6 overreactions to the first week of the Cardinals' 2024 season

Overreaction 3 - Victor Scott II is not Major League ready

Victor Scott's .100/.182/.167/.348 slash line and -6 OPS+ to start the season sure aren't pretty. But, with only eight games played, the numbers are selling him short. Scott's impact has been felt throughout the team, both at the plate and in the field. As a potential 80-grade defender, he takes the load off Brendan Donovan and Jordan Walker, neither of whom are exceptional in the field. Moreover, Scott has shown the ability to wreak havoc on the bases.

He's only stolen one base so far, but he's forced errors and scored runs that nobody else in the league can. Even with the infield in, he's almost guaranteed to score from third base on any ground ball and has contributed many of the key runs in the four Cardinals wins so far. Starting pitchers are on alert once Scott reaches base. Anytime he reaches, the batter following gets more fastballs to hit, and the pitcher's focus is on him rather than the current at bat. The Cardinals' baserunning has significantly improved to start the season, and Victor Scott II is a large part of that improvement.

It's not like Scott looks completely overmatched at the plate, either. He's made good contact and hit the ball hard. His approach looks great, and it may only be a matter of time before he fully clicks and breaks out completely. As he explained in an interview with Josh Jacobs on the Dealin' the Cards Podcast, Victor Scott is a true student of the game. He's going to continue learning and developing at the plate, and he's already an extremely valuable member of the Cardinals with his speed and defense. He'll continue to get significant playing time in center field until Dylan Carlson and Tommy Edman can return healthy, and we can be sure he'll make the most of this opportunity.

Verdict: Not worried at all. Scott is an electric player, and his approach is extremely promising. Can't wait to see what he does next.