Inside The Cardinals

Could Cardinals Sign Jordan Walker To Massive Contract Extension?

The Cardinals could be the next MLB team to lock up one of their stars for a long time.
Zach Pressnell|
Apr 1, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker (18) reacts after hitting a solo home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the fourth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Apr 1, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker (18) reacts after hitting a solo home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the fourth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

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A few teams around the league have recently signed their star players to contract extensions including the San Diego Padres and Boston Red Sox who signed Jackson Merrill and Kristian Campbell, respectively.

The St. Louis Cardinals could take a page out of these teams' book and ink their own young star to a long term deal while buying out multiple seasons of arbitration.

Thomas Gauvain of Redbird Rants recently suggested the Cardinals could look to offer a contract extension to 22-year-old outfielder Jordan Walker.

"Jordan Walker was a top-five prospect in all of baseball as recently as 2023," Gauvain wrote. "His size, power, and ability to tear the seams off of a baseball are enviable. However, he hasn't been able to put it all together up to this point. He struggled last year elevating the ball, and his defense in the corner outfield has been lackluster.

"Jordan Walker is off to a strong start so far in 2025. He has MLB's hardest-hit ball this year, and he's slugged one home run in just five games. If he can prove his efforts this offseason with Brant Brown can breed success, Walker would be a shoo-in for a long-term extension."

Inking Walker to a long term deal would be a high risk, high reward decision for St. Louis. Walker's value in an extension is as low as it's ever going to be. He hasn't broken out like the star he could be just yet and he's still in the pre-arbitration phase of his deal.

There's a chance the Cardinals could sign him to a deal very similar to Campbell's eight-year, $60 million deal with the Red Sox. If Walker turns into a star, an extension would be huge for St. Louis, but if he struggles, it'll come back to bite them. This seems like a risk the Cardinals should look into taking.

More MLB: MLB Writer Urges Cardinals To Sign Star To Long-Term Deal

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Zach Pressnell
ZACH PRESSNELL

Zach Pressnell has experience covering all major US sports at both the professional and collegiate levels. He’s produced content for FanSided, Blog Red Machine, The Game Haus, Bethany College Athletics and the Bethany College online newspaper, He graduated from Bethany College (WV) with a degree in Communications and Media Arts, specializing in Sports Journalism. Pressnell was also a four-year member of the baseball team where he earned himself All-PAC recognition as a pitcher (and a cool Tommy John surgery scar). Now, Pressnell specializes in NFL and MLB coverage for Sports Illustrated’s “On SI” network among others. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "St. Louis Cardinals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org

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