Jordan Walker Injury Should Open Door For Cardinals No. 5 Prospect

A top prospect may get some runway in 2025 thanks to an injury.

Apr 24, 2022; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; A view of St. Louis Cardinals players hats and gloves in the dugout during a game with the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-Imagn Images | David Kohl-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals are already facing a bit of adversity after a failed offseason. They made no moves that directly impacted the roster and held onto players that should have been traded.

To make matters worse, outfielder Jordan Walker may miss some time after stepping on a sprinkler head and injuring his knee in Tuesday's split squad game against the Washington Nationals.

Depending on how much time Walker misses, if any at all, the Cardinals may need to get creative with their lineup.

If Walker misses an extended period of time, the next man up should be Thomas Saggese, the team's No. 5 prospect. The Cardinals could move Brendan Donovan to the outfield and give Saggese a full run at second base.

Saggese was acquired from the Texas Rangers at the 2023 trade deadline in exchange for Jordan Montgomery and Chris Stratton. He made his Major League debut late last season and then hit .391 in the Arizona Fall League.

If he is given a full runway, he could be a difference maker for the Cardinals in 2025. The team advertised a "reset" this past offseason and expressed their hopes to give young players chances.

While they want to give Walker that chance in 2025, they can still give it to players such as Saggese if Walker is out for a significant period of time. If he hits the way he did in the Arizona Fall League, Cardinals fans may at least have a little something to be excited about in 2025.

More MLB: Cardinals' $260 Million Star Gets Back-Breaking Update About Trade