ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - While Cardinals Outfielder Jordan Walker probably won't win National League Rookie of the Year or be a top-three finalist, it was still a successful rookie season for the 21-year-old. And Walker was recognized for his season by MLB.
MLB Pipeline released their All-Rookie Team for the 2023 Season and Walker has a place on the team, being named to the All-Rookie second team as an Outfielder.
"Just two rookies in Cardinals history age 21 or younger have hit 16 homers in their first full big league seasons" wrote Jim Callis on MLB Pipeline, "Walker and Albert Pujols (2001)."
Walker was the only Cardinals player to be named on the All-Rookie Team. The Minnesota Twins had the most players named to the All-Rookie Team with three players, while the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, Baltimore Orioles, Oakland A's, Boston Red Sox and New York Mets each had two players appear on both roster.
It will certainly feel disappointing that Walker wasn't in the running for National League Rookie of the Year, the former number one overall prospect in baseball still showed immense potential during his first appearance in MLB.
Overall, Jordan hit a respectable .287/.342/.787 slash line for the season with 16 home runs and 51 RBIs. Walker OPS+ was a respectable 14 points above the league average.
However, Walker showed his promise after his second call-up to the team in June, where he hit a .277/.346/.455 slash line with 14 home runs and 40 RBIs.
Walker's Weighted Runs Created Plus (Wrc+) of 120 after his second call-up on June 2 was tied with Dodgers Rookie OF James Outman and better than likes of San Diego Padres OF Fernando Tatis, Tampa Bay Rays OF Randy Arozarena, Pittsburgh Pirates OF Bryan Reynolds and just behind Chicago Cubs OF Seiya Suzuki, according to FanGraphs.
There will be immense focus on Walker's WAR as it was anywhere between -0.1 and 0.2 depending which baseball website you looked at, along with his defense, with Walker's Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) being -16.
However, it's worth to keep in mind that Walker was only just 21 so there's plenty of room to grow. Not every 21-year-old prospect can come up and make ridiculously immediate impact like what Cardinals saw when Albert Pujols got called up in 2001 or what baseball fans are seeing right now with Texas Rangers Outfielder Evan Carter and how much of an impact he has been for a club that is currently in the ALCS at the moment.
For Walker, the talent is there and Cardinals fans will just need to be patient with him and wait for him to develop. His rookie season showed he has the tools to succeed.
