By Jack Stephens, from Cardsblog.com
For Part III of our Cardinals Positional Outlook Series, we're moving on to Second Base. Here are our articles from Tyler Brandt on the Catcher Outlook and from Aaron Schonfeld on the First Base Outlook.
Cardinals Positional Outlook: First Base - Cardsblog
Ever since Albert Pujols left in 2011 the Cardinals have not had a permanent player to man first base. Pujols was a god in a Cardinals uniform, and the Cardinals have never had a first baseman who has had the same impact on and off the field.
This Season
Kolten Wong is going to be the everyday second baseman for the Cardinals. Pending injury or other extreme circumstances, this one seems to be relatively set.
In 2017, at 29 years of age, it seemed like a make or break year for Wong. Riddled by injury and overall inconsistency, it seemed that his time to "figure things out" was coming to a close. A year after being demoted for the aforementioned reasons, he had to perform.
Thankfully (for him and fans alike), things worked out, as Wong performed to the standards set earlier in his career. Slashing .285/.376/412, I think it is safe to say that Wong saved his career. Previously on the precipice of complete collapse, he is going into 2018 as the sure-thing second baseman.
Diving a little deeper into his 2017 performance, there is little reason for worry going forward. Wong set career marks in most statistics, thriving near the bottom of the lineup - a pleasant, consistent surprise. In 354 at-bats, he hit 27 doubles, four home runs, and swiped eight bags.
On top of these statistics, Wong struck out only 16% of the time, a pretty solid number, all things considered. Aside from an injury that limited his overall number of at-bats, Wong did all that the Cardinals asked of him.
Moving forward, Wong must own this spot, leaving no doubt regarding potential replacements or lapses to previous inconsistencies. Once a phenom that had fans buzzing, Wong has a potential to inch a little closer to his ceiling. Though this is just my personal perspective, I am excited for 2018 Wong; with some confidence and a healthy offseason under his belt, I think the position is in good hands.
Two Years in the Future
Though I envision Wong to last more than two years, I wouldn't be surprised to see Max Schrock playing in Busch stadium prior to 2021.
With Wong sitting at age 30, one would hope to get at least 3-4 more solid years out of him. With that being said, however, this game rarely pans out as planned. Especially with some of the injuries and general struggles of his past, I would not be entirely shocked if the Cardinals were in search of a new second baseman in the near future. I don't mean to sound pessimistic, but that is just how things go.
SO, pessimism aside, who could the Cards possibly field at second base in two years that is not Kolten Wong. Prior to this summer, the answer would have been tough. Luckily, however, the organization, in the process of trading Stephen Piscotty, acquired Max Schrock.
A 2015 13th round pick by the Washington Nationals, Schrock played his college ball at South Carolina. Since signing with the Nats, he was shipped to the A's, finally bouncing to STL in the Piscotty deal this past summer.
Moving on to his skillset and past performance, the reports on Schrock are consistently positive, as he has been a "top prospect" in each organization in which he has been stationed. Starting with the basics, Schrock slashed .321/.379/.422 last season in AA for the A's, hitting seven home runs and driving in 46 runs.
Furthermore, Schrock boasts a mature, consistent approach at the plate. Just last year, for example, he struck out just 9.2% of the time and walked 7.4% of the time. Perhaps most impressive is the following: Schrock's k% last year was actually above his career mark, which currently sits at 8.6%.
As made evident by his career k% and 3 straight .300+ BA seasons, Schrock is consistent and disciplined. Drawing comparisons to Daniel Descalso and (though lofty) Matt Carpenter, it seems that Schrock was born to be a Cardinal. An undersized, scrappy, and polished college prospect, perhaps his third organization will finally give him the opportunity he's looking for.
With average to above-average defensive projections and polished, though by no means powerful offense, Schrock will have to light it up statistically in AA/AAA in order to get the call. Along with those statistics, he'll need a little help from Wong, as has been noted above.
Cardinals Positional Outlook: Catcher - Cardsblog
This is the first piece in a series in which we look at the state of the Cardinals organization at each position. We will be giving an analysis of the current roster, the short-term expectation, and the long-term expectation. We begin our positional outlook series with the catcher position.
Five Years in the Future
Past Schrock and Wong, this are not so clear. With some solid college shortstops in the mix, the future of second base is up in the air.
As the above introductory blurb notes, there is no heir to the heir of Wong (Schrock). Rather, it seems that the logjam at shortstop, a competition between Tommy Edman, Kramer Robertson, Delvin Perez, and Edmundo Sosa, will result in some newly minted second base man. Put simply, it just does not make sense to keep all this talent at short. Almost inevitably, a couple of these four will move to their left and learn a new, albeit less demanding, infield position.
With this uncertainty in mind, I will go over my two "top" candidates for such a switch, both of whom happen to be college guys. Before advancing, though, it is worth noting that Perez should not, and will not be going anywhere. He should be developed as a shortstop exclusively, as he is simply too dynamic and potentially transcendent to play the other middle-infield spot.
Beginning with my personal choice for second baseman of the future (aside from the above two names), I have to go with Edman. A similar prospect to Schrock, he is polished, versatile, and experienced. Though he is currently playing shortstop, his lack of "freakish" defensive talent makes him a prime candidate for a position switch.
A smart player with experience at all three infield positions, it seems like it would be a seamless transition. Before a position switch, though, he will have to prove himself offensively after a lackluster performance in AA last season (.261/.322/.381). If he does in fact adjust and improve, however, look for Edman to be nipping at Schrock's heels by the end of the 2018 season.
The other possibility for the Cardinals second baseman of the future, one must consider the 2017 draft pick and former LSU super captain that is Robertson. An impassioned player with solid athleticism, he, like Edman, would seemingly make a smooth transition to second-base. A team-guy with experience, it just makes sense.
Beyond the implications for a switch, Robertson will have to build upon a solid first season in full A ball. After posting a .351 OBP and .367 SLG, he will need to step it up to the next level moving forward. A similar prospect to Edman, it will come down to timing, performance, and luck.
