Dream St. Louis Cardinals lineup for the 2026 season

Batting eighth, designated hitter Nolan Gorman

The position of designated hitter here for Nolan Gorman isn't as important as his spot in the lineup is. It's entirely possible (and likely) that the designated hitter is a rotating position for the Cardinals with players like Willson Contreras, Alec Burleson, and Ivan Herrera seeing plenty of time here.

What is noteworthy is Gorman's location in the eighth spot in the batting order. In 2025, Gorman sacrificed power for contact. He increased his on-base percentage from .271 to .296 from 2024, but his power took a major hit. In 2024, Gorman posted a .197 ISO and a .400 slugging percentage. Just a year before that, Gorman hit 27 home runs with a .241 ISO and a .478 SLG. His .370 SLG in 2025 was a severe drop.

Gorman's calling card has always been his power. In a lineup that severely lacks slug, it's essential that Nolan Gorman reverts back to his power stroke. The first way he can correct this change would be to swing more often, particularly at pitches in the zone. Gorman's swing rate fell from 50.8% to 47.3% last year, and his zone-swing rate went from 69.5% to just 64.6%.

Gorman's swinging strike rate took a dip, and his chase rate also fell; these are good traits that he should continue to practice next year, but he needs to re-ignite his power with that plate discipline to become a viable hitter for the Cardinals.

Steamer projects Gorman for a .218/.300/.408 slash line with 12 home runs. Gorman's progress in plate discipline continues with a 10.1% BB rate, but his 31.9% strikeout rate is still a bit too high for comfort unless he can surpass 20-25 home runs.

Nolan Gorman batting down in the lineup gives Oli Marmol a potential home run hitter at the bottom. There's certainly strikeout worries here, but the hope is that Gorman can clear the bases with home runs before speedsters like Victor Scott II and Masyn Winn come up to bat.