Victor Scott earns comparison to past dynamic Cardinals speedsters

Victor Scott has opened the eyes of St. Louis Cardinals fans in 2025. From spring training, where he hit .349 and stole five bases, to the regular season, where he has hit .286 and swiped another five bags, Scott has exhibited breathtaking, game-changing speed and wielded a budding bat.

During the game on April 8 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, which was airing on MLB Network, broadcaster Greg Amsinger compared Scott to two former Cardinals superstars.

Amsinger said Scott is a mix of Ray Lankford and Vince Coleman.

According to Amsinger on the broadcast, he had heard this comparison from members of the Cardinals, and to prove his and the Cardinals' point, Scott subsequently smacked a two-run triple to put the Cardinals on top 2-0 in a game they would win 5-3.

Reaching the stature of Coleman and Lankford would be a lofty goal for Scott. Both players are members of the Cardinals Hall of Fame, with Coleman ranking second to Lou Brock in Cardinals history in stolen bases, with 549. Lankord stole 250 bases with the Cardinals and also exhibited solid power, hitting 228 home runs in his 13 seasons in St. Louis. In 1991, Lankford's first full season in the major leagues, he hit a stunning 15 triples.

In Scott's first taste of big-league action in 2024, he struggled massively after making the roster following a standout spring training. His .219 on-base percentage prevented him from being able to take advantage of his speed and wreak havoc on the basepaths regularly. Now, not only has Scott has found his way on base far more often, but he has also exhibited some pop in his bat, slugging .452 after amassing a slugging percentage of only .283 in 2024.

Players whose main weapon is speed tend to peak earlier than most others because speed only decreases as players age. Think of Billy Hamilton, whom I compared Scott to in 2024, a player who could fly around the bases but who saw only 196 plate appearances from his age-29 season onward because his light hitting couldn't make up for his diminished speed. Scott has a chance to remain a worthwhile contributor even when his speed inevitably evaporates thanks to a bat that appears stronger than Hamilton's ever was.

As the player who inadvertently coined the Cardinals' slogan of "youngry" this season, Scott could exemplify the exciting young players whom the Cardinals are attempting to cultivate into pieces for the next competitive squad. If he can come anywhere close to Coleman's or Lankford's career, Scott will be among the most revered Cardinals in decades.