'There's time and you have to be patient' John Mozeliak discusses Jordan Walker's struggles in Triple-A

ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - 2024 hasn't been anywhere near kind for former St. Louis Cardinals top prospect Jordan Walker.

Walker has had an incredibly rough 2024, beginning with a tough slump to start the year that saw Walker only amass nine hits in 67 plate appearances with no home runs in the first 20 games of the season in the majors.

That slump would lead to Walker being demoted to the minors on April 25 and sent down to Triple-A Memphis in an effort to work on his swing and come back to the Cardinals improved at the plate.

Well, unfortunately, Walker struggles in the majors followed him down to Triple-A, where Walker has amassed an overall line of .244/.304/.383 slash line with only four home runs in 53 games. Walker's 75 weighted runs created plus( wRC+) is 25 points below the league average in Triple-A.

Walker's continued struggles has led to plenty of speculation he could be used as trade bait to help the Cardinals at the trade deadline, with the Cardinals all but seemingly buyers.

Cardinals President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak joined 'Sports on A Sunday Morning' to discuss Walker's struggles in the minors and says the club want to see Walker put up a more consistent performance in the minors before bringing him back to the majors.

"You think about some of the better outfielders that we've had over the last decade (down there) and at some point you got to put up some numbers." said Mozeliak. "I know it's a frustrating time and you look at where he was two years ago at Double-A, he was having a lot of success, but last year at the big leagues, I would say it was a little up and down season for him, and this year, he never really got going."

Mozeliak says while it has been disappointing the Cardinals' vision of Walker being a key bat in the middle of the order hasn't gone according to plan, he says time is still an advantage for Walker.

"Offseason planning he was someone we thought was going to be middle of the order right-handed bat for us, and unfortunately it isn't where it needs to be." said Mozeliak. "But I keep reminding myself he's only 22 years-old, so there's time and you have to be patient."