The St. Louis Cardinals have a number of position battles playing out in spring training, but the conversation surrounding the center field job is arguably the most compelling.
Ostensibly a three-way race, the direction the Cardinals go with this spot on the field will inform a number of decisions that trickle down to the rest of the lineup.
Victor Scott II vs. Michael Siani (vs. Lars Nootbaar?)
Coming into spring training, Michael Siani seemed to be the front runner for the Cardinals’ starting center field role in 2025. As the incumbent, Siani’s sterling defense was the primary motivation for his presence in the daily lineup, and he improved the quality of his plate appearances as last season progressed.
After getting his feet wet in the big leagues in 2024, Victor Scott II enters this spring looking to cement himself as a Major League mainstay. He’s off to a strong start to the Grapefruit League slate, going 4-for-7 with a triple, a home run and two walks.
Possessing a similar defensive skill set to Siani, Scott could force the Cardinals to strongly consider him for the Opening Day roster if he continues to display the growth at the plate that he has flashed in the early days of spring.
The wild card in the center field conversation is Lars Nootbaar. Nolan Arenado’s presence on the roster causes a trickle-down effect that could impact the team’s ability to provide a ‘runway’ for their young group of position players—moving Nootbaar from left field to center could allow the Cardinals to fit another strong bat into the daily lineup.
This decision will come down to whether the Cardinals are willing to sacrifice defense for offense in the pursuit of scoring more runs than they did a year ago (672 runs scored, 22nd in MLB).
The direction the Cardinals go with center field will impact other decisions
For example, if the front office and Oliver Marmol don’t find Nootbaar as a comfortable center field option, he shifts back to left field, pushing Brendan Donovan to second base.
Does that render Nolan Gorman as the club’s primary DH against right-handed pitching? How does Alec Burleson fit into the mix if that’s the case?
Then, does a decision to prioritize defense in center field mean a compromise in the position battle at catcher?
Iván Herrera is viewed as the more compelling option offensively in the battle against Pedro Pagés, but the skills demonstrated by Pagés behind the plate last season could give him a leg up if the Cardinals choose to prioritize his adept handling of the pitching staff.
How center field plays out will impact a number of decisions for the Cardinals going into 2025.