1 week agoSt. Louis Cardinals outfielder
Jordan Walker will get hit first day off of the season on Sunday against the visiting Minnesota Twins at Busch Stadium.
Lars Nootbaar is in right field and batting leadoff again, while
Brendan Donovan will start in left field and bat third against Twins right-hander
Bailey Ober. The 22-year-old Walker might be in make-or-break season in St. Louis in 2025, but so far he's off to a good start in his first two ball games of the year, going 2-for-5 with two walks and a run scored in eight plate appearances as the team's regular right-fielder. Walker, the team's former top prospect, struggled in 168 big-league games over two seasons coming into this year with a .255/.317/.423 slash line with 154 strikeouts in 643 plate appearances. If Walker can make more contact, his power stroke will play in fantasy, and he's going to get plenty of run to prove himself.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 weeks agoSt. Louis Cardinals outfielder
Jordan Walker (knee) is returning to the starting lineup on Saturday afternoon. He is slated to cover right field and bat in the six-hole. The former 21st overall selection in the 2020 MLB Draft has been sidelined since early March with this knee injury. However, seeing him return to the lineup suggests he will not face any restrictions by Opening Day. When healthy, Walker is expected to serve as their everyday right fielder. Last season, Walker held an underwhelming .201/.253/.366 slash line with 10 doubles and five home runs across 51 contests. However, he began to find his footing in the final month of the regular season as he posted a much-higher .253/.388/.494 line. During his rookie season, Walker posted a .276/.342/.445 line. The 22-year-old is worth a look as a late-round option in five outfielder leagues as he took significant steps in his development at the end of the 2024 campaign.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Katie Woo
4 weeks agoSt. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said that if all goes well with outfielder
Jordan Walker (knee) over the next couple of days in camp, he will return to Grapefruit League action on Saturday. Walker has been out of spring training games since last Tuesday due to left-knee irritation but has taken batting practice and been tracking fly balls in the outfield over the last two days. It looks like the 22-year-old former top prospect is putting his sore knee behind him, and he still has plenty of time to get up to full speed before Opening Day in late March. The former 21st overall pick hit 16 home runs in his rookie season in 2023 but batted .201 with 50 K's in 178 plate appearances last year and was sent to the minors. Walker is going to get his chance as the starting right fielder in 2025, but it might be a make-or-break year for him in St. Louis.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - John Denton
4 weeks agoSt. Louis Cardinals outfielder
Jordan Walker (knee) made progress in his return from left knee inflammation, according to manager Oli Marmol. The 22-year-old worked on baserunning movement and did some work in the batting cage. A return to spring games should be around the corner if all goes to plan, and the expectation remains that he'll be ready for Opening Day. The 6-foot-6 slugger is hoping to start 2025 better than he did in 2024 when he slashed .155/.239/.259 before getting sent back to Triple-A by the end of April. The former first-rounder has worked on his swing in the offseason in hopes of a turnaround, so hopefully this injury doesn't set him back too far. The right-handed hitter is penciled in as the team's right fielder, and if he can get back to the 22.4 percent K% he posted in 2023, then a much-improved batting average, along with double-digit home runs and steals could be in the cards. Going at the end of drafts, he could be a value if he can stick with the big league club for the entire year.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Lynn Worthy - St. Louis Post-Dispatch
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