ST. LOUIS CARDINALS TOP 10 PROSPECTS
1. JORDAN WALKER, 3B
AGE: 20. B-T: R-R. HT: 6-5. WT: 220. DRAFTED: HS—Decatur, Ga., 2020 (1st round). SIGNED BY: Charles Peterson.
TRACK RECORD: Walker used an impressive start to the 2020 spring before the coronavirus pandemic shut down the season to vault himself forward on draft boards, resulting with a selection by the Cardinals with the 21st pick in the draft. He signed for a below-slot deal of $2.9 million to forego a commitment to Duke. He then had one of the best pro debuts of any 2020 draftee, hitting his way out of Low-A Palm Beach after 27 games and ranking as the No. 2 prospect in Low-A Southeast. He continued to hit well at High-A Peoria, where he ranked as the No. 3 prospect in High-A Central. He stood out for his combination of power and feel for hitting, thus solidifying himself as the top prospect in the organization.
Walker has an imposing 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame and rare strength for a teenager, crushing a ball at 116 mph off the bat in his first month as a professional. He’s got a good feel for hitting and an advanced approach for the game, impressing the organization with the way he made adjustments on the fly. The length to Walker’s swing produces some swing-and-miss issues, but he does a good job of catching up to velocity and has good knowledge of the strike zone. Walker hits the ball to all fields and should project for at least an average hit tool in the future to go along with plus-plus power as he
