The start to the past two seasons could not have been more different for St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Victor Scott II. In 2024, injuries aided him earning an Opening Day slot as the team’s center fielder out of Spring Training. He was shortly after sent down to the minors after struggling with the big league club. This season, Scott II earned the center field spot again coming out of Spring Training. However, this time, he has tightened his grip on the role.
An Improvement from Last Season for Victor Scott II
While Scott II was the Cardinals’ Opening Day center fielder last year, he was sent down by April 21. He spent the majority of the season in Triple-A. When he was in St. Louis, Scott struggled offensively. He slashed .179/.219/.283 while failing to make much of an impact with his speed because he struggled to get on base. He had a WAR of -.5 in 53 MLB games.
This year, it’s a different story. Scott is slashing .283/.355/.388 with a WAR of 1.7 in 47 games. He leads the team in stolen bases with 14, 10 more than the second-most stolen bases on the team, Lars Nootbaar, with four. He’s also proven to be one of the best defensive center fielders in Baseball this season. His ability to impact the game offensively and defensively is exactly why the Cardinals gave him a shot coming out of Spring Training.
“He really did earn his way onto this team, and that was great to see,” Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak told reporters on Opening Day. “Hopefully, he can build from that. I do think he is in a much different spot than he was a year ago. I think his confidence and what he did this offseason really positioned himself to take this next step.”
Impacting the Game with Speed
Scott II generally has batted near the bottom of the order this season. He has batted eighth or ninth in all but four of his starts this season. However, his improved ability to get on base has created a threat for the Cardinals as the lineup turns over in games.
Here is a look at Victor Scott II’s 14th stolen base of the season. He reached on a single the other way. It is the first and only hit of the game so far. pic.twitter.com/zVfAPozpFr
— John Denton (@JohnDenton555) May 24, 2025
Scott II is third in the League in sprint speed, covering 30 feet per second. Both of Scott II’s parents were track athletes in college, and he appears to have inherited their speed. He’s 14 for 15 in stolen base attempts and fourth on the team in runs despite batting at the bottom of the lineup. He’s making pitchers uncomfortable and putting pressure on defenses every time he gets on base.
“I have a more known identity as a base stealer and a threat to run now, so my confidence is really playing into that now,” Scott told MLB.com’s John Denton. “No doubt, my speed is a weapon. Coming into the game every day and knowing that I can impact the game is special. Not all the time the bat is going to be hot. Not all the time are you going to be able to hit a ball over the wall. But to be able to get on base and impact the game is definitely special to me.”
According to Baseball Savant, Scott II is tied for sixth in stolen bases across the League this year and in the top seven percentile for baserunning run value.
Defensive Excellence: Another Weapon
Beyond his improved batting stats and his lightning speed, Scott II has been a linchpin for the Cardinals’ defense in the outfield. The Cardinals are the league leader in Outs Above Average. Scott II is tied for second in outs above average among all MLB outfielders with seven. He’s just one behind league leader Pete Crow-Armstrong with the Chicago Cubs.
Scott II is tied for third in fielding run value among center fielders across the League this season as well. He covers the third most average feet per jump in the League at 37.2. He is one of the many in the league tied for 3-star or better outs in the outfield with 11.
Victor Scott II has been a defensive safety net in the outfield for the Cardinals. His speed, defense, and improved offense appear to have solidified his role as the Cardinals’ everyday center fielder.
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