5 early Spring Training standouts for the St. Louis Cardinals

Taylor Motter, 3B

The Cardinals signed Taylor Motter as a free agent after last season, likely to have him serve as a depth piece in Triple-A. His career stats in the major leagues are underwhelming, with an average of .191 in 404 at-bats, most of them with the Seattle Mariners in 2017. Motter has shown some promise this spring, though: In 11 at-bats, he has a .364 average and a .500 OBP, aided by three walks. He also has a home run and a stolen base to his name.

I highly doubt Motter makes the opening day roster, but a promotion if he shows this kind of production in Memphis isn’t out of the question, especially if injuries hit the infield. At 33 years old and an owner of only 446 major league plate appearances, Motter is the kind of player who could gain cult hero status among fans if he can produce at the highest level.

These are the five hitters who have impressed me the most this spring. The Cardinals should have a high-powered and dynamic offense in 2023, especially if some of these complementary pieces can help Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado deal damage to opposing pitchers.