John Mozeliak, STL Cards send a stern message to struggling former top prospect

The start of the 2024 season is looking very much like the start of 2023 for the St. Louis Cardinals.

After 24 games, St. Louis owns a poor record of 10-14 and they once again sit in the basement of the NL Central, five games out of first place.

Times may be changing in St. Louis, and not for the better. But the team made a key roster move on Wednesday morning that might shake things up a bit.

According to Jeff Jones, the Cardinals have demoted former top prospect and struggling slugger Jordan Walker to Triple-A Memphis along with left-hander Zack Thompson. Infielder Jose Fermin and left-hander John King have been recalled.

Jordan Walker optioned to Memphis as Cardinals continue to slide

Walker, 21, had a strong rookie season with the Cardinals in 2023, hitting .276 with 16 home runs, 51 RBI, and a .787 OPS. 2024 has been a different story, as Walker owns a .155 batting average and has yet to homer. He also has only four RBI and an OPS of .498.

This move ultimately is no surprise. Walker was expected to be a key contributor in the Cardinals lineup this season. While that could still happen, the Cardinals needed a shakeup, and Walker's struggles have been a key factor in the team's offensive slump.

The 25-year-old Fermin owns a lifetime batting average of .235. In all likelihood, he won't be with the Major League club for too long. Matt Carpenter will soon be back from his oblique injury and will likely take his place on the roster when he is activated.

On the pitching side, Thompson owns a 9.53 ERA and was roughed up on Tuesday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks, allowing seven runs over 2.2 innings in relief of Steven Matz.

Clearly, the status quo was not going to suffice for the Cardinals, and it was time for a change. Fans may not fully agree with the decision to demote Walker, but there's no denying that he was struggling and needed to get back on track. Perhaps a stint in Triple-A could help him regain his form.