JUPITER, Fla. – Cardinals right-fielder Jordan Walker is trying to put last year behind him, a season in which he had a slash line of .215/.278/.306. He also struggled defensively, recording -4 outs above average.
However, according to manager Oliver Marmol, Walker is working hard on the back fields in order to get better rhythm in his swing. Entering Monday’s split-squad action against the Orioles and Astros, Walker is off to a slow start at the plate, going 4-for-19 (.211) with two RBIs.
When it comes to success on the field, confidence plays a role in how well he does. Walker said his confidence is high right now, thanks to the coaching staff and his teammates.
“Part of baseball that I really love is coming to the ballpark and seeing those guys,” Walker said. “There are a lot of good talks and we are all in the same position on the field when it comes to the fly balls or ground balls. Getting their perspective really helps.”
Marmol pointed out that Walker’s play in the outfield has improved, and it stems from confidence.
“His routes, just everything seems more direct and there is a ton of confidence behind it,” Marmol said. “Before, when the ball was hit, his jump wasn't that great to begin with. He wanted to be sure and that would ding him from a metrics standpoint. Now … he feels way more trusting with his instincts out there. So that has been a positive.”
Walker credits outfield coach Jon Jay for helping him be more comfortable with the glove. They put in a lot of work together on the backfields.
“I get in as many reps as possible. Jay is about going after the ball. He wants you to be confident, go after it,” Walker said. “I think the confidence issue early on [in my career] is what got me. The more confident I am, the more aggressive I am, the better I do.”
Another left-field candidate? The Cardinals will most likely need a starting left fielder on Opening Day against the Rays, as Lars Nootbaar is not expected to be ready because of surgically repaired heels.
Since the beginning of Spring Training, the Cardinals have used 13 left fielders. Marmol was non-committal on whether Joshua Baez, the Cardinals’ No. 4 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, is a candidate to play the corner position. Entering Monday’s action, he has played center and right field.
Baez, 22, is having a productive spring, going 6-for-18 (.333) with two home runs and three RBIs.
“I’ll map out the outfielders and infielders and what playing time will look like during the next seven days, and see where we are at,” Marmol said.
Baez said confidence is one of the reasons for his success in the batter’s box.
“I’ve been trying to settle in. I feel like I belong [in the Major Leagues],” he said.
A different Pallante: Before right-hander Andre Pallante threw four solid innings in a 2-2 tie with the Marlins on Sunday afternoon, Marmol said the Cardinals are seeing the best version of Pallante this year because he is executing his pitches and recording a lot of outs. It appears the five pitches that he throws, including the four-seamer and slider, are in midseason form.
“I think it’s going to put him in the best position to have success. It started with that first live BP he threw. It was really good,” Marmol said.
Not only is his pitching arsenal at its best, Pallante’s personality has changed. One can understand why he had a negative attitude in 2025. After the All-Star break, Pallante was 1-10 with a 6.64 ERA. He is the first to acknowledge that he was hurting the team. This year, Pallante said he is relaxed.
“I made a goal for myself to be very relaxed … and go with the flow, be happy, just happy to be here,” he said. “[Matthew Liberatore] said the same thing to me today. He said, ‘You look like you were having fun.’ Honestly, I was having fun.”