ST. LOUIS — The best news for the Cardinals on Jan. 1, 2024, is that it officially is no longer 2023.
The worst season in the last 33 years for the Cardinals is now completely in the past and all of the team’s focus and attention is looking forward instead of back.
Whether the coming season will be better or not, however, will play out on the field – and while those results will be determined by everyone connected with the team, some of the players will no doubt have a more important role in the outcome than others.
In what has become a New Year’s Day tradition at STLSportsPage.com, here is a look at the 10 Cardinals who figure to be the most interesting to watch during the coming season, barring any late additions to the roster. They are listed in alphabetical order:
Brendan Donovan – How much the Cardinals missed having a healthy Donovan in the lineup last season is hard to quantify, but they do know that they hope it doesn’t happen again this year. Donovan dealt with a right arm injury almost all season before finally having surgery in August. One of the team’s biggest catalysts as a rookie in 2022, being able to return to that role this year – no matter where he is playing – would certainly make the Cardinals better.
Ryan Helsley – Much has been said and written this winter about the Cardinals need to upgrade their bullpen, and one way it can be better than 2023 is if Helsley is healthy and ready to take on the bulk of the save opportunities. He was able to pitch in only 33 games because of injuries last year and it certainly was not a coincidence that the Cardinals had so many blown saves. Helsley returning to his All-Star form from 2022 would provide the bullpen with a major boost.
Kyle Gibson – In every full season since 2014, Gibson has started at least 25 games and he made 29 or more starts in all but one of those seasons. The Cardinals are counting on that durability from Gibson this year as he fills one of the spots in the rotation vacated by Jack Flaherty and Adam Wainwright. As is the case with Sonny Gray and Lance Lynn, the Cardinals hope Gibson’s experience will not only provide a boost to the rotation but that he also will be able to become a mentor for the team’s younger pitchers.
Nolan Gorman – Without a leg injury that ended his 2023 season in mid-September, Gorman would have topped 30 homers in his first full season in the majors at the age of 23. That stat alone shows the promise for Gorman’s continued improvement, as does the fact he was able to cut down on his strikeouts and draw more walks. What will be interesting to watch this season will be how the Cardinals divide the starts at second base between Gorman and Donovan, with Gorman also expected to be used often as the designated hitter.
Sonny Gray – The headliner of the three free agents the Cardinals signed to be in their rotation, Gray needs to be the team’s ace. He has to log innings, get wins, and set the tone for the rest of the staff, with the Cardinals investing a lot of money in him to do just that. The dismal performance of the team’s starting pitchers was one of the biggest reasons for the struggles in 2023, and hopefully Gray will be a big part of the solution in preventing that from happening again.
Lance Lynn – Set to begin his second stint with the Cardinals, the team would be very happy if Lynn could repeat his performance from his last season in St. Louis, in 2017, when he made 33 starts and posted a 3.43 ERA. He is part of an upgraded rotation that hopefully will log more innings than last year’s group and Lynn has demonstrated that being durable is one of his strengths. Lynn will need to cut down on the number of home runs he allowed last season, 44, combined between the White Sox and Dodgers, and pitching half of his games in Busch Stadium should help.
Lars Nootbaar – After being part of the outfield roulette last season, Nootbaar will begin this season in a regular role, playing left field. The Cardinals believe that opportunity will allow his offensive numbers to build after he hit 14 homers and drove in 46 runs in 117 games last season. The Cardinals have not brought in any position players from outside the organization this winter who are expected to play regularly, which puts more pressure on players like Nootbaar if the team offense is going to improve.
Victor Scott II – Scott will certainly be one of the most watched players in spring training after his breakout season in the minor leagues in 2023. The Cardinals are planning on beginning the season with Tommy Edman as their starting centerfielder but would a strong spring from Scott change those plans? Scott tied for the minor-league lead in stolen bases with 94 in 2023, plays elite defense, and could provide a renewed emphasis on the running game when he reaches the majors – whether it is at the beginning of the season or later in the year.
Jordan Walker – Walker’s rookie season in the majors wasn’t always smooth, but the growth he experienced was definitely noticeable. With that season under his belt, Walker should be more comfortable in all phases of his game this year and the Cardinals, and Walker, hope that translates into better results. Walker’s education in 2023 included spending a lot of time with Willie McGee and the best news for him and the Cardinals is that that relationship will continue this year.
Masyn Winn – All the Cardinals wanted from Winn after he was promoted to the majors last year was just to get the initial rookie jitters out of the way – preparing him for a more important role this season. Winn heads to spring training as the starting shortstop and only an awful March or an injury would keep him from that spot when the regular season begins. The team knows he can handle the position defensively; they just hope he can catch up to the major-league level offensively too.
Follow Rob Rains on Twitter @RobRains
