4 non-roster invitees who could steal Opening Day roster spots for the Cardinals

#4 - Victor Scott II

Victor Scott is probably the most exciting player on this list (and maybe even in the Cardinals system as a whole). Ranked as St. Louis’s 4th best prospect by MLB Pipeline, Scott played his way to AA Springfield in his first full season as a St. Louis Cardinal at just 22 years old. Across 2 levels, he posted a .303/.369/.425 triple slash line, good for a 118 wRC+. He paired this with a better-than-average 15.7% K% and a worse-than-average 7.4 BB%. He managed to parlay his breakout 2023 into an invite to the Arizona Fall League, where he continued to impress. Scott posted a .286/.388/.417 triple slash while walking more times (12) than he struck out (8). 

While his success with the bat will be critical in getting him on to the 26-man roster, Victor Scott’s best skills come away from the plate. The most impactful of them is far and away his speed. An 80-grade offering according to MLB Pipeline, Victor Scott is one of the fastest players in MLB. He wasn’t afraid to show it on the bases either, swiping a jaw-dropping 94 bases in just 132 games. During his 23-game stint in the Arizona Fall League, he stole another 18 bases, bringing his 2023 total to 112 swiped bags in 155 games. Scott also uses that speed in the field, where he grades out as a well above-average center fielder, with the chance to be a human highlight reel in CF long-term for the Cardinals.

Simply put, Victor Scott is a delight to watch wherever he is on the field. Should Tommy Edman’s wrist surgery follow him into spring training or guys like Dylan Carlson or Masyn Winn struggle, Victor Scott will almost certainly have a chance to steal a roster spot away with a strong showing.