Cardinals Speedster Emerging Into Star Before Our Eyes

The St. Louis Cardinals have a lot of productive young players on their team right now, but none are more surprising as a breakout player than center fielder Victor Scott II.

Last season, to put it kindly, Scott wasn't great. He slashed .179/.219/.283 in the big leagues. Scott was a good, not great defender and a solid baserunner, but he didn't get on base enough to warrant a spot in the lineup. Despite being a rookie in 2024, some were ready to write him off after such a horrendous season.

But the Cardinals stuck with him and he's already breaking out as a star in center field.

So far on the season, Scott is slashing .283/.355/.388 with eight doubles and 14 stolen bases. He's emerging as a legit bat in the Cardinals lineup and the league is beginning to take notice. There's a chance Scott could post a .750 OPS and steal upward of 35 bases this season.

And that doesn't even mention his best trait: his defense.

On defense, Scott is as good as they come. He's among the best in the league in outs above average and defensive runs saved, per Baseball Savant. On a daily basis, Scott is making highlight plays in center field. Having players like him on defense is one of the key reasons the Cardinals' starting pitching has been so good this season.

Given the fact that he's just 24 years old, it seems like we're watching a star break out in real time. This won't be the best that Scott can play. He's just getting started.