Cardinals' players discuss offseason workouts, push for improvement

1 of 3

The offseason is a time for players to take a break, but it is also a time for them to prepare themselves physically and mentally for the coming season. For the St. Louis Cardinals, many players put in extra work to avoid the tragedy that was the 2023 season.

Players such as Paul Goldschmidt, Andre Pallante, Riley O'Brien, and Zack Thompson worked out at places like Tread and Driveline to improve aspects of their respective games. Driveline is known for helping hitters, and Tread focuses on pitchers, specifically adding or honing a particular pitch.

Other players took a more physical approach to the offseason. Some chose to put on weight and muscle to add power and strength, others chose to cut weight to add athleticism, flexibility, and durability to their profile. Additional players were working hard to get back from injuries they sustained last year. Let's take a look at some of these players.

Jordan Walker

Jordan Walker has always been a menacing player. He is almost as tall as Aaron Judge, and he has the prospect pedigree to back it up. According to John Denton of MLB.com, Jordan Walker has added about forty pounds of muscle this offseason to help him gain power at the plate. Walker, twenty-one, spent the offseason in Florida with Jose Oquendo.

#STLCards SS Masyn Winn, who has worked all offseason to add muscle and bulk to help himself at the plate, said friend & teammate Jordan Walker is up to 260 pounds.

The 6-foot-6 Walker has spent most of his offseason in Jupiter, Fla., working with STL instructor Jose Oquendo.
— John Denton (@JohnDenton555) January 14, 2024

Jordan Walker is bound to be an even more imposing presence at the plate. The hope is that this added weight and strength doesn't slow him down, as his sprint speed was in the 81st percentile last year.

Masyn Winn

Masyn Winn is the presumptive starting shortstop for the Cardinals in 2024. Winn intends to reach 195 pounds by the start of Spring Training. He stated that he consistently loses about ten pounds each year during the grind of the season. Starting at 195 pounds would give him more of a cushion should he lose a decent amount of weight next year.

#STLCards rookie Masyn Winn, who hopes to win the starting shortstop job in Spring Training, hopes to get to 195 pounds by the time he gets to Jupiter, Fla.

The 21-year-old Winn said he usually loses 10-15 pounds over the long season and he dipped into "the 160s" last season.
— John Denton (@JohnDenton555) January 14, 2024

If Winn can add some more weight, he should be able to hit for more power next year. His defense and athleticism will be maintained with some muscle growth, and he will see a boost at the plate, an area he struggled with during his first stint in the majors last year.

Brendan Donovan

Brendan Donovan is rebounding from a flexor tendon injury in his throwing arm that he experienced late last season. Donovan has become one of the most vocal leaders on the team, and his positional flexibility paired with his offensive firepower has made him an indispensible player on this roster. Donovan finished the 2023 season on the Injured List, but all signs point to him returning in time for Spring Training.

Brendan Donovan is almost finished with his throwing program and feels good entering the Spring. The goal is that “no one can even notice” he has surgery. #STLCards pic.twitter.com/3oGKhv8T04
— Josh Jacobs (@joshjacoMLB) January 14, 2024

When discussing his recovery at the Winter Warm-Up, Donovan encouraged reporters that he is pain-free when working out. He has put his arm through plenty of stress tests, and he hasn't experienced pain when throwing or batting.

My goal is that when I show up (to Spring Training) that nobody can tell, no one knows that I had surgery.
Brendan Donovan

Nolan Gorman

Nolan Gorman is another starter coming back from an injury. However, Gorman's issue is more of a lingering one than an acute one. Back in 2020, while working out during the COVID lockdown, Gorman injured his back. He has experienced repercussions of that injury since then, and he finally had to shut it down this past season to recover more. He was in and out of the lineup four separate times last year to rest due to nagging back pain.

At the Winter Warm-Up, Gorman spoke about how he is using this offseason to build up his back to avoid nagging issues. Through a new nutrition plan and a greater focus on core strength and flexibility this offseason, Gorman has been able to decrease the inflammation in his back. He, just like Donovan, believes he will be 100% ready to go by Spring Training. At the moment, Gorman and Donovan will be splitting time at second base; Nolan Gorman will probably get more starts there due to Donovan's versatility.

#STLCards lefty Nolan Gorman said he has been working with a nutrition program that has increased his flexibility & decreased his back inflammation.

Gorman, who has battled back pain since a 2020 weight-lifting injury, wants to adhere to the program to play more games in 2024.
— John Denton (@JohnDenton555) January 14, 2024

Alec Burleson

Alec Burleson will more than likely make the roster next year to start the season. He has proven his worth in the minors, and he has a strong bat that can play in the outfield, first base, or designated hitter. Burleson's defense, however, is where he needed to make improvements.

Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (subscription required) met up with Alec Burleson to discuss what he did during the offseason to prepare for 2024. Worthy says that at the end of last season, Burleson received a report from the team about things they wanted him to work on during the winter break. One such item on the list was his defense. Burly figured the best way to improve his defense was to become more agile and to reshape his body. Worthy said Burleson lost twelve pounds this offseason, a number that figures to make him more athletic in the field.

Luken Baker

Luken Baker will be fighting for a spot on the roster during Spring Training this year. The right-handed first baseman will turn twenty-seven on March 10th, so he isn't a young prospect, but he sure can hit. This is Baker's first season on the Cardinals' 40-man roster, and with that comes security but also competition. He must now prove that he is ready to handle what is thrown at him regardless of where he is playing.

Baker, too, has been working hard all offseason to get his body in shape for 162 games. Daniel Guerrero of the Post Dispatch (subscription required) wrote a piece discussing Baker's drive and physical focus for next season. Luken Baker is primarily a first baseman, but he can also play designated hitter. He hit thirty-three home runs and drove in ninety-eight runners last year, both tops across the minors for the St. Louis Cardinals system.

Alec Burleson and Luken Baker's physical adjustments this offseason lend them both to be more agile and capable on the defensive side. These changes should help them make the roster next year and benefit the team in whatever capacity is necessary.

manual

Home / St Louis Cardinals News