Re-ranking the value of the Cardinals' 10 best young position players

The St. Louis Cardinals 2024 season is off and running, and while the club has run into a variety of issues that have kept them from maintaining a winning record to this point, it has been really fun to watch their young position player core take on significant roles for this club.

Back in January, I ranked the Cardinals' 10 most valuable position players, but as Spring Training and the early parts of the regular season have come and passed, there are some major shake-ups in how I view this dynamic group of position players.

The last time I did this ranking, I only included players with five or fewer years of service time. This time around, I am only going to include players who have yet to reach arbitration, meaning Tommy Edman and Dylan Carlson are ineligible for the list this time around. I'll also save the honorable mentions this time, but names like Pedro Pages, Leonardo Bernal, Woo-Bin Cho, and William Sullivan come to mind.

Here are the 10 most valuable young position players in the Cardinals organization

10. Alec Burleson (Previous ranking: #10)

Coming in at number ten on my list is the guy who continues to hit the ball hard, and yet, the results continue to not be there.

Alec Burleson is a good player and will be a major leaguer for a long time. I know there are fans who get frustrated by the lack of production, but I have a feeling Burleson would figure things out in a significant way. Unfortunately, I'm not sure Burleson will get that with the Cardinals due to the sheer depth of young talent they have.

For Burleson to really establish himself long-term, he's going to need to add a bit more slug to his game and find a way to lay off some of the bad pitches he swipes at outside of the zone. His bat-to-ball skills are great, and those will carry him a long way. Burleson is never going to be a plus defender, but I do think he's getting better and better as the months go on.

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8. Thomas Saggese (Previous ranking: #7)

One of the key pieces in the Jordan Montgomery trade from last year, Thomas Saggese was the Texas League Most Valuable Player in 2023 and is now recognized as a top 100 prospect among most major publications.

Saggese is on the cusp of making his way to St. Louis, but with Nolan Arenado, Nolan Gorman, Masyn Winn, and Brendan Donovan all blocking him at key positions, it may take some time before he carves out a regular role.

Saggese has seen time at shortstop, second base, and third base to begin the season, and will be able to make his way into the Cardinals' lineup on a regular basis. Saggese bat continues to impress at every level, and the Cardinals will want to find a way to work him in as often as possible.

One injury to one of those Cardinals infielders would be the spark to get Saggese to St. Louis in the near future. Without that, it may take a trade or reduced bench role before Saggese really gets a real shot. The Cardinals will have multiple decisions to make next offseason (with Paul Goldschmidt being the biggest decision of all), and a potential departure from him or other bats could be what clears the way for Saggese.

Saggese could end up being used as a trade chip himself, as he's set to become a very valuable everyday player, similar to that of Brendan Donovan. Saggese isn't the on-base machine that Donovan is and isn't quite that versatile, but his above-average hit and power tool will make him very valuable for years to come.

7. Victor Scott II (Previous ranking: #6)

Victor Scott II made the Cardinals' Opening Day roster after a number of injuries to their outfield and a strong camp from the 23-year-old. While things have not gone well at the plate thus far, Scott has more than proven his worth already on the basepaths and in center field.

Scott is batting just .098 right now with a .315 OPS, and those numbers will have to improve if he's going to avoid a trip to Memphis. This past week was particularly difficult for Scott at the plate, although he did rope a double to center field against the Diamondbacks on Friday.

Scott's blazing speed and great defense will be the calling cards of his game, but both myself and the Cardinals believe Scott can be a true star, but that only happens if his bat comes around. So far, the Cardinals have not been concerned with his approach at the plate or the at-bats he is taking, but you'd obviously love to see some production here in the near future.

Whenever one of Tommy Edman or Dylan Carlson returns, there's still a pretty good chance Scott makes his way to Memphis for at least a short time, and that may not end up being a bad thing. The Cardinals need to prioritize Scott's development if a demotion is what's best for him, as he truly has the potential to be a game wrecking for years to come.

Scott is already contributing in a big way while being one of the worst hitters in baseball, so imagine what all he can do for this Cardinals team once he actually starts hitting.

6. Ivan Herrera (Previous ranking: #8)

If you've been following the Cardinals at all this season, you'll know that catcher Ivan Herrera has made it extremely difficult for manager Oli Marmol to leave him out of the lineup on any given day.

Herrera has always been well-regarded as a hitter, but few expected him to take the kind of step forward he has at the plate so far this year. After posting an OPS north of .900 in Triple-A last year, Herrera has an .856 OPS through his first 34 at-bats this season and has been one of the top-3 hitters for St. Louis.

Questions are beginning to emerge as to how the Cardinals can get Herrera into the lineup as often as possible, and for good reason. Marmol has been open to the idea of starting both Contreras and Herrera whenever it makes sense, and he should continue to do so unless Herrera cools off.

There are already some who believe Herrera could end up being a trade piece for St. Louis, but I would be surprised to see the Cardinals let a young catcher with that kind of talent go. I know Willson Contreras is going to be a significant piece for years to come, but he'll likely catch less and less as each season goes on. Herrera is just 23 years old with six years of club control remaining, there is no reason to let him go right now.

Herrera could find himself rising up this list in the near future if he continues this level of production. I want a bigger sample size before I have him jumping past other players on this list, but Cardinals fans know how valuable a top-end catcher can be. I think the Cardinals may have just developed another one.

It is so difficult to find catchers who can hit at a high level, and the Cardinals have two of them. Both Herrera and Contreras have taken strides defensively as well, making it easy to see how they could form the best catching duo in baseball for years to come.

5. Nolan Gorman (Previous ranking: #3)

This whole list is really difficult to rank, as in all honestly, the guys ranked 6-2 are in a similar tier to me. For now, I'm bumping Nolan Gorman down the list a bit, but I could easily see him being as high as number two for others.

I feel like people are going to read Gorman at number five as an inditement on his, but I actually think it just says more about the other talent the Cardinals have. Gorman's left-handed power and improved defense at second base make him an extremely valuable player.

Gorman is a streaky hitter by nature, and it's hard to imagine he won't be his whole career. Maybe he ends up finding a flow and avoiding those long dry spells he can find himself in, but he feels to me more like Kyle Schwarber than a true superstar bat. When Gorman is on, he's one of the most dangerous hitters in baseball. When Gorman is struggling though, he looks like he doesn't even belong at the Major League level.

That's an excellent player to have on your roster. It's difficult to rank a guy with 40+ home run potential this low on the list, but it just tells you how invested I am in the Cardinals players I have above him.

I do think it's critical that the Cardinals hold onto their trio of highly valued left-handed bats (Gorman, Lars Nootbaar, and Brendan Donovan). Dynamic left-handed bats help unlock a lineup's full potential, and the Cardinals need that specific blend of players in their lineup if they are going to be a top unit in baseball.

4. Masyn Winn (Previous ranking: #5)

Masyn Winn got a cup of coffee in St. Louis at the end of 2023, struggling big time at the plate and causing some fans who were excited about him last season to get a little bit nervous about his future.

Winn, at every level he's been promoted to professionally, has had a period of struggles at the plate before truly unlocking himself at the plate. Winn's .468 OPS in 122 at-bats last year was not pretty, but he looks like a completely different player in 2024.

In 43 at-bats so far, Winn is slashing .349/.356/.465 and has delivered multiple clutch hits for this Cardinal club. Last year, Winn looked overmatched at the plate. This year, Winn looks confident and in control every time he steps into the box.

Will will not be an .800+ OPS guy this season, but as the 8th or 9th hitter in the Cardinals lineup each day, he doesn't need to be. But the Winn we are seeing this year helps the bottom of the Cardinals' order become dynamic, capable of scoring runs at any time. Winn's speed isn't as game-breaking as Scott's but it does help him leg out triples (he has two already this year), swipe bags (two of those as well), and put pressure on the opposition.

Winn's arm, like Scott's speed, is a true 80-grade tool and capable of making plays that no one else can in this league. Winn's glove has taken a step forward this year as well, and so Winn is quickly becoming a guy who will challenge for Gold Glove awards for years to come.

Why is Winn above Gorman on this list? That's a great question. Winn is showing that his offense may be above average sooner than we thought, and once he begins to tap into his power a bit, he may take another major step forward. Winn will play elite defense at one of the most important positions for years to come, and his base running just adds to the equation. Even when Winn isn't hitting, he'll provide value in a multitude of ways.

The Cardinals passed on the elite shortstops who were free agents in recent winters due to the impending debut of Winn, and right now, he's looking the part of a future star himself.

3. Lars Nootbaar (Previous ranking: #2)

The Cardinals missed Lars Nootbaar in their lineup to begin the year, and now that he's back, I think we'll begin to see their offense whip itself into shape in the near future.

Nootbaar is the best of both worlds at the plate. He's an on-base machine, just not quite like Donovan is, and although he does not have 40 home run power like Gorman does, he can crush baseballs as well.

Nootbaar is the kind of hitter the Cardinals can anywhere in their lineup and see major results. He's not an elite defender, but he's very good in the corners and can be average in center field. Paired with that bat, Nootbaar is a guy the Cardinals love having on their team.

One intangible aspect about Nootbaar that can't be quantified on a stat sheet is how impactful his personality is on the field and in the clubhouse. The Cardinals are a better team when Nootbaar is around. He brings good vibes and is a major competitor, and it fires up his fellow teammates.

Nootbaar is a winning player. He does the little things well and comes through when the game is on the line. The Cardinals have had a revolving door of outfielders for years now, and Nootbaar is helping put an end to that.

The biggest thing for Nootbaar moving forward is going to be his health. He has to find a way to stop missing chunks of time with weird injuries and to play as often as possible. If Nootbaar can finally complete close to a full season for the Cardinals, they will get some pretty significant production from him, and their whole lineup will take steps forward.

2. Brendan Donovan (Previous ranking: #4)

In January, I chose to prioritize the ceilings of Nootbaar and Gorman over Brendan Donovan in my rankings, but in all honesty, I think many continue to underrate just how great of a player Donovan is already and can be going forward.

In his rookie season, Donovan posted a 128 wRC+ and won a Gold Glove. In 2023, he started off the year slow, but during the last 10 weeks of his season, posted a 145 wRC+ and produced like one of the best hitters in baseball.

Even after season-ending elbow surgery and having to spend the majority of the offseason rehabbing, Donovan jumped right back into the Cardinals mix to begin this season, being flexible enough to play at any position they need him to each day, and posting a cool 150 wRC+ at the plate at the same time.

There are very few players in today's game who can mash pitching on a daily basis and do so while playing above-average defense at any position they need him to.

Brendan Donovan is going to be an All-Star this year, mark my words. By the end of 2024, he'll be recognized around the league as one of the best lead-off hitters in the game. Donovan is the kind of player you dream of having on your team, and the fact that he can fill so many holes for this club every single day, and so so at a high level, is priceless.

1. Jordan Walker (Previous ranking: #1)

Formerly the top prospect in baseball according to multiple major publications, Jordan Walker had a strong rookie campaign but is running into some of the same issues that plagued him last year. Still, Walker is the most valuable young player this team has, and for good reason.

Walker has the potential to be truly special as a player. He's the best prospect the Cardinals have had since Oscar Taveras, and for good reason. Walker, even while not producing many results at the plate right now, is sitting in the 90th percentile in average exit velocity at just 21 years of age.

The key for Walker to become a truly great hitter will be finding a way to get those hard-hit balls off the ground. Hard-hit line drives will often be singles, doubles, or triples, and hard-hit fly balls can be the home run ball that will make him a dangerous middle-of-the-order bat for years to come.

I have full confidence Walker will figure that out at some point, and hopefully sooner rather than later.

Walker's defense, which was a black hole in his game last year, has taken significant strides to this point. He's made multiple highlight reels in right field for St. Louis already and is not making the major blunders he was a year prior. He makes the easy plays with ease and is doing his best to prove he belongs as an outfielder long-term.

How did you feel about my list? How would you rank the Cardinals' young position players and their value? You can let me know your thoughts on X (formerly known as Twitter) @joshjacoMLB or find me on the Dealin' the Cards podcast to let me know!