Feb 28, 2023; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Jordan Walker (67) runs to first base after hitting a single during the fourth inning against the Washington Nationals at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
Jordan Walker’s primary position of third base is taken by Nolan Arenado, but there are three other spots he can steal on the Cardinals this season.
Jordan Walker is one of baseball’s best prospects, ranking fourth on MLB.com’s top 100 list. He had an .898 OPS in 119 games in AA last season, and could easily force his way onto the St. Louis Cardinals‘ Opening Day roster with a great spring.
Walker has swung the bat well to start the spring including this mammoth home run in his first Spring Training start.
One thing getting in Walker’s way is the presence of Nolan Arenado. He’s played 146 games at third base in the minors compared to just 52 in the outfield (including the Arizona Fall League). Walker won’t be making the roster as the third baseman, but he will have the opportunity to steal three different spots.
3. Jordan Walker can steal the Cardinals DH spot from Juan Yepez
Perhaps the easiest fit for Walker whether it happens on Opening Day or later on is to steal the DH spot from Juan Yepez. Don’t worry about playing a secondary position (even though Walker has looked solid in the outfield in the spring), just focus on raking.
Yepez played in 76 games and slashed .253/.296/.447 with 12 home runs and 30 RBI. He had a 111 OPS+ which is definitely solid but can be improved upon.
A guy like Nolan Gorman also figures to get some DH at-bats, but Yepez is the projected starter according to FanGraphs.
It’s possible St. Louis will want Walker to play the field more, but Yepez is the worst hitter in this Cardinals lineup Walker can replace.