After abandoning their attempts to move third baseman Nolan Arenado, the St. Louis Cardinals are stuck at second base. The Cardinals appear to have committed to Arenado as their daily third baseman, which produces a domino effect on their roster. Now, several young players will vie for playing time at second base.
Cardinals Encounter Second Base Congestion
Cardinals Committed to Arenado at Third
As camp begins, we learn more about the situation involving Arenado and the Cardinals. After a trade fell through this offseason, both sides appear content to have him continue to play for the team.
“He’s definitely welcome back. And I believe that if we add Nolan to our roster, we will be a better team,” stated Cardinals President of Baseball Operations earlier this week. “So, I think from today moving forward it’s about him playing baseball, him being a ballplayer and us just trying to move forward with what this club is going to look like.”
The Cardinals are shifting their focus as an organization. They want to concentrate on nurturing the youth in their group. The initial goal of moving Arenado was to offer more playing time to the organization’s abundance of youthful third-base options.
“This transition is going to be about a youth movement,” Mozeliak stated in his first comments at Spring Training. “It will be about giving players opportunity. We’re enthused about the guys at this camp.
Three Options at Second Base
If Arenado had been dealt, Nolan Gorman, a previous first-round choice, would have been the presumed third baseman. However, he will most likely share time at second base with rookie Thomas Saggese and Brendan Donovan. Gorman struggled in 2024, ultimately being demoted to triple-A. While he was originally drafted as a third baseman in 2018, he has spent the most of his MLB career at second base.
Gorman is likely to earn at-bats as DH. His powerful abilities make him a dangerous bat. Last year, he recorded the League’s seventh-highest barrel percentage (16.7%). However, his strikeout rate is problematic. In 2024, Gorman had the second-highest strikeout rate in the League among players who batted 400 times, at 37.6 percent. Gorman is also the third defensive option among the three second base positions.
Saggese is the Cardinals’ No. 4 prospect. He concluded last season with the Cardinals after being promoted ahead of the struggling Gorman. Saggese is also coming off a successful Fall League campaign. Donovan is an excellent defensive defender. He has also established himself as an everyday player with his bat. However, Donovan can play second base or outfield. His versatility will be beneficial as the Cardinals put together their lineup.
A Domino Effect on the Lineup
The Cardinals have locked down three infield positions: third base with Arenado, shortstop with Masyn Winn, and first base with Willson Contreras. Jordan Walker and Lars Nootbaar will receive preference playing time as the team determines what it has with the two young players. Alec Burleson was the most productive hitter on the club last season. Burleson will play in the outfield, as DH, and possibly as a backup first baseman to Contreras.
This leaves Donovan as the flex responsible for the biggest change. Donovan will be in the field most days, but not as DH. Saggese and Gorman will be out of the lineup if he starts second. If he plays outfield, he will most certainly push Michael Siani, probably the Cardinals’ finest defensive player, out of center field.
Mozeliak stated that manager Oliver Marmol and his coaching team are figuring out how to put together the ideal lineup. The squad will strike a balance between giving young players playing time and relying on veterans like Arenado and Contreras. Marmol believes the club will win with such combination.
“This young core is hungry, they’re excited, they’re passionate,” Marmol said at the Cardinals ‘Winter Warmup event. “They’re looking forward to making their mark in Cardinal’s history.”
