To break the outfield stalemate, the Cardinals should turn to a trusted trading partner.
One of the more heated positions in camp is center field. The Cardinals could try to reach an agreement with the White Sox to free up a place.
Although the St. Louis Cardinals offense has been a mixed bag of spring training statistics so far, there have been some early standouts who are vying for a spot on Opening Day.
Recognizing that success in Spring Training does not guarantee success in the regular season, outfielder Victor Scott II’s early returns have increased pressure on the established players vying for playing time.
If the Cardinals move from their center field depth, they might make room for Victor Scott II.
Due to late spring injuries or subpar play, the Cardinals’ outfield configuration was a rotating door last season. Despite not seeing a pitch beyond Double-A level, the organization started center fielder Victor Scott II at the beginning of the season because he was a fast prospect who was putting up a solid stat line in Jupiter. After just 18 games in St. Louis, VSII was demoted to Memphis due to the, to put it nicely, dismal performance.
Michael Siani, a light-hitting defensive specialist who played 110 games at center, was promoted when Scott was demoted. The slick-fielding Siani had a 61 WRC+, which indicates that his offense was 39% below the league average, thus “light-hitting” would be an understatement. Despite his difficulties, Scott was not promoted to the major leagues by the Cardinals until August. During the last two months of the season, he only made 28 appearances and received 86 at-bats.
The Cardinals’ most heated camp battle of the spring is still for center field, and Lars Nootbaar has added his name to the debate as the club considers the advantages and disadvantages of starting with an offense or defense. The rest of the roster is affected by Nolan Arenado’s apparent decision to stay in St. Louis for at least the start of the season. The Cardinals promised a “runway” to Gorman and right fielder Jordan Walker, so utility player Brendan Donovan was supposed to get time at second base with Nolan Gorman going to third. However, it now looks like Donovan may also be in the regular mix in left.
Given that the 24-year-old Victor Scott’s growth would be negatively impacted by uneven at-bats and playing time, the lefty’s most likely fate was to begin the season in Memphis, with Siani breaking the roster as a defensive substitute. Scott’s early Spring Training performance, though, could have changed the course of the team’s 2025 outfield plans.
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