Inside The Cardinals

Will Slugging Prospect replace Cardinals' Nolan Gorman If Slumps Continues?

St. Louis needs a productive second baseman

Nate Hagerty

Jul 22, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz (15) steals second base against a late tag by St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman (left) during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 22, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz (15) steals second base against a late tag by St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman (left) during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
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The St. Louis Cardinals have been inconsistent throughout the season on both offense and defense, with hitting being the team's Achilles heel.

Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman's hitting stats from this year are a great reflection of how St. Louis' season has gone -- cycles of growing hot or cold.

Gorman is going through arguably his worst stretch in August and it might be time for St. Louis to consider replacing him with a power-hitting top prospect.

Triple-A Memphis second baseman Thomas Saggese is having another stellar season at the plate after winning Texas League's Most Valuable Player in 2023 with Double-A Springfield.

Saggese has batted .252 with 37 extra-base hits including 15 home runs, 55 RBIs and a .738 OPS in 105 games played for Triple-A Memphis in 2024.

The 22-year-old recently stated that he feels close to being ready to make his Major League Baseball debut and that it could be just a matter of time before he's called up to the show. With the Cardinals' season on the line, perhaps the time is now.

Throughout August, Gorman has logged a .240/.269/.320 slash line with zero home runs and RBIs, and only six hits in 25 at-bats. Clearly, something's not working for the struggling infielder and St. Louis can't afford insufficiency from him at this point in the season.

Right-handed hitter Saggese is batting .250 with four extra-base hits including three home runs, six RBIs and a .758 OPS for Triple-A Memphis in August.

Considering Saggese has consistently clobbered the ball all season and Gorman the opposite, perhaps it's time for Cardinals manager Oli Marmol to give someone else a chance to play second base.

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Nate Hagerty

NATE HAGERTY

Nate Hagerty joined “Inside The Cardinals” as a content creator to spread knowledge about his favorite childhood team. A hometown native of Boston, Hagerty chose at an early age of six years old to follow the St. Louis Cardinals. The miraculous season of 04’ for the Red Sox did not deter Hagerty from rooting against his hometown team, nor did it in 2013 against the Red Birds. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu 

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