Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals Slugger 'Looks Primed' For Breakout Season After Lethargic Start To Career

The young St. Louis star sounds ready for a resurgence
Nate Hagerty|
Aug 9, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman (16) bats during the fourth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Aug 9, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman (16) bats during the fourth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

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St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals didn't alter their big-league roster much this offseason but are hopeful that their youth-laden lineup will finally wake up.

The two previous seasons have been especially brutal for Cardinals fans. In 2023, the rotation fell apart and last year, the lackluster lineup was to blame for the club's second consecutive playoff contention elimination.

Fortunately, the Cardinals' youth core is welcoming an underdog mentality this upcoming season, with one youngster poised to have a long-awaited breakout year at the plate.

"He’s (Nolan Gorman) never played 120 games in a season or been given 500 plate appearances to show what he can do," The Athletic's Jim Bowden wrote Thursday after listing Gorman as a player turning heads at spring training. "But this spring, as he enters his age-25 season, he looks primed for a potential breakout if the Cardinals can find a way to play him every day — which for now appears to be easier said than done."

Gorman has belted 60 home runs in three seasons with the Cardinals but due to a pair of injuries toward the end of 2023 and a disappointing demotion in Aug. last year, the former top prospect hasn't completed a full season at the big-league level.

The 24-year-old undoubtedly possesses the power to become one of the Cardinals' top hitters but his alarming strikeout rate must be reduced. Surely, St. Louis' new hitting coach, Brant Brown, has been working to help Gorman be a more disciplined hitter at the plate this upcoming season.

The former Cardinals first-round draft pick's main position is third base but he'll be forced to play second base until St. Louis finds a new home for 10-time Gold Glove defender Nolan Arenado.

Hopefully, playing second base won't affect Gorman's mentality and plate approach. The Cardinals are counting on him to be a vital piece to the organization's future and now's the time for him to prove he can be that for the 11-time World Series champions.

More MLB: Yankees Broadcaster Urges Cardinals To Swap Nolan Arenado For 2-Time All-Star

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Nate Hagerty
NATE HAGERTY

Nate Hagerty joined “Inside The Cardinals” as a content creator to spread knowledge about his favorite childhood team. A hometown native of Boston, Hagerty chose at an early age of six years old to follow the St. Louis Cardinals. The miraculous season of 04’ for the Red Sox did not deter Hagerty from rooting against his hometown team, nor did it in 2013 against the Red Birds. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu 

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