Future stolen base king and Gold Glover in CF? Meet Cardinals' Victor Scott II

Victor Scott II may be the most exciting prospect to watch in the Cardinals' farm system in a long time.

It feels like every night, Scott II is making highlight plays in center field, getting on base for the Springfield Cardinals, and of course, swiping a bag or two along the way. He's only been in the Cardinals organization for a little over a year now, and he's already leaving a strong impression amongst the front office and talent evaluators around the league.

Before the season began, Scott II ranked No. 25 in Cardinals' top prospects for MLB.com, but after the eletric season he has had thus far, he jumped all the way to their No. 4 prospect. Baseball America has him ranked as the Cardinals' No. 6 prospect now as well.

I got the opportunity to talk to Victor Scott II a few weeks ago on my podcast "Redbird Rundown" (you can find it on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts here), and I got the opportunity to ask him about this rise he has made in the Cardinals system. He played in the MLB Future's Game in July, he's already tearing up Double-A, and he's well on Scott II is well on his way to stealing 100 or more bases this season.

Scott II's ability to steal bases is what will catch headlines, and rightfully so, but what makes him a special prospect for the Cardinals is that he's not just a one dementional player.

Scott II already looks to be the best defensive center fielder in the Cardinals system since Harrison Bader, and he may end up outshining what Bader did due to his plus-plus speed he brings to center field as well.

Not only does Scott make incredible diving plays like that, but he has the range to track down balls hit deep into the gaps that typically turn into doubles or triples with other center fielders. Check out this catch he made later on in that same game.

His spped on the basepaths and ability in center field are two things we can already see translating into major success at the big league level, but what about his bat? How does Scott II fair at the plate?

As of August 10th, Scott II is slashing .301/.374/.405 with 4 HR, 46 RBI, and 74 SB on the season. He's added 12 2B and 9 3B to that total as well. Since his promotion to Double-A, he's actually been even better, slashing .338/.393/.419 with a 120 wRC+ and is riding a 15-game on-base streak and 12-game hitting streak.

What I find most exciting about Scott II is he already excells at using his bat to ball skills and elite speed to get on base any way he can. He hits the ball the other way, beats out routine ground balls in the infield, and even bunts for singles from time to time. Scott doesn't lack power though, as he's capable of running into home runs and is working on driving through the ball more to create even more doubles and triples from his line drive approach.

When I asked Scott II about how he impacts the game for his team, he highlighted how his ability to get on base and the speed he brings puts pressure on opposing pitchers, helping those hitting behind him see better pitches at the plate. It doesn't even matter if pitchers are being careful, Scott II is likely to swipe second base off of them, and even third as well.

Having someone that consistently turns singles and walks into doubles and triples by swiping those extra bases is so valuable to a ballclub. His speed always him to grab the extra base and even score from first on plays very few others can. And hitters are going to love the impact he has on the pysche of the opposing pitchers.

So, when can we expect to see Scott II in St. Louis? That's a hard question to answer. If you asked anyone before the season, 2025 seemed like the very earliest, but now I'd lean on it being sometime in 2024 at this rate.

The Cardinals are not going to rush Scott II to the big leagues, but if he keeps up this level of play for the rest of the season, he'll be knocking on the door of a Major League debut. If there are injuries or he just blows the Cardinals away in Spring Training, I could see a chance of him making the Opening Day roster, but it's likely he will be someone that makes his debut mid-season, again, assuming all things continue as they are.

Keep your tabs on Victor Scott II the rest of the season, Cardinals' fans. Before you know it, he'll be making highlight reel plays in Busch Stadium and helping the Cardinals get back to winning ball games.

Check out my weekly podcast "Redbird Rundown" on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts as well as follow me on Twitter @joshjacoMLB for more Cardinals content