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.

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.