down. A ton of people doubted you becoming the player you’re becoming right now. And through that entire process, you have stayed true to yourself. That’s special.” 

Marmol would end his speech, and the room erupted with cheers for the first time All-Star. Walker isn’t the next big thing anymore; he’s on top of the St. Louis baseball world. 

Jordan Walker reacts to his first All-Star selection 

Before the Cardinals and Cubs managed to get game two off the ground, there was a short rain delay. 

In that quick interception, MLB.com reporter Zach Sweet managed to nab Walker for an interview, discussing his first appearance at the Midsummer Classic.

“It kind of scared me, in all honesty,” Walker said, with tears in his eyes. “Oli came out with it in the meeting; I was on the verge of tears and still am. It was just a moment I’ll never forget. We talked about the journey to get there, you know, personally giving me my All-Star invite, it was an unbelievable moment. I can’t even really describe how it feels.”

Walker earned his first All-Star bid by putting together the best stretch of his young career. Although Marmol made it clear in his speech, this is no three-month story. Years of perseverance, demotions, and hard work have molded Walker into one of the National League’s most promising talents. 

For the Cardinals, this is more than an individual accomplishment. It acts as validation that a large part of St. Louis’ future has finally arrived. When Walker was in Triple-A, ranked as the Cardinals' top prospect, he’d already been deemed an "All-Star talent" by evaluators across the game. Now, he is one. 

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