The Cardinals Player to Build Around Now (Outside of JJ Wetherholt)

The St. Louis Cardinals have a lot to be excited about, despite missing the 2026 playoffs.

Sep 25, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker (18) celebrates hitting a home run against the Milwaukee Brewers in the seventh inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The 2026 Major League Baseball season may not have gotten the St. Louis Cardinals back into the postseason, but it certainly did help the front office see who this franchise should be built around into the future.

First and foremost, JJ Wetherholt obviously is the guy for the club. Wetherholt looked like a star as a rookie and the Cardinals already inked him to an eight-year, $112.5 million extension. The Cardinals are building around Wetherholt, but he isn't the only one. Outside of Wetherholt, the guy St. Louis should be building around is outfielder Jordan Walker.

It took a while, but Walker finally lived up to his lofty potential in 2026. Walker bashed 29 home runs, stole 22 bases, drove in 102 runs and slashed .269/.327/.466 in 158 games played. Walker was an All-Star and won the Home Run Derby. All in all, it was a near-perfect season for the young slugger. Plus, he's still just 24 years old. He just played his fourth big league season and yet he's just a few months older than Wetherholt.

Jordan Walker Is A Star

Sep 20, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Leo Bernal (13) celebrates with right fielder Jordan Walker (18) after hitting a two-run home run against the Washington Nationals during the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Le-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Some will point to Walker's offensive troubles down the stretch as a reason to not build around him. But that would be incorrect. Walker did struggle down the stretch. In September, Walker slashed .172/.232/.287 with two home runs and five RBIs in 24 games played. He ran out of gas, but it's important to note that he also wasn't at full strength. Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom confirmed that Walker was playing through hip pain to wrap up the 2026 season. That added layer makes the offensive struggles down the stretch make a lot more sense.

The 2026 season wasn't a fluke for Walker. He made adjustments in the offseason and they worked out. The talent has always been there for Walker, it has been a matter of getting himself right and ready to roll. That's what he did last offseason and it worked out in 2026. With another full offseason ahead — and hopefully good health — the 2027 campaign should be another good one.

Walker is just 24 years old. He's a former first-round pick and has three seasons left of control. Like Wetherholt, Walker is a guy to build around and is someone the Cardinals should try to lock up into the future. It took a while, but Walker is a star, right up there with Wetherholt.