With Jordan Walker landing on the injured list, several Cardinals may now have a chance to take on larger roles. Injuries are never ideal, but they do open the door for others to step up. For St. Louis, Walker’s absence could be a major opportunity for some of the team’s younger players to earn more playing time.
The team announced that Walker is dealing with inflammation in his left wrist. While the timeline for his return remains uncertain, his absence provides a clearer path for others looking to make a significant impact.
Manager Oliver Marmol has been juggling playing time among a deep group of young talent all season, often leaving some promising players short on at-bats. With Walker temporarily out, those players now have a real chance to showcase what they can do.
Here are three Cardinals who will replace Jordan Walker
3. Ryan Vilade
Ryan Vilade, who signed a minor league deal with the Cardinals this past offseason, has only appeared in 20 MLB games in his career, recording a 15 wRC+ over 56 plate appearances. Now, he’s getting another shot as the Cardinals have selected him to fill the roster spot vacated by Jordan Walker.
Vilade had a brief stint with the Detroit Tigers last season, but since debuting with the Rockies in 2021, he’s mostly played in the minors. Until this year, he hadn’t stood out at the upper levels of the minors.
At 26 years old and originally the 48th overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft, Vilade is having his best Triple-A season yet, hitting .280/.375/.476 with five homers, 31 RBI, and five stolen bases in 48 games. While it would be surprising if he managed to carve out a long-term role in St. Louis, this call-up offers him a valuable chance to prove himself.
Some fans may have preferred to see Thomas Saggese get the call, but with limited playing time available, he likely would’ve seen little action. Vilade, on the other hand, is a lower-stakes choice who can sit if needed without much backlash, yet still has a chance to prove his value at the major league level after finally finding success in Triple-A.
Even if he performs well, it’s unlikely he’ll remain on the roster once Walker returns. Still, this could be an audition for a future role with the Cardinals—or potentially another MLB team willing to take a chance on him.
2. Nolan Gorman
Earlier this week, Cardinals manager Oli Marmol discussed how he was planning to distribute playing time among the team’s young core and acknowledged that Nolan Gorman was the player struggling most to find consistent opportunities.
“The name that comes up the most is Gorman — he’s the toughest one to find playing time for,” Marmol told Katie Woo of The Athletic. “It’s a challenging rotation.”
However, with Jordan Walker now sidelined, there’s a clearer path for Gorman to see more action.
While it’s unlikely Gorman will become an everyday starter — unless he catches fire at the plate — he should get more chances moving forward, which is really all he can hope for right now. Alec Burleson is still expected to start regularly against right-handed pitchers, but Gorman should see an uptick in starts.
Heading into 2025, Gorman was considered one of the main players in John Mozeliak’s “runway” plan for the team’s future. But when Nolan Arenado stayed put and Burleson outperformed Gorman both in spring training and early in the season, it limited Gorman’s opportunities.
Through 106 plate appearances this season, Gorman is hitting just .189/.283/.300 with one home run, good for a 63 wRC+ and -0.1 fWAR. Once a top prospect and the Cardinals’ 2018 first-round pick, his performance has sharply declined. He was 13% below league average offensively last year and would’ve led MLB in strikeout rate had he met the minimum to qualify.
Still, Gorman has flashed serious upside in the past. In 2023 — his first full MLB season — he hit 27 home runs in 119 games and posted a 118 wRC+. When he’s locked in, his bat can make a major impact. It just hasn’t happened consistently for a while.
This current opportunity might be Gorman’s last real shot to carve out a meaningful role. If he seizes it, he could start working his way back into the team’s regular plans. If not, it’s hard to see another chance coming soon.
1. Alec Burleson
Alec Burleson began the season as the Cardinals’ primary designated hitter against right-handed pitchers, but his playing time has become more complex lately due to Ivan Herrera emerging as a regular DH option. To keep Burleson in the lineup, the team has gotten creative—slotting him at first base when Herrera catches and Willson Contreras takes the DH role, and even returning him to corner outfield spots.
After a sluggish start to the season, Burleson has caught fire in May, hitting .306/.348/.565 with four home runs and four doubles, good for a 154 wRC+. The Cardinals want him in the lineup daily against righties and may start giving him more chances against lefties, too.
If he carries his May performance into June while playing regularly, Burleson could solidify himself as a key piece of the Cardinals’ offense, potentially complicating Jordan Walker’s return to the lineup. Still just 26 years old, Burleson was a high draft pick with top-100 prospect credentials. He was arguably the team’s best hitter in the first half last season, batting .288/.320/.494 with 17 homers and a 125 wRC+, though he notably struggled down the stretch, especially in September.
What stood out most last year was Burleson’s dominance against right-handed pitching. In 244 plate appearances during the first half, he hit .327/.362/.571 with 14 home runs and a 158 wRC+, and even with his second-half slump, he still finished the season with a 125 wRC+ against righties.
Now, Burleson has a real opportunity to establish himself—and if he continues producing, the Cardinals will face tough decisions when Walker is ready to return.
