St. Louis Cardinals’ Nolan Gorman compared to this Dodgers star

St. Louis Cardinals prospect Nolan Gorman, who will debut in 2022, is being compared to this Los Angeles Dodgers star.

Despite Jordan Walker generating significant buzz, and being named the St. Louis Cardinals top prospect by most outlets, Nolan Gorman is going to be a significant part of the team’s future.

Gorman, of course, is expected to debut early in the 2022 season and take significant at-bats right away while Walker will debut sometime in 2023 and is still without a long-term position defensively. But when Gorman eventually debuts, ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel says that we should see parts of Los Angeles Dodgers star Max Muncy’s game.

The comparison likely comes from their offensive abilities. In 2021, Muncy hit .249 with 36 home runs and 94 RBI, and was a prominent part of the MVP discussion during the middle of the regular season. In 2021, switching between two leagues, Gorman hit .279/.333/.481 with 25 home runs and 75 RBI.

There are some comparisons that I have heard between Gorman and Austin Riley and McDaniel echoed them: while both players struggled with swing-and-miss, there was a general consensus among agents and evaluators that both were high-character, high makeup players. And when you have the talent that both players do, along with their elite talent, it often helps them overcome their deficiencies on the field.

That has proven true for Riley, who finished in the top-10 in MVP voting this season, and emerged as a key piece in the Atlanta Braves’ World Series run. And that appears to be the case for Gorman, who is high on every evaluator’s top-100 board and figures to be a prominent part of the Cardinals’ long-term outlook.

When he debuts, Gorman will slide in at second base, giving the Cardinals potentially three 30-plus homer caliber infielders and four total (Tyler O’Neill).

The present and future is bright for the Cardinals. Gorman, who will be part of both, will soon debut – whenever MLB and the MLBPA come to an agreement on the CBA.