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St. Louis Cardinals fans spent a good chunk of this offseason clamoring for a right-handed bat with power. Pete “the polar bear” Alonso made way to the Orioles, and former Redbird sluggers Marcell Ozuna and Randal Grichuk found new homes in Pittsburgh and the Bronx, respectively. The Cardinals were left seemingly empty-handed at the end of the offseason in a key area for 2026, at least that’s what most fans thought.
Did St. Louis strike gold with Nelson Velazquez?
Nelson Velázquez, a 27-year-old corner outfielder, was signed by St. Louis on January 26th, 2026, to a minor-league deal with an invite to camp. Since he arrived, he’s done nothing but torment Grapefruit League arms. This spring, Velazquez has knocked the ball around to the tune of a .333/436/.727 slashline. He’s showcased power, discipline, and even a solid hit tool. The other day, he used that right-handed power to take former Cardinals' pitcher Miles Mikolas deep with a towering shot.
Velázquez hits this one a LONG way!
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) March 15, 2026
419 feet, 109.4 MPH Exit Velo 💥 pic.twitter.com/M54qufl1fb
Velázquez has actually seen success in The Show before. In 2023, the slugger powered his way to an .888 OPS in 55 games between the Cubs and the Royals, good enough for an OPS+ of 135 and 1.2 WAR.
Other options for left field on opening day include Nathan Church and Chase Davis, who are both left-handed hitters who haven’t performed anywhere near the same level that Velázquez has this spring.
If the Cardinals want to rebuild, one thing that speeds up that process is a diamond in the rough. Velázquez hits the ball hard, far, and consistently. What more could you ask for from a big league-caliber bat? It's hard to imagine he won't be on the Opening Day roster at this point.
As Patrick McAvoy of Sports Illustrated puts it, “Velázquez has 31 big league homers in 194 games played. There are a few righties with the club with the same level of power upside as Velázquez. He arguably has done enough to make the club out of camp.”
To maximize opportunity in 2026, St. Louis needs to give high-reward options the time to shine. Velázquez has 30-home run type power, and his spring speaks for itself. Let the man play.