Cardinals playing time meet and greet: Hitters edition part 1

The St. Louis Cardinals lineup is suddenly crowded with the introduction of minor-league depth to Busch Stadium. Lots of former top prospects have yet to hit their stride at the highest level, and it's nearing decision time in The Lou. 

1. Victor Scott II

The speedster manning the green in front of Freese’s lawn is sure a joy to watch defensively. But does the excitement he exudes overshadow his shortcomings? 

Scott II has been nothing short of elite in centerfield and on the basepaths. A percentile ranking of 94 for baserunning run value and 96 for fielding run value, according to Baseball Savant, shows off his pure athleticism that's been on high display. 

The only part of Scott’s game that hasn’t come to big-league fruition resides in the batter's box. “VS2” had a hitting run value that ranked in the 8th percentile in 2025. To put it simply, Scott was one of the worst hitters in Major League Baseball. 

The scariest thing is that his underlying metrics don’t point towards much progression. Unless Scott II finds himself as a hitter, the Cardinals should be quick to explore other options to man center field going forward.

2. Jordan Walker

Where to begin? The Cardinals' former cure for their inability to produce quality MLB position players has become their greatest vice. 

Walker has succumbed to the abyss of “change of scenery.” If he were to come into Spring Training on fire and display the discipline he has lacked in his MLB career, let him ride. Why not? He could end up being Missouri's Jo Adell. 

If he comes out of the gate looking the same as he has for the past couple of years, it may be time to cut ties and swallow the pill on Walker’s dwindling career. It's time for Walker to show up in the Show-Me State.

It’s truly sad how things have shaped up, and I hope nothing but the best for the struggling slugger.

3. JJ Wetherholt

The talk of the town in St. Louis is the 2024 first-round draft pick out of West Virginia, infielder JJ Wetherholt. The team’s top prospect is currently 23 years old (the same age as Jordan Walker) and has cemented himself as a consensus top-five prospect in the sport. 

According to a poll done by MLB Pipeline, 40 front office officials decided on Wetherholt as the clear favorite to win the 2026 NL Rookie of the Year. Fellow Redbird Rants columnist and member of the Dealin' The Cards podcast Josh Jacobs wrote, “Wetherholt has plenty of fanfare from talent evaluators, but now rival front office executives are adding even more fuel to that fire.” 

Wetherholt may be the player to pursue an extension with, even if it's before he sets foot in Busch Stadium. In a similar manner to how the rival Milwaukee Brewers tied down emerging superstar Jackson Chourio’s services for the foreseeable future, St. Louis shouldn’t shy away from making Wetherholt a mainstay piece.

A contract extension for a young player grants the club prolonged financial flexibility and eases the immense pressure that comes with being a top prospect. The fact that other MLB executives are so confident in the likes of Wetherholt to win the 2026 Rookie of the Year suggests to me that they see no world where St. Louis holds on to 2025 All-Star Brendan Donovan. 

There’s no reason why Wetherholt shouldn’t be given the entirety of 2026 to cement himself as a key cog in the machine for the long haul. St. Louis better clear the way, because he’s coming in SCORCHING hot.

4. Nathan Church

Church, 25, made his major-league debut in 2025, and although he flashed in the field, his output at the dish was subpar to put it kindly. 

His speed and defensive excellence are the kind of tools that the John Mozeliak regime valued far too highly. With other players currently rostered like Victor Scott II and Pedro Pages, who are currently more or less defensive specialists, St. Louis doesn’t have the leg room to include another batless hitter.

If he were made available, Church would likely get plenty of interest as a fourth outfielder on a competitive team. I do see an MLB future for the Cardinal youngster, just not in The Lou. 

When it comes to 2026, St. Louis doesn't have time to wait around. Lots of players demand immediate attention, and the Cardinals must make the tough decision now.