2 players who have stood out this spring, according to Cardinals management

Spring training is close to being over, and the regular season is almost upon us. Teams now have a good understanding of what their roster will look like on Opening Day and can finally let the position battles take place. The St. Louis Cardinals have indicated a youth movement where they want to see roster battles to solidify the next core. While almost the exact same roster will be returning from the prior season, there is still development to take place. Many young players are expected to take the next step in their careers and really showcase their talents for 2025.

While fans and media have their own expectations and realities, so do the front office and coaching staff. They know who has roster certainty, they know who has much to prove, and they know who will be battling for a roster spot. While much criticism is aimed towards them after the 2024 offseason dud, they have hope in their outlook for this future club. They are excited about what they have seen from two players specifically during spring training.

In a recent article in The Athletic (subscription required), Jim Bowden interviewed team personnel on whom they have been impressed with during the first half of spring training. Cardinals President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak has been impressed with Nolan Gorman. He believes Gorman will have a big year in 2025, which only grows the weight of expectations from the slugging second baseman. While he has disappointed over the past couple of seasons, he is still very young and has a very high ceiling for being a power threat. The team needs his thump after losing Paul Goldschmidt in free agency.

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol has been impressed by another left-handed bat in the lineup. Fan favorite Lars Nootbaar is expected to be a leader for this team going forward, and he might be piecing it all together this spring. Marmol complimented his preparation on the defensive side of the ball and stated that Nootbaar appears to be in great shape mentally and physically. These are all good signs you want to see as a Cardinals fan.

While we have a couple more weeks of spring training, the picture is becoming more clear on how each team is shaping up heading into Opening Day. The Cardinals are not expected to be true competitors in 2025, but the team is out to prove everyone wrong. It starts with underperforming players to step up and provide value to this team. Gorman and Nootbaar have high expectations for good reason. Let's see if they can be impact players for a team that desperately needs it.