Call to the pen
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Nolan Gorman could be next piece of St. Louis Cardinals puzzle

By David Hill

Mar 4, 2020; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; St. Louis Cardinals infielder Nolan Gorman (81) rounds third base after connecting a home run against the New York Mets during the eight inning at First Data Field. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 4, 2020; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; St. Louis Cardinals infielder Nolan Gorman (81) rounds third base after connecting a home run against the New York Mets during the eight inning at First Data Field. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports /
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The St. Louis Cardinals are looking to find pieces to improve their lineup. While they were a solid middle of the pack offense, the Cardinals needed more from the middle of their infield. Both Paul DeJong and Tommy Edman were mediocre at best, although Edman’s speed added a dynamic element.

Help may be coming soon. The Cardinals are hoping that Nolan Gorman can be that next piece, especially after he has begun to convert over to second base.

St. Louis Cardinals looking to Nolan Gorman for 2022

A position change had to happen for Gorman to make an impact. Even if the designated hitter comes to the National League in 2022, Gorman was blocked at third with Nolan Arenado set to man the hot corner for the foreseeable future. Given their potential needs in the middle of the infield, it made sense to see if he could handle second base.

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While he may need some more time in the minors to work on his defense, he was solid in his debut at the position. Gorman made just seven errors in his 77 games at second, showing solid range. He still needs to work on his footwork around the bag a bit, but it may not be a surprise to see him in the majors after a month or two at Triple-A.

The bat, meanwhile, appears to be ready. Gorman shook off slow starts at both Double-A and Triple-A, but was able to adjust. He produced a .279/.333/.481 batting line in his 523 plate appearances across both levels, hitting 25 homers and 20 doubles. The Cardinals could certainly use that production in their lineup.

It is simply a matter of time before he gets that call. The Cardinals need to be comfortable with his defense at second before he gets his chance. Based on the progress he made in such a short time last season, that may not take long.

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The St. Louis Cardinals expect Nolan Gorman to be a big part of their future. His time could come sooner in 2022 than one would think.

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