Cardinals teardown could gift White Sox a new trade target that fits recent pattern

The White Sox have developed a recent pattern of acquiring former top 100 prospects looking for a fresh start. Chris Getz began this trend in 2024, acquiring Miguel Vargas in a trade deadline deal for right-hander Erick Fedde. The team made a similar move at the 2025 trade deadline, acquiring infielder Curtis Mead from the Rays. The recent trade that brought the White Sox Everson Pereira from the Rays is another recent example. These low-risk, high-reward moves are exactly the kind of gambles a rebuilding team like the White Sox should be taking, and the St. Louis Cardinals may have just cleared the path for the next one. 

The Cardinals began what many expect to be a full teardown this week, sending RHP Sonny Gray to the Boston Red Sox for pitchers Richard Fitts and Brandon Clarke. The Cardinals are also reportedly shopping RHP Jojo Romero, and rumors have swirled about the availability of some of their other players, like infielder Brendan Donovan. The Cardinals have a roster full of aging veterans and haven’t been able to get over the hump in recent years, so a full rebuild may be in the cards. One player that may generate interest as a reclamation project is outfielder Jordan Walker. 

Walker, originally a first-round pick by St. Louis in 2020, quickly put himself on the map as a top prospect in baseball. He posted a .936 OPS between Low-A and High-A in his first full season in 2021 before another big year in Double-A in 2022. Walker’s exceptional minor league performance earned him the big league call up in 2023, and he performed well in his first big league stint. In 117 games, Walker hit .276 with 16 home runs and a .787 OPS in the major leagues in 2023, and the Cardinals expected him to turn into the next big superstar. Unfortunately, the past two seasons have been a step back for Walker. His OPS dropped to .619 in 2024, and dropped even further to .584 in 2025. 

Walker's 2024 and 2025 struggles are largely due to strikeouts

Walker’s main issue has been making contact. His bat speed and average exit velocity numbers are off-the-charts, so when he makes contact, good things happen. Unfortunately, his 35% whiff rate and 31% strikeout rate have really dragged him down. Defensively, Walker has one of the strongest outfield arms in baseball, and at 6’6, he’s surprisingly fast for his size. Some of his struggles may be mental, and a change of scenery could be just what he needs to get back on track. The White Sox have made successful mechanical adjustments with these hitters before, specifically turning Miguel Vargas from one of the worst hitters in baseball into a legitimate contributor. Walker’s been in the league for three years, but he’s even younger than Vargas was at the time of his trade. He won’t turn 24 until May. He has plenty of time to get back to himself at the plate. . 

With a lot of uncertainty in the outfield for 2026, it could be worth an ask for the White Sox, who could give Walker at bats and a chance to re-establish himself at the big league level. Not all of these lottery tickets are going to pan out for the White Sox, but a team looking to assemble as much young talent as possible would be silly not to ask. It could make all the difference in the world.