New Cardinals coaches are zeroing in on Jordan Walker's legs

Once thought of as a potential favorite for a season worthy of Rookie of the Year, St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker has found major league baseball to be tough sledding thus far in his short career. But Walker is entering 2025 with renewed enthusiasm, as he has heaped praise on new hitting coach Brant Brown and assistant coach Jon Jay.

Brown and Jay are trying to get Walker to use his legs more on offense and defense.

During Winter Warm-Ups, Walker discussed Brown's knowledge of how players' bodies work and how they move best. In an interview with KMOV, Walker mentioned how Brown is stressing the importance of using his legs more in his swing, which would help unlock Walker's lower half and allow him to hit for more power.

"For me specifically, the key points he wants me to focus on is staying in my legs and don't really worry about what my hands are doing," said Walker. "My hands are going to follow my body, so we went through all the intricate things like body control, where am I putting my force through the ball, not pulling off, staying kind of in there."

Jay, who has been working with Walker on the defensive side of his game, also emphasized the importance of using one's legs for more than just running after fly balls. According to Walker, Jay told him that he wouldn't be able to field that tough hop if he's not "staying in his legs."

Walker said the new coaches are teaching him lessons that he's never heard before. For many athletes, the importance of legs in sports is common knowledge, but as Walker has likely always been able to get by on his natural gifts at lower levels, he might never have been subjected to this instruction. But it's unpleasant to think that former Cardinals coaches never thought to instill this knowledge in Walker or correct the flaw when he struggled.

The Cardinals have hopefully found instructors who can maximize their players' potential. Brown has apparently imparted his wisdom on many hitters in the organization, but Walker might be his most important project, as the future of the Cardinals is heavily dependent on whether he can reach his ceiling. If Brown and Jay have managed to correct what was ailing Walker last season, he could be primed for a monster performance in 2025.