10 Cardinals hitters who were on fire in spring training, then flamed out

Victor Scott II

Spring Training (2024): 41 at-bats, .317/.404/.366, 10 runs, 4 stolen bases

Cardinals Regular Season: 145 at-bats, .179/.219/.283, 14 runs, 5 stolen bases

And finally, the most recent and unfortunate name on the list is one who still has plenty of time to define his major league career. Victor Scott II was selected in the fifth round of the 2022 draft after being intrigued by his game-breaking speed and surprising pop from the left side. The Cardinals took an aggressive approach with Scott and sent him right to the minors and he performed well as a 21-year-old with 10 extra-base hits and 13 stolen bases in just 31 games.

To progress him along and push the envelope, the Cardinals invited him to major league Spring Training to learn from the veterans and coaching staff. He was not expected to make the roster and was reassigned to minor league camp before shipping out to High-A for the start of the season. Scott kept his offense going and was awarded with a promotion to Springfield, where he was even better. Over his 132 games at both levels, he totaled a .303 batting average with nine homers, 63 RBI, 95 runs, 10 triples, and 94 stolen bases.

That incredible performance was what the Cardinals expected when selecting the speedster in the draft and kept him with the big league club in Jupiter. After not seeing a professional pitch above the AA level, he was expected to hang around long enough just to get some experience against tougher arms. However, a strong showing by Scott plus unfortunate injuries to the outfield forced the Cardinals' hand. He hit .317 with a triple and four stolen bases over 41 at-bats, so the late spring injury to Dylan Carlson opened up a regular starting spot for VSII.

The team admitted that he would not have received the promotion without consistent at-bats, but Scott showed that he would benefit from more time in the minors after his tough debut against the game's top arms. In the four-game opening series against the Dodgers, Scott tallied two hits in his first 14 at-bats, and those struggles continued in the season's first full month. Through 16 games in April, Scott hit .067 with an increased strikeout rate and decreased plate discipline. The Cardinals had no choice but to send VSII to Memphis to get his approach and confidence back.

The demotion was tough for Scott, and he struggled to a .210 average as a 23-year-old in Triple-A (more than three years younger than the average player at that level) and did not receive a call back to the bigs until August. Even with the team struggling to find offense behind the light-hitting Michael Siani, the team still curiously kept trotting the latter out every day, causing more inconsistent opportunities for Scott. He ended the season receiving only 13 at-bats in September but did add four hits to end on a strong note.

Scott's 2025 role is up in the air, even more so after the Cardinals appear willing to hold on to Nolan Arenado for the year. The trickle-down effect means that VSII is left without a regular spot and could see himself starting at Memphis to keep his development going. Still only 24, it is way too early to count out VSII, especially with his game-changing speed and hitting potential.