Cardinals: 3 reasons why Jordan Walker won't make the Opening Day roster

There are three reasons why the Cardinals may wait for Jordan Walker to make his MLB debut

The St. Louis Cardinals are just a week away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Jupiter, Florida for Spring Training, and it's time for us to begin to take closer looks at what storylines are surrounding the club prior to Opening Day. One of the biggest stories will revolve around top prospect Jordan Walker, who will be looking to do everything he can to break camp with the Major League club.

There is plenty of excitement surrounding the 20-year-old as he competes for a roster spot. Walker is consistently being ranked a top-5 prospect in all of baseball and has all of the tools to be a superstar for St. Louis. Even after spending a full season in Double-A and getting a shot in the Arizona Fall League, Walker did nothing but impress at the plate and has transitioned well to becoming a primary outfielder. Analytically, his batted ball stats are putting him in some elite categories heading into this season.

With all of that being said, it should be a no-brainer that Walker is on the Opening Day roster, right? If Walker performs at a high level in Spring Training, wouldn't the club want his bat in their lineup every day? MLB's new rules incentivize clubs to have top prospects on the Opening Day roster if they win Rookie of the Year, their club receives an extra first-round pick. With the way this front office has been drafting in recent years, that would be a huge get.

Well, even as someone who really wants to see Walker on the Opening Day roster, there are multiple reasons why I would bet the Cardinals start Walker out in Triple-A Memphis this season. Should any one of these reasons become a non-issue though, I bet Walker makes the club. But for now, here are three reasons Jordan Walker will not be on the Opening Day roster for St. Louis in 2023.