There may yet be a glimmer of hope for Jordan Walker's future with the Cardinals

If you've given up the ghost on Jordan Walker ever becoming a productive player for the St. Louis Cardinals, you're in good company. Although he's just 23 years old, the former top prospect has been among the worst hitters in the major leagues over the past couple of seasons, and the excuse of "He's still young" appears more flimsy by the day. Walker has struggled throughout spring training, hitting just .176 with a .222 OBP, and fans' expectations for him in 2026 have plunged deeper than the Mariana Trench.

The Cardinals' past efforts to convert Walker into a power hitter who doesn't drive balls into the ground have not borne any fruit, and it's possible that they have harmed him beyond the point of return. Nate Schwartz of Pitcher List used the Decision Value metric to provide an eye-opening glimpse at Walker's enormously flawed approach against fastballs, which may have stemmed from the Cardinals' insistence that he lay off of breaking balls low and away as a top priority.

Despite Walker's immense struggles, there may still be some hope for the Cardinals outfielder. In an article on The Athletic from Eno Sarris (subscription required), it displayed metrics from Driveline Baseball that illustrated hitters' swings for their ability to hit for contact and power. When it came to the best bat paths for hitters under 26 years old, the list included potential superstars Junior Caminero and James Wood at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. All-world rookie Nick Kurtz finished fourth. And nestled between them for the third-best bat path among young players? That's right — it's Walker.

Some encouraging numbers under the hood could reinvigorate Cardinals fans' hopes for Walker.

Walker also owns the third-fastest swing among qualified hitters, with an average of 78.1 mph, so the package of skills remains intact. Schwartz and others have surmised that Walker's issues ultimately stem from his mental approach at the plate. If he can find the stroke that he appeared to possess in his rookie season, Walker could still make good on some of the promise he displayed as he was flying through the Cardinals farm system. The team has been working tirelessly with Walker on the back fields in an attempt to fix what's gone sour, and if the revamped minor league staff can help him get back on track, there might still be a chance for the one-time can't-miss prospect to deliver on his sky-high potential.

With few fans holding their breath for a breakout after two awful seasons at the plate, Walker could deliver as a post-hype sleeper in 2026 as fans move on to the next bright and shiny toy in JJ Wetherholt. In a rebuilding year, the Cardinals have nothing to lose by playing Walker nearly every day to see if repeated exposure can help him grow as a hitter. If the Cardinals and Walker are finally in lockstep with what he needs to do to succeed and Walker can apply what he's learned to game situations, the payoff could be tremendous.