Cardinals Phenom Linked To Mariners In Blockbuster Proposal

Will the Cardinals pull off a blockbuster deal this winter?

Sep 24, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker (18) hit an RBI single in the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Could the St. Louis Cardinals make some major changes this winter?

St. Louis is at a crossroads. The Cardinals have had two straight down years, and now it's unclear what they will do next. St. Louis has been known as one of the top contenders in the National League in recent memory. The Cardinals have been one of the most well-run organizations, but there has been a disconnect over the last two years.

The Cardinals need to go back to the drawing board this winter, and this could lead to additions in free agency as well as multiple trades.

At this point, everything is speculation. The 2024 season hasn't ended yet, so there's no way to know what will happen. One player who already has been mentioned as a possible trade candidate, though, is outfielder Jordan Walker. He had a very steady rookie year, but 2024 has been a lost year.

Now, his value is lower and the Cardinals have to decide whether they are going to give him a consistent role in 2025 or possibly move him.

Because of this, FanSided's Zach Pressnell put together an intriguing proposal where the Cardinals send Walker and Max Rajcic to the Seattle Mariners for pitcher Emerson Hancock.

"A one-for-one swap of Mariners pitcher Emerson Hancock for Walker doesn't quite equate in value to me," Pressnell said. "The Cardinals would have to throw in another prospect to equal the value that Hancock has. Pitchers, especially young, talented pitchers, hold more value in the trade market than position players do...

"Hancock, 25, seems like a pitcher out of the wrong generation. He doesn't have the overpowering fastball that is to be expected of young arms. His fastball sits in the low to mid-90s, but he has a good bit of movement on it, and he commands it extremely well. He's posted a 4.68 ERA in 14 career starts. This trade sends both organizations in the directions that they wish to go in."

It's paramount that the Cardinals add a starting pitcher this winter. But a deal like this may not be in the club's best interest. Walker has a chance to be a lineup cornerstone for years to come, and while Hancock has shown flashes, he hasn't shown enough at the big-league level for a deal involving Walker. If it were for someone like Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, or Bryce Miller, then things could change.

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