5 position battles to watch in spring training for the St. Louis Cardinals

Center field - Michael Siani and Victor Scott II

Players to watch - Lars Nootbaar and Michael Helman

Last year, Michael Siani surprised virtually everyone by becoming the Cardinals' everyday center fielder. His web gems, fantastic dives, and speed were energizing for a largely apathetic team. After injuries derailed the seasons for Tommy Edman, Dylan Carlson, and Lars Nootbaar, the battle for center was between Michael Siani and rookie Victor Scott II. Siani won the battle.

The same two players will be duking it out for supremacy once again this spring. Siani probably has the upper hand due to his performance on the defensive end last year, but Victor Scott II is motivated to make his mark on the big-league club in 2025.

Last year, Michael Siani played 110 of his 124 games in center field, and he was exceptional defensively regardless of the metric you use. He didn't commit a single error, he racked up 15 Outs Above Average, he accumulated eight Defensive Runs Saved, and he had a 15.8 Ultimate Zone Rating over 150 games. Siani was snubbed in Gold Glove voting, but he was as deserving in center as any other player in the league.

Offensive struggles were what held Siani back last year. He slashed .228/.285/.285 for a wRC+ of just 64. He was 36% worse than league average hitter last year. There needs to be a definite improvement for the lefty on the offensive side of the game if he wants to be a mainstay in the grass.

Victor Scott II is the younger version of Siani with a higher ceiling. A former top-five organizational prospect, Scott was thrust into the starting role last year coming out of spring training due to injuries. He finished 2024 with a slash line of .179/.219/.283 in only 155 plate appearances and 53 games. Scott was demoted early in the year after it was clear he struggled against major-league pitching.

After spending some time with roving instructor Ryan Ludwick on a swing change, Scott began to show signs of growth. He had a .244/.278/.384 slash line in the second half of 2024 to go along with two home runs, six doubles, and eight runs batted in for a wRC+ of 84. If he can show a stronger ability to draw walks, he can get on base more and do some damage on the basepaths, an area that should be a strength for him given his 99th percentile speed.

Spring will be a chance for both Siani and Scott to flex their muscles and show their offseason work. They're both strong defenders, but the Cardinals need more offense out of the CF spot next year. If they seek offense, Lars Nootbaar could be moved to center. This becomes a greater reality if Nolan Arenado stays on the roster in 2025 if Nolan Gorman forces the organization's hand into starting him, and if Brendan Donovan moves to the corner outfield.