Cardinals Paul Goldschmidt replacement could be surprise player still on the roster

Despite St. Louis Cardinals manager Oli Marmol recently expressing his affinity for Paul Goldschmidt, the veteran first baseman's future with the club remains murky.

Goldschmidt, who turns 37 on Sept. 10, is in the final year of his current contract with the Cardinals. The aging infielder will hit unrestricted free agency this winter. Meanwhile, his declining play has raised questions about his possible return to the club (or the MLB) next season.

While Goldschmidt's fate in St. Louis is unresolved, he shut down retirement talks and confirmed his intentions to continue playing in 2025 via MLB.com. Nonetheless, the Cardinals may render him expendable, especially considering his potential replacement may already be on the roster.

Budding young player Jordan Walker could be a seamless and vastly cheaper alternative to Goldschmidt. The former's presence may influence the Cards' decision-making process regarding the latter.

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Cardinals may already have their Paul Goldschmidt replacement on the roster in Jordan Walker

Despite spending all his time in the majors as an outfielder, the Cardinals drafted Walker as a third baseman in 2020. However, 10-time Gold Glove winner Nolan Arenado occupies the team's hot corner and signed through 2027. So, St. Louis could shift the 22-year-old to the other side of the diamond.

To put it kindly, Walker's transition to the outfield hasn't been smooth. His defensive run saved (DRS) marks in 2023 were historically poor, highlighting his struggles. St. Louis is wasting time prolonging this ostensibly failed experiment -- they should revert him to a role he's better suited for -- corner infield.

In theory, adjusting from third to first base should be easier than learning how to be an outfielder for Walker. He possesses an ideal blend of size (6-6) and athleticism to play the position.

If St. Louis limits his defensive burdens, Walker can focus more on hitting. It'd presumably help him get back on track at the plate after a brutal 2024 campaign.

Walker is batting .178/.240/.518 across 29 games and 90 at-bats this season. The lackluster numbers are disappointing for a player touted as the No. 1 overall prospect in baseball in 2023. But allowing him to take Goldschmidt's spot at first could change things.