St. Louis Cardinals: Nolan Gorman putting in extra work at second base

Nolan Gorman is likely blocked by Nolan Arenado for the foreseeable future. He’s now putting in work to be the St. Louis Cardinals’ second baseman.

If there are two things that the St. Louis Cardinals seem to prioritize above most other things, it’s athleticism and character. Fans hear about “the Cardinal Way” and have seen it for years in the players on the team. Players like Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, Matt Holliday, Adam Wainwright, Yadier Molina, and prospects Dylan Carlson and Jordan Walker all have that “baseball smarts” side of the game down.

There are many more who could be added the above list, but that just proves how common it is to see with the Cardinals. Character and desire to work hard is a great way to have players who hit each of their own individual ceilings, no matter what that is. When you mix hard work and athleticism, the outcome can be a player who can fill many roles because of their ability to be determined to fill that.

We’ve seen it recently in Matt Carpenter’s ability to shift to second base and Dylan Carlson’s ability to turn himself into an above-average corner outfielder after being drafted like someone who would end up at first base. These examples of intangibles paying off go on and on.

This spring, the Cardinals are seeing intangibles pay off again with their number two prospect, Nolan Gorman. As a top 50-60 prospect in baseball, the 20-year-old Gorman has “40-homer” potential and is on schedule to arrive at the MLB in 2022. Up until a few weeks ago, it looked like he was going to be fighting with Elehuris Montero for the role of third baseman of the future.

Now, Nolan Arenado has that role locked down, forcing Gorman elsewhere. While Gorman was a raw defensive third baseman on draft night, 2020 afforded him the opportunity to keep growing at third base defensively under the wings of Jose Oquendo at the alternate site.

Now, he is looking to move across the diamond.

While a corner outfield spot could be another home for Gorman, second base is a fine place to start. Tommy Edman is currently slated to fill the hole left by Kolten Wong’s departure, but he is far from a sure thing. He had a great rookie year, but if he’s closer to the player fans saw in 2020, a utility role may be the better spot for Edman.

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Matt Carpenter will be the backup at second for this season, but will likely be out of the picture following 2021. Despite the team saying there was a chance Gorman debuts in 2021, there is no reason to rush the 20-year-old. He still needs to mature at the plate before he is ready for MLB pitching.

Making a switch from third to second base can’t be easy, but it is an awesome sign to see Gorman getting to camp early to spend more time focusing on learning a new position. It is early in his move, but seeing reports like these only bring optimism. Gorman is young, he is hungry, and the need will be there soon.

Gorman has the potential to be a legit threat in the middle of the order, he just needs some more seasoning and a spot to play. This spring, he will likely get the longest look he’s had yet in MLB camp which will be fun to watch. There will be hiccups in any positional change, but Gorman is starting off his switch to second base around the right coaches and in the right way.