(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
The St. Louis Cardinals made a big announcement on Saturday.
That night, it was revealed by the team that slugger and top prospect Jordan Walker would be on the Opening Day roster.
The 20-year-old had a strong spring training, hitting for a .286 average and crushing three home runs.
That was enough to earn him a spot with the big-league club.
And so, with his addition to the team, Walker got a chance to choose his new number.
The 20-year-old will be wearing No. 18, which holds a historical significance in St. Louis.
On Twitter, a Cardinals fan posted a screenshot of a post revealing Walker’s jersey number.
Jordan Walker will wear number 18 for the #STLCards
(: @NumbersMLB) pic.twitter.com/wrAoSZceIf
— STL Sports Central (@stlsportscntrl) March 26, 2023
The last Cardinal to wear No. 18 was right-hander Carlos Martinez.
He had previously worn No. 62 and No. 44, but switched to 18 after the untimely death of former top prospect Oscar Taveras, who Martinez was close with.
Taveras was drafted in 2011 and made his MLB debut in 2014, wearing No. 18.
The slugger and top prospect was killed in a car accident after the team had fallen short in the NLCS.
Walker is now the second top prospect to wear the number.
Of course, it is not a retired number, but it is one that holds great significance in St. Louis.
The death of Taveras shook the team and changed the course of the franchise for years.
However, Walker is lucky enough to have received the number and certainly will not take it lightly, understanding what it means to the Cardinals organization and the entire City of St. Louis.
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