3 nightmare scenarios for Cardinals at this year's MLB Trade Deadline

Nightmare #3 - The Cardinals sell low on Jordan Walker

Jordan Walker should not be untouchable.

But the Cardinals also should not move him for anything less than a blockbuster return. And even then, they better be sure they are making the right call.

Walker has lost a lot of his shine as an asset, but I still believe in the talent he has and the potential to be a game-changer for this club. But at the same time, if they are able to bring in the combo of Mason Miller and Brent Rooker, swing big for an ace like Tarik Skubal, or some unforeseen blockbuster move, then he has to be in play.

Things could not have gone worse for Walker so far in 2024, and it has been wildly disappointing, to say the least. Just a year after being one of the youngest players in all of Major League Baseball and producing at a high level, Walker looks lost in Memphis, and I doubt we see him back in St. Louis until 2025.

Even so, Walker is still just 22 years old, younger than most players he is facing at the Triple-A level, and still has all of the tools to become a major threat for a long time. His struggles cannot be ignored, but it is also probably an overreaction to sell all of your Walker stock. Just look at guys like Corbin Carroll and Julio Rodriguez who are struggling right now as well. Player development is not as linear as we would like it to be.

Thankfully, I don't foresee a deal being on the table for St. Louis that they would actually consider selling low on Walker. There is no way they trade Walker for a low-ceiling starter or rental player, so I feel pretty confident they won't be making this mistake.

Still, it's a nightmare scenario that is at least in the realm of possibilities.