With Albert Pujols gone, who will be the Cardinals DH in 2023?
After a magical run in 2022 with Albert Pujols that saw the 42-year-old smash 24 home runs, including No. 700 in his career, the St. Louis Cardinals are heading into spring training with an open battle for the new designated hitter.
With young players eager to prove themselves and a veteran looking to regain the form that once saw him make an All-Star team, the Cardinals have a few internal options to look at this spring training when they assess the DH position.
Nolan Gorman
Former top prospect and front-runner to take over the DH spot, Gorman has been hard at work this offseason to remake his swing.
After making his MLB debut in 2022, Gorman struggled in the second half of the season as the league seemed to adjust to him at the plate. Gorman found himself going back to the drawing board this offseason.
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol has noticed the improvements already in camp.
In an MLB.com article, Marmol was quoted saying "He's moving faster and there's more explosiveness in his swing." Also adding that "To his credit, he took the information, he applied it and he's a different guy now."
Known for his massive power, Gorman brings the left-handed bat to the lineup it is desperately missing. If he can cut down on strikeouts and continue to make routine contact, 2023 could be a breakout year for Gorman.
Thought to be a "lottery-ticket" type of prospect when the Cardinals acquired him in 2017. Yepez mashed his way through the Cardinals' minor-league system leading to his MLB debut in 2022.
Managing a .253 batting average to go with 12 home runs and 30 RBIs in 274 plate appearances in his first taste of the big leagues.
His rookie year hit a few bumps along the way though.
Due to a forearm strain, Yepez was sidelined in July for over a month and saw his playing time dip drastically with the hot streak Pujols was on.
But this didn't bother Yepez who in turn spent time picking Pujols brain while on the bench, and rooting for the team legend as he chased career milestones.
Yepez is in a prime position to secure a role as the right-handed complement to Gorman at DH in 2023.
A wild card coming into 2023, former starting shortstop and 2019 National League All-Star Paul DeJong has seen his career take a nosedive.
Mashing 74 home runs and driving in 211 runs during his first three years in the MLB, DeJong has only managed 28 home runs and 95 RBIs in the last three seasons.
After spending the majority of the offseason at the team's spring training facilities in Flordia, DeJong used that time to re-work his swing.
With him getting an extended playing time in spring training thanks to the World Baseball Classic, DeJong will come into 2023 with a clean slate and looking to find that power that once made him a mainstay in the Cardinals lineup.
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