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#6 - Nolan Gorman
The true left-handed power bat the Cardinals needed was in their system all along. Nolan Gorman took the much-needed next step forward in 2023 as one of the bright spots in the Cardinals' lineup. He clubbed 27 home runs, and he easily would've surpassed 30 had he not suffered a back injury that derailed his entire season.
Every World Series contender has a powerful left-handed bat in the heart of their lineup. The Dodgers have Ohtani and Freeman, and the Braves have Olson. The Rangers have Seager, the Astros have Alvarez, and the Yankees have Soto. It's not farfetched to include the Cardinals with Gorman in that prolific group.
As with many of the other names on this list, Gorman's health is of extreme importance to the Cardinals in 2024. Back injuries were a serious concern for him last season, and the Cardinals may have come close to trading him for those reasons. However, I believe Gorman will only continue to improve in 2024 and cement himself as one of the power-hitting second basemen in the league.
Ozzie Albies, Marcus Semien, and Jose Altuve aside, there are not many second basemen who can hit for as much power as Nolan Gorman can. It's possibly the single most valuable tool on the entire Cardinals' roster. His raw strength and ability to hit the ball over the fence will terrorize pitchers this season as the Cardinals lineup looks to take a huge step forward. If Gorman plays up to his potential, the Cardinals will have a successful year.