Cardinals get most powerful sign of hope for future yet from Jordan Walker

There hasn't been much positive St. Louis Cardinals content to write of late, and for good reason. The Cards are a team in transition -- they have plenty of young talent, but failed to live up to expectations led by the veteran core of Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado.

Yet, for all the Cardinals faults -- of which there are many -- they have young players worth watching in Jordan Walker and Masyn Winn. Walker's had a long season, highlighted by a stint in Memphis that could come to define his young career. On Wednesday night, Walker provided perhaps the best sign yet that he has turned a corner. Walker had the hardest-hit ball of his and the Cardinals season against the Pittsburgh Pirates, a screamer which had an exit velocity of over 115 MPH.

“As an organization, that’s exactly what’s needed, for both of these guys to become the players we think they are capable of becoming and that they think they are capable of becoming,” manager Oliver Marmol said. “We’re going to do everything possible to make sure that happens.”

For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work onThe Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop between now and the MLB offseason.

Jordan Walker has grown up for the Cardinals down the stretch

Marmol knows how important the development of both Walker and Winn is to the Cardinals future. While he may not be there to oversee their continued progression, even Marmol can appreciate the Cards long-term plan.

As for Walker, he considered his 115 MPH double much like any other base hit. Walker has prioritized situational hitting, which was evident when he was asked about his thought process in that fourth inning at-bat.

“In that situation, I need to put something in play,” said Walker. “I took a hack on my first swing, and I missed it. In that situation with the bases loaded, I’ve got to put something in play and try to hit it hard. To be honest, getting it in the air was not one of my biggest worries there.”

Jordan Walker's situational hitting has improved for the Cardinals

That mindset is rare in young players these days. A game predicated on speed and tools is finally slowing down for the Cards former top prospect. While it took him longer than, say, Jackson Merrill to get there, Walker has all the potential on paper to be a centerpiece for the next Cardinals playoff team. He and Winn -- good friends on and off the field -- must thrive for St. Louis to quickly retool come 2025. Winn hit a home run on Wednesday, as well, and Walker was one of the first teammates to greet him in the dugout.

“I was super excited when he hit his homer, too,” Walker said of Winn. “His energy boosts the whole team, and it helps me. Things don’t go well, he’s the first person talking to me and if things go well, he’s the first person cheering me on.”

The Cardinals have a lot of question marks heading into the winter. Walker and Winn are two players who, at least as of this writing, seem to figure into the solution in St. Louis.