Jordan Walker did enough in 2026 to force his way into the conversation. The Cardinals outfielder made his first All-Star team, won the Home Run Derby and helped turn St.
Louis into a more watchable club because so many of its young players finally moved forward. But when the Players Choice Awards finalists for National League Comeback Player of the Year were announced, Walker’s name was nowhere to be found.
That omission stands out because his numbers tell the story of a player who truly rebounded. Walker finished the regular season at .269/.327/.466 with 29 home runs, 102 RBI, 22 stolen bases, a 3.3 WAR and a .793 OPS. He was one of only two Cardinals to drive in 100 runs, joining Alec Burleson.
The gap between this season and the two before it was enormous. Walker hit .215/.278/.306 with a .584 OPS and six home runs in 2025, then followed that with a .201/.253/.366 line, a .619 OPS and five home runs in 2024. After that kind of stretch, his 2026 season looked like a full reset.
There was more to it than the box score, too. His defense improved, and he finally started lifting the ball instead of living in the world of grounders and line drives. That change mattered, and it showed up in the power surge that carried him to All-Star and Home Run Derby recognition.
Even his spring training didn’t hint at this kind of leap. He wasn’t sharp early, but things changed late in camp, when he started driving the ball over the fence more often and getting the ball in the air.
The finalists announced for the National League award were Sandy Alcantara, Martín Pérez and Zack Wheeler. That doesn’t make them undeserving. It just leaves Walker on the outside looking in after the kind of turnaround that usually gets rewarded.
Silver Slugger recognition could still be in play, and that would at least give Walker a shot at hardware after two rough seasons. But for Comeback Player of the Year, the Cardinals’ breakout story has already been left off the list.
In Other News...
Cardinals Fans Have A New Reason To Watch Houston Closely
Houstons managerial opening has added an unexpected Cardinals angle. After the Astros moved on from Joe Espada in the wake of their playoff exit, they began looking ahead to a replacement for the 2027 season, and two familiar St. Louis names have surfaced as possible candidates: Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina. For Cardinals fans, it is the kind of development that feels bigger than a routine offseason search, because both men are already woven into the franchises recent history.
Pujols and Molina are not just former stars but Cardinals Hall of Famers with real managerial experience from winter ball and the World Baseball Classic, which makes them more than sentimental mentions in a search process. Molina is currently working in the Cardinals coaching staff and front office, so any serious traction elsewhere would be worth monitoring closely in St. Louis. The Astros could be among the teams interested, and if Houston keeps circling either name, Cardinals fans may have another reason to pay attention far beyond their own dugout. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Pitching Pipeline Just Created A New Roster Dilemma
Tanner Franklins rapid climb through the Cardinals system has given the organization another reason to feel good about its pitching depth. The 2025 second-round pick has drawn attention in the minors for the way his four-seam fastball and cutter play, and he is hardly alone. Several other Cardinals arms have also popped on Baseball Americas Stuff+ leaderboards, a sign that St. Louis may be building more than one useful option at a time.
For a club that always seems to be balancing present needs against future upside, that kind of depth creates a familiar kind of pressure. The Cardinals are not just tracking whether these pitchers can miss bats in the minors, but how quickly that talent can translate into decisions at the big-league level. When one pipeline starts producing this many arms with standout pitch grades, the harder part can become figuring out where they all fit. [Read more 🡒]
Andre Pallante Just Put The Cardinals In A Tough Rotation Decision
Andre Pallantes bounce-back season in 2026 has put the Cardinals in a spot they probably hoped to avoid this winter: deciding whether a pitcher who helped steady the rotation might also be one of their more movable assets. Pallante is expected to go through arbitration with the club, and his projected salary jump for 2027 would reflect just how much his stock has risen after a stronger year on the mound.
For St. Louis, the question is no longer just whether Pallante fits into the rotation plans next season, but how long he fits into the bigger picture. He could well open the year as the Cardinals Opening Day starter, yet the front office may also have to weigh his trade value against its long-term direction, especially if the deadline turns into a chance to reshape the staff. [Read more 🡒]