Another Young Star May Force The Cardinals’ Hand
With all of the talk surrounding top prospect Jordan Walker this spring, the St. Louis Cardinals have yet another star who may ultimately force their hand this spring.
Nolan Gorman made his MLB debut last season and emerged as a key piece of the puzzle for the Cardinals.
He was drafted as a third baseman in 2018, but has since made the switch to second base.
He quickly showed off his power and became a player of interest for St. Louis fans.
And he’s only getting better.
On Twitter, a Cardinals fan proposed the possible scenario of him winning the second base job with the way he has been hitting this spring.
With how well Gorman is playing this spring I wonder if he wins the everyday 2B job and Donovan goes into a super utility role still playing everyday but at different positions when someone needs a rest. #stlcards
— Rinedog (@Rinedog1) March 7, 2023
St. Louis already has Brendan Donovan and Tommy Edman in the middle of their infield.
However, both Edman and Donovan can play multiple positions and could even be used in the outfield if Tyler O’Neill, Dylan Carlson, and Lars Nootbaar struggle.
This could open up a spot for Gorman to play everyday.
Either way, he’ll be in the mix for the designated hitter position, taking most of his at-bats against right-handed pitchers while he platoons with Juan Yepez, and potentially even Walker.
But other opportunities may present themselves to Gorman as he grows as a hitter and continues to make improvements.
Last season, he hit .226 with 14 home runs, 35 RBI, and a .720 OPS, appearing in just 89 games.
But with more experience, Gorman could find himself in the mix for some other roles as well and could prove to be a Swiss army knife of sorts.