John Mozeliak provides a hint of what is his preferred Cardinals outfield alignment

After just one week of games in spring training, there are more unknowns than there are certainties for the St. Louis Cardinals. Several position battles won't be decided until the team breaks camp and heads north to St. Louis, and competitions will grow fiercer with each day.

One such position group that is in question would be the outfield. With Nolan Arenado staying on the team, that disallows Nolan Gorman from being the regular at the hot corner. If the organization wants Gorman to see 500 or more plate appearances in 2025, he will have to be either the primary second baseman or a designated hitter against right-handed pitchers.

Gorman at second base would move super-utility man Brendan Donovan to the outfield, a spot he frequented last year. Nolan Gorman at second, Brendan Donovan in left, and Willson Contreras at first base cut severely into Alec Burleson's playing time. Will Oli Marmol and John Mozeliak approve these changes?

St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak hinted at Brendan Donovan being the team's primary left fielder in 2025.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic wrote an excellent piece discussing the Cardinals' middle-of-the-road approach to 2025. Within his article is a small quote from John Mozeliak that gives fans plenty of insight into his preferred outfield alignment.

""This club could be good, or it could struggle. A lot of it just depends on how people obviously step up and play. Is Jordan Walker an impact bat? Is Nolan Gorman that middle-of-the-order type hitter? Is Brendan Donovan an All-Star outfielder? Is Willson Contreras adjusting from catcher to first base, and does the bat come alive even more? There are things that are in question. But if they come around to where we hope, it could be a fun team to watch.”"

John Mozeliak

There's a lot there! Mozeliak knows that Jordan Walker and Nolan Gorman hitting the way they're supposed to will go a long way for the team. Mozeliak also sneaks in a small detail that shouldn't go unnoticed. He mentions Brendan Donovan as a potential All-Star outfielder. Hm. That's interesting!

Brendan Donovan playing in left field in 2025 likely shifts Lars Nootbaar to center field and opens up the designated hitter spot for Alec Burleson. The man left on the outside in this situation would be center fielder Michael Siani, a potential Gold Glove candidate and a guy with plus speed.

There are clear defensive issues with this lineup. Jordan Walker is a liability in right field, and Lars Nootbaar isn't the same defender that Siani is in center. Nolan Gorman has been a well-below-average defender at second base, too. However, the hope is that the offense that these players provide would offset defensive worries and woes.

These position battles will figure themselves out over the next month as we near opening day. Nothing is even penciled in as of now, and several wrinkles could be introduced during the month of March. Victor Scott II could continue to show off. A player could get injured. The club could get fed up with Nolan Gorman's offense — following Friday's game, he was still hitless with five strikeouts in nine at-bats.

John Mozeliak appears to have a preference for his outfield alignment with a month to go before opening day. Will he get his wish? Only time will tell.