Editor’s Note: I am about to glaze Jordan Walker
If you have been living under a rock the last few days, you would have no idea that Jordan Walker has finally arrived. I say arrived because, well, he never really showed us any potential. It’s been three years since Walker made his debut. Many outside the Cardinals fandom forget that he started the 2023 season with a 12-game hitting streak. Not long after that, he was sent down to the minors and never regained his form. Despite injuries, inconsistency, and lack of support from the fans, Walker has kept with it and is now the most talked-about player of the week.
While his 2025 was below average, he showed signs of what was to come.
99th percentile in Bat Speed
91st percentile in Avg Exit Velo
87th percentile in Hard Hit %
Not much, but something.
Now, before I move forward, I want to point out that I started writing this blog on Wednesday afternoon. (X post below)
I only point that out because apparently someone was offended by my starting to post about Jordan Walker. Here is me posting about his change in batting stance last night.
Here is my daily schedule
Wake up
Post-fire graphics from www.statsoldier.com
Watch MLB Network
Watch Red Sox or MLB Big Inning
Look at X notifications from MLB/Jomboy/Barstool
Anyone who thinks I have the time or interest to see what they are posting can “touch grass.”
Back to Jordan Walker!
The above post is important to all of this because Walker made a significant adjustment to his stance. After struggling with a swing that had grown increasingly noisy and inconsistent, Walker and the Cardinals' hitting staff worked to strip away the "extra" movements that were causing him to get out of sync. By lowering his hand placement and keeping them closer to his body, he has significantly shortened his path to the ball. The most obvious change is his feet, which are closer together here in 2026.
At least for now, these have led to significant changes in his Savant percentiles. Take a look at them below.
With all the talk about his bat, many people are overlooking his defense and speed.
If you needed a single moment to define Walker’s defensive "arrival," it happened on April 3, 2026, in Detroit. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Javier Báez attempted to test Walker’s arm on a fly ball to right field. Walker unleashed an absolute laser to home plate that Statcast clocked at 100.6 mph, nabbing Báez. It set a new franchise record as the fastest Statcast-tracked assist in Cardinals history since the tracking system was implemented in 2015.
Also, after dropping roughly 7 pounds this offseason to focus on flexibility and explosiveness, his wheels have reached a new gear, according to the latest Statcast Sprint Speed Leaderboard. Dude is 6’6 250, and running as fast as Bobby Witt Jr.
As fate would have it, the Red Sox will be playing Jordan Walker this weekend. So, I will get to watch him in all his glory.
Full disclosure, I have Jordan Walker in all my dynasty and keeper leagues. I need this.