Cloudy Future? Cardinals Slugger’s Role in St. Louis in Question

What will become if this slugger?

Apr 21, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A St. Louis Cardinals hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have some questions to answer as spring training approaches. They have a lot of young players ready to take the next step after making several trades as part of their rebuild. But other players still have to prove themselves.

Players such as Nolan Gorman have struggled in recent years. Gorman was once considered one of the top prospects in the organization because of his power from the left side of the plate.

However, he hasn't been able to match that power thus far in the big leagues, so there are a lot of question marks. Brian Murphy of MLB.com lists Gorman as one Cardinal that is facing a make-or-break e

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Crucial season for Gorman

Sep 21, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Blake Perkins (16) slides into the knee of St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Gorman (16) as he steals third base during the third inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

"After recording 27 home runs and an .806 OPS in 2023, the lefty-swinging Gorman has logged a .669 OPS since the start of 2024, a span of 804 plate appearances. And that has been paired with an unsightly 35.7% K rate and poor grades on defense. Like with Walker, Gorman's inability to make contact on a consistent basis could make for a nebulous future in St. Louis," Murphy wrote.

Gorman still has plenty of power and did hit 14 home runs last year with limited playing time. However, he slashed just .205./.296/.370 with a .666 OPS. He got a little more playing time late in the season when Nolan Arenado was on the injured list with a shoulder issue, and did show flashes of his potential.

But with Arenado and Brendan Donovan both gone, he's going to have significantly more playing time in 2026, so it's now or never for him to prove himself as the power threat the Cardinals have hoped he would become at the start of his career.

If he can stay healthy with consistent playing time, there is a chance he could finally become what the Cardinals were expecting. When he's right, he can be a significant power threat from the left side, and if he's playing more frequently during the rebuild, now is a good time for him to reach his full potential.

That could give the Cardinals' depleted lineup a bit of a boost for 2026 and set the stage for the future as well. We'll see if he can live up to expectations.

More MLB: Cardinals Legends Believe More Trades Could Be Coming as 2026 Nears