Cardinals' players discuss offseason workouts, push for improvement

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.

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.

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.