Cardinals Rising Star Deemed 'Too Good' For Major Leagues Amid Hectic Roster Logjam

St. Louis might demote a player worthy of being on the big-league squad

Aug 6, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Victor Scott II (11) celebrates with third base coach Ron 'Pop' Warner (75) after hitting a two run home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the second inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals could soon demote a rising star who has proven himself as a big leaguer with an impressive outing at this year's spring training.

This offseason was supposed to be spent clearing roster spots for younger talent by trading several veteran players, such as Willson Contreras and Nolan Arenado. Unfortunately, things didn't go according to plan and now the Cardinals are in a bit of a jam with several rising stars.

One of which might be optioned to Triple-A Memphis to begin 2025, as the Cardinals might deem it best for him to play more in the minors than to play his position part-time in the big leagues.

"It’s got to be a terribly bitter pill to swallow, being too good to be in the big leagues." St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Lynn Worthy wrote Wednesday morning. "That’s a weird scenario to even imagine, but it does happen in baseball. It could unfold with Cardinals outfielder Victor Scott II very soon."

Scott has batted .371 with five extra-base hits including two home runs, 5 RBIs and a staggering 1.133 OPS in 35 at-bats across 13 games played for the Cardinals this spring.

"A quick recap of the potential playing time logjam: Nolan Gorman, who the Cardinals have said they want to get 500 at-bats or more, will likely see most of his time at second base because Nolan Arenado is still the club’s starting third baseman," Worthy continued. "That means Brendan Donovan joins Lars Nootbaar and Jordan Walker as everyday players likely to fill the outfield spots on a regular basis. That likely means Nootbaar playing center field, where he started Tuesday’s exhibition game."

The 24-year-old outfielder was expected to compete for the Cardinals center field position with outstanding defender Michael Siani this spring but now that the spot might not be available for either outfielder, it might be better for Scott's development to have him spend more time in the minors to start the 2025 season.

Performance-wise, Scott has outplayed Siani this spring but that won't grant him the starting role as the Cardinals center fielder. It's unfortunate that St. Louis might not be ready for either player but at least they're both showing signs of positive development, providing the franchise with hope for the future.

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