After a whirlwind few days, the St. Louis Cardinals have informed top outfield prospect Victor Scott II that he has made the Opening Day roster and will start in center field, the team announced Tuesday.
The decision comes on the final day of spring training, after presumed starting center fielder Dylan Carlson suffered a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder while colliding with right fielder Jordan Walker on a fly ball in Monday’s exhibition game.
The Cardinals, who will already be without two starting outfielders in Tommy Edman (right wrist) and Lars Nootbaar (multiple rib fractures) to start the year, held an open competition for center field this spring. Carlson won the job, but Scott impressed the organization and was the second-to-last non-roster invitee cut.
The Cardinals had reassigned Scott to minor-league camp on Saturday.
Scott will join Walker, Michael Siani, Brendan Donovan and Alec Burleson as outfield options for St. Louis, though only he and Siani can play center field.
Scott, 23, rose up the Cardinals prospect rankings after breaking out in his first full professional season last year. He stole 94 bases — tied for the most in the minor leagues — and took home a minor-league Gold Glove award while hitting a combined .303 with a .749 OPS across two levels. He finished last season in Double A and began the year as The Athletic’s Keith Law’s No. 55 overall prospect.
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(Photo of Victor Scott II: Jim Rassol / USA Today)
