RotoGraphs on Jordan Walker

[mattmitchl44]

https://fantasy.fangraphs.com/is-jordan ... -breakout/

[NYCardsFan]

A lot of moving parts, both literally and figuratively . . .

[rockondlouie]

Wash-Rinse-Repeat

The "breakout" has been predicted for a few years now.

[TheFantasyStud]

Come on Walker get her done.

My retirement is based pn your bowman chrome psa 10 auto rookie card.

[bccardsfan]

I will believe it when I see the breakout. Unless he learns to lay off the low and away breaking ball off the plate, and stops taking strike one right down the middle, it really matters little what his back hip is doing. The kid needs to relax, and swing at strikes. I am not saying it is an easy thing to do, but if cannot reset his whole approach to ABs, then he will continue to struggle. See the ball, hit the ball, swing at strikes. Sounds easy.....but this isn't slow pitch. Some guys can, some guys cannot. Stormin' Norman is a mistake pitch hitter who cannot lay off the high fastball. Again, another guy who needs to adjust his approach. Hopefully these guys can do that. Donovan is a guy who consistently takes good ABs. I will miss him....

[ramfandan]

With Walker lack of maturity has held him back. Mentally was not buying in to coaching instructions. Heard that this offseason he finally is realizing that to improve he must buy in as his’ way not working.
Like in most sports at thr highest levels, you play the game from the neck up .
We will see this spring if his offseason work has paid off.

[rockondlouie]

Come on Walker get her done.

My retirement is based pn your bowman chrome psa 10 auto rookie card.

Got a kid FS?

Then show him how we use to put cards like Walkers in the bike spokes.

[HighHeet]

Come on Walker get her done.

My retirement is based pn your bowman chrome psa 10 auto rookie card.

Got a kid FS?

Then show him how we use to put cards like Walkers in the bike spokes.

[C-Unit]

It would almost be more encouraging to me, rather than some random hot streak, to see Walker simply post a reasonable "floor" type season. Let's say we get to the AS break and he's hitting .270 with about a .775 OPS, maybe 8-10 homers and 40+ rbi or so. I'd look at that as a great sign. Although, I know given the defense and other factors that makeup WAR, that would probably not be interpreted as enough overall value all things considered. Even still, that's the type of thing that would really encourage me about his hitting. I hope out hope but as the article outlines there are a lot of things to fix. What a shame how far we are now from the optimism around him as a prospect.

[bccardsfan]

It would almost be more encouraging to me, rather than some random hot streak, to see Walker simply post a reasonable "floor" type season. Let's say we get to the AS break and he's hitting .270 with about a .775 OPS, maybe 8-10 homers and 40+ rbi or so. I'd look at that as a great sign. Although, I know given the defense and other factors that makeup WAR, that would probably not be interpreted as enough overall value all things considered. Even still, that's the type of thing that would really encourage me about his hitting. I hope out hope but as the article outlines there are a lot of things to fix. What a shame how far we are now from the optimism around him as a prospect.

I agree. Let's hope JJW is the hitter he is hyped to be.....

[C-Unit]

It would almost be more encouraging to me, rather than some random hot streak, to see Walker simply post a reasonable "floor" type season. Let's say we get to the AS break and he's hitting .270 with about a .775 OPS, maybe 8-10 homers and 40+ rbi or so. I'd look at that as a great sign. Although, I know given the defense and other factors that makeup WAR, that would probably not be interpreted as enough overall value all things considered. Even still, that's the type of thing that would really encourage me about his hitting. I hope out hope but as the article outlines there are a lot of things to fix. What a shame how far we are now from the optimism around him as a prospect.

I agree. Let's hope JJW is the hitter he is hyped to be.....

For Wetherholt, I'm going to go off the 55 FV for now. In that, I don't think anyone is projecting him to be a league MVP type player. I think he has plus hit-tool abilities and that's the main appeal. If he becomes a consistent .290-.300 hitter (.370+ OBP) with 18-20 homers and 35+ doubles, I think he would be meeting expectations. He's going to have to be just one component of an overall bigger collection of core type position players. Hopefully RRodriguez, Bernal, and Baez (or Walker lol) are part of it one day along with Herrera and Winn (Burleson too). It'll have to grow.

[juan good eye]

It would almost be more encouraging to me, rather than some random hot streak, to see Walker simply post a reasonable "floor" type season. Let's say we get to the AS break and he's hitting .270 with about a .775 OPS, maybe 8-10 homers and 40+ rbi or so. I'd look at that as a great sign. Although, I know given the defense and other factors that makeup WAR, that would probably not be interpreted as enough overall value all things considered. Even still, that's the type of thing that would really encourage me about his hitting. I hope out hope but as the article outlines there are a lot of things to fix. What a shame how far we are now from the optimism around him as a prospect.

It depends how he gets there.

Slow but steady progress?

Are the underlying metrics positive?

Or is he selling out in every other area of his AB just to only pace for 20ish homers while having some short term high BABIP propping up his BA midway through the season?

[Cardinals4Life]

It would almost be more encouraging to me, rather than some random hot streak, to see Walker simply post a reasonable "floor" type season. Let's say we get to the AS break and he's hitting .270 with about a .775 OPS, maybe 8-10 homers and 40+ rbi or so. I'd look at that as a great sign. Although, I know given the defense and other factors that makeup WAR, that would probably not be interpreted as enough overall value all things considered. Even still, that's the type of thing that would really encourage me about his hitting. I hope out hope but as the article outlines there are a lot of things to fix. What a shame how far we are now from the optimism around him as a prospect.

It depends how he gets there.

Slow but steady progress?

Are the underlying metrics positive?

Or is he selling out in every other area of his AB just to only pace for 20ish homers while having some short term high BABIP propping up his BA midway through the season?

Huh?????

[ICCFIM2]

It would almost be more encouraging to me, rather than some random hot streak, to see Walker simply post a reasonable "floor" type season. Let's say we get to the AS break and he's hitting .270 with about a .775 OPS, maybe 8-10 homers and 40+ rbi or so. I'd look at that as a great sign. Although, I know given the defense and other factors that makeup WAR, that would probably not be interpreted as enough overall value all things considered. Even still, that's the type of thing that would really encourage me about his hitting. I hope out hope but as the article outlines there are a lot of things to fix. What a shame how far we are now from the optimism around him as a prospect.

If Walker puts up a 775 OPS and he can improve his defense to average, we should be doing cartwheels. That is an enormous improvement. He has the talent, it is all about pitch recognition. If he can learn that, he will probably not hit the ceiling we all hoped he might. But, a solid 800 OPS player is not unattainable. For players with eligible ABS, there were only 47 players that did that in 2025. So that is still a fantastic player even if not elite. The Cardinals had exactly 1 player on the list of 47 last year, Alec Burleson.

[ICCFIM2]

It would almost be more encouraging to me, rather than some random hot streak, to see Walker simply post a reasonable "floor" type season. Let's say we get to the AS break and he's hitting .270 with about a .775 OPS, maybe 8-10 homers and 40+ rbi or so. I'd look at that as a great sign. Although, I know given the defense and other factors that makeup WAR, that would probably not be interpreted as enough overall value all things considered. Even still, that's the type of thing that would really encourage me about his hitting. I hope out hope but as the article outlines there are a lot of things to fix. What a shame how far we are now from the optimism around him as a prospect.

I agree. Let's hope JJW is the hitter he is hyped to be.....

For Wetherholt, I'm going to go off the 55 FV for now. In that, I don't think anyone is projecting him to be a league MVP type player. I think he has plus hit-tool abilities and that's the main appeal. If he becomes a consistent .290-.300 hitter (.370+ OBP) with 18-20 homers and 35+ doubles, I think he would be meeting expectations. He's going to have to be just one component of an overall bigger collection of core type position players. Hopefully RRodriguez, Bernal, and Baez (or Walker lol) are part of it one day along with Herrera and Winn (Burleson too). It'll have to grow.

Wetherholdt is rated a 60 as far as I can see and his hit tool was rated 65. I think Brendan Donovan with a bit more power is who he likely will be. So a 290/370/450 is probably the right expectation. Ceiling is probably 300/385/480. Donovan for comparison has a career slash line is 282/361/411. I agree with your comment entirely other than I am assuming your first line was a typo.

An entire team of Weatherholdt's is a really good team. I have always been of the view that a championship team needs 2 900+ 2 800+ 4 750 and 1 700 OPS guys with the 700 guy being a great defensive player. Hopefully Herrera will be a 900 guy. Wetheholdt and Burleson can be the 2 800 guys. That leaves a missing elite bat and improvement required from Winn, catchers and other OFs to meet those requirements.

[C-Unit]

It would almost be more encouraging to me, rather than some random hot streak, to see Walker simply post a reasonable "floor" type season. Let's say we get to the AS break and he's hitting .270 with about a .775 OPS, maybe 8-10 homers and 40+ rbi or so. I'd look at that as a great sign. Although, I know given the defense and other factors that makeup WAR, that would probably not be interpreted as enough overall value all things considered. Even still, that's the type of thing that would really encourage me about his hitting. I hope out hope but as the article outlines there are a lot of things to fix. What a shame how far we are now from the optimism around him as a prospect.

If Walker puts up a 775 OPS and he can improve his defense to average, we should be doing cartwheels. That is an enormous improvement. He has the talent, it is all about pitch recognition. If he can learn that, he will probably not hit the ceiling we all hoped he might. But, a solid 800 OPS player is not unattainable. For players with eligible ABS, there were only 47 players that did that in 2025. So that is still a fantastic player even if not elite. The Cardinals had exactly 1 player on the list of 47 last year, Alec Burleson.

Well, the other aspect of it that makes it interesting is Walker is arb-eligible in 2027. So it's interesting to think about different outcomes this season and how that affects the decision next offseason on whether to trade him or keep him into his arb years, or potentially even non-tender depending on what happens.