Cardinals Infielder Has Shot At Sticking Around

Over the last year or so, Nolan Gorman has been a guy at the center of a lot of buzz around the St. Louis Cardinals.

On the bright side, Gorman has prolific power. When he's going, he's a dangerous piece in the middle of a big league lineup. The 2023 season was a perfect example of this. Gorman played in 119 games and had 27 homers and 76 RBIs at just 23 years old. That season, Gorman looked like a future star.

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It sounds like Nolan Gorman could stay

Sep 9, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Gorman (16) high-fives teammates in the dugout after scoring a run against the Seattle Mariners during the second inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

On the negative side, the last two seasons haven't been at the same level for him. He had 19 homers and 50 RBIs in 107 games in 2024 while hitting just .203. In 2025, he hit .205 with 14 homers and 46 RBIs in 111 games. Gorman is a guy who has certainly been negatively impacted by the surplus of left-handed batters in the organization as well as minimal space in the infield.

That's part of the reason why Gorman has been talked about as a trade candidate at times over the last year, but Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch threw a bit of cold water on the idea when asked if he is a part of the team's plans right now on Monday.

"As of right now, he definitely is," Goold wrote. "And the Cardinals have only talked about him as if he's part of their plans. They've received some interest in him from other teams -- that's to be expected. The left-handed hitters on the roster are getting calls because teams see what you see, the overlap."

Gorman is just 25 years old and won't turn 26 years old until May. He's a former first-round pick and has immense potential, the question is a role, though. St. Louis hasn't trimmed from its left-handed surplus at all yet. Lars Nootbaar and Brendan Donovan are two other guys who have been mentioned as trade candidates, among others.

If Arenado and Donovan are moved, then it would make sense to keep Gorman. In that scenario, the Cardinals could easily slot in Gorman at third base or designated hitter with space for Alec Burleson as well at DH or in one of the corner outfield slots.

The only thing that is clear is that the team can't just run it back with what is already on the roster. If Gorman is staying, he needs a significant role and that means other moves need to be made.

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