2 potential starting lineups for the Cardinals if Nolan Gorman's runway ends

Coming from a Nolan Gorman fan and still believer, this theoretical article was a bummer to write. The St. Louis Cardinals announced that Gorman would receive plenty of runway during the 2025 season, one that has been seen as make-or-break but also one that some experts see being his breakout year. However, the plane must either take off or head back to the hangar at some point on the runway, and that could be where Gorman finds himself this season.

The former first-round pick and top prospect experienced a power breakout in 2023 while also working through a position change to streamline his ride to the majors. After his 27-home run season, the Cardinals looked to have their infield of the future set with Nolan Arenado and Masyn Winn ready to play every day, Gorman settling in at second, and Paul Goldschmidt at first. While his strikeout numbers have always been of concern, they took a step in the wrong direction in 2024 as the team experienced another downseason.

With the team undergoing a transition, Gorman is expected to be given every opportunity to prove he can put it all together at the major league level. He will still be 24 years old during the early part of this season and was expected to shift back to his natural third base position if Arenado were to be traded. While the second part has not come to fruition yet, the Cardinals still plan to make good on their progress and pencil Gorman's name into the lineup every day. If concerning trends continue from early spring training into the regular season, it may be in the team's best interest to send him back to Memphis to see if the team's new player development system can work on him. I am still wary of trading Gorman because it would be a true shame to see a young, capable infielder unlock something in another uniform. He still has two minor league options remaining and will enter the first year of arbitration after the 2025 season.

If Nolan Gorman continues to struggle, what could a potential starting lineup look like?

I put together two starting lineups that could achieve different results but be beneficial to multiple players. A Gorman demotion could create similar opportunities for other hitters that an Arenado trade would have created but in a different way.

Lineup #1

The first option provides an opportunity to get an exciting player in Victor Scott II into the everyday lineup after having a strong start to spring. I originally planned to hit him ninth and leave Winn at leadoff, but I had a recent tweet that demanded Scott lead off, so I had to stay consistent there. That moves Donovan down to the five-hole from my initial plan of hitting second, which may seem like an awkward spot for a player with limited power potential. However, Donovan was actually second on the team with 75 RBIs last season, and hitting behind a couple of potent bats in Contreras and Arenado could be enough protection to make pitchers face the meat of the order.

This also keeps Nootbaar in left field, where he has been rated as an above-average fielder, and it may make it easier for him to stay healthy for an entire season. The designated hitter spot is interesting, as Alec Burleson makes the most sense against righties, but after struggling against lefties last season, it could open up a spot for Luken Baker to carve out a role after looking like a major question mark heading into spring. Contreras is still likely to get plenty of at-bats as the DH, so it is possible that Burleson just remains in the lineup as long as he can show improvements against left-handed pitchers. The catcher spot could be rotated between Herrera and Pedro Pages, with neither catcher seeming to be in the lead for the starting role thus far in spring, but Herrera packs the bigger bat. Scott in the leadoff spot allows Jordan Walker to slot into the bottom of the order, where he can hopefully hit without added pressure and focus strictly on putting the ball in play with some lift more consistently.

This lineup allows the Cardinals to keep their transition going while putting defense at the forefront (depending on the catcher) and gives the team elite speed at the top of the order to set the stage for the run producers in the middle.

Lineup #2

In the second iteration of a potential lineup without Gorman (reiterating that I hope he progresses into a 30-homer Major League infielder) brings Thomas Saggese to St. Louis and moves Donovan back up into the second spot. This setup removes a lefty from the lineup, so I feel this could work regardless of the pitching matchup, again, if Burleson can improve against lefties. Winn and Donovan each averaged around four pitches per plate appearance in 2024, with the shortstop tallying 79 hits when in a two-strike count, so those two at the top could make it hard for a starting pitcher to settle in early. Having Donovan play left field every day may actually be the team's preference, which then shifts Nootbaar over to center, assuming he shows his defensive capability there in spring.

For development's sake, I would only want to see Saggese on the big league roster if it means he is going to play every day. In 440 minor league games, the 22-year-old has a .285 average with an .842 OPS and 183 extra-base hits, and he was named the Texas League MVP in 2023. He also received some early recognition this season as a Rookie of the Year candidate. This lineup does not have the speed of Victor Scott II at the top of the lineup but packs a little more pop by substituting in Saggese. Lineup number two also presents an opportunity for the organization's top prospect, JJ Wetherholt, to slide in at second base if Saggese struggles and Wetherholt continues his impressive progression through the minor leagues.

Either way, I do hope these two lineups are theoretical and Nolan Gorman develops into a power-hitting infielder. If he could become a more athletic Kyle Schwarber at the plate for the St. Louis Cardinals, Gorman could provide the team with cheap, controllable left-handed power for the foreseeable future.