Jordan Walker’s way-too early MVP case is bolstered by more than home runs

Welcome to MLB, Jordan Walker! Yes, you’ve been here now for four seasons, but this version of is long overdue for his arrival. The St. Louis Cardinals have been patient, continuing to run the former top prospect out there despite plenty of evidnece that it was past time to move on. And those years of waiting for him to live up to lofty expectations have finally paid off.

By now, you no doubt know about the league-leading eight homers and the eye-popping exit velocities. But Walker's breakout isn’t just about finally reaping the rewards of his delayed development — it's about determining whether he can be the centerpiece of the next competitive team in St. Louis. When you look at his offense, it’s clear he’s on pace to be one of the best bats in MLB if this trajectory continues (and it looks like it really might). But buried beneath the surface of his offensive explosion in his fourth MLB season is how good of a defensive player he's become.

Don’t overlook Jordan Walker’s defense as surging season continues to get better

According to Thomas Nestico, a baseball analytics savant on social media, Walker is the second-best right fielder in runs saved this year with a plus-four margin. Not only is he creating offense for St. Louis, but he’s been a solid defender as well.

It's particularly shocking because of just how lost Walker looked in right field earlier in his career. What if this is just a strong start and he regresses to what he was before (defensive metrics are notoriously noisy in small samples)? It's a valid point, but the fact that Walker a true two-way player 18 games into the season changes his outlook considerably — and allows the Cardinals to move forward without questions about his long-term defensive home.

Could you imagine if, in year four, Walker went from being on his way out of St. Louis to winning Silver Sluggers and Gold Gloves? We’re only 18 games into the season, and there's plenty more to prove. That said, if he keeps it up, Walker is setting himself up to be one of the best stories in baseball. 

How should the St. Louis Cardinals handle Jordan Walker’s revival?

Well, the one thing the Cardinals know is patience when it comes to Walker. That can play in their favor right now. If he truly has reached his potential, then it means the Cardinals can see how long this lasts.

And, like on offense, the tools have never been in question. Walker is a mountain of a man, but he's also a freak athlete, posting sprint speeds near the top of the Statcast scale. Add in a powerful arm made for right field, and there's really no immediately obvious reason why he couldn't be an asset with the glove rather than a liability.

But, like with the bat, things simply weren't adding up early in his career. Whether he was taking his offensive struggles with him into the field or just having a hard time adjusting to the finer points of the big-league game, Walker had miles to go when it came to his jumps and routes. Now, though, he looks like a totally different defender, and that changes the picture for the Cardinals considerably.

Even if Walker keeps hitting like this, putting his future at DH would have hamstrung what the team could do from a roster-building standpoint. If he's a two-way player, that opens up a path to some MVP-like outcomes in the future given his power upside, and also allows St. Louis to not have one lineup spot clogged up moving forward.

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