Demoted by Cardinals Two Months Ago, Gorman, Scott, Saggese Still Finding Footing

· Yahoo Sports

Having already had multiple chances to succeed at the big-league level only to invariably struggle each time, Nolan Gorman, Victor Scott II and Thomas Saggese made the Cardinals’ Opening Day roster back in March and hoped this time around would be different for them.

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However, with a little more than a month left in the MLB season, all three of them still find themselves trying to find their footing with Triple-A Memphis and hoping for a call that will eventually get them back to St. Louis.

Gorman, the Cards’ primary starter at third base over the first 62 games of the season, was hoping for the kind of breakout season that Jordan Walker has enjoyed in St. Louis in 2026. Instead, the 26-year-old Gorman hit just .194 and saw his OPS shrink to .597 because he struck out 32.2 percent of the time (74 times in 229 plate appearances). That earned him a demotion to Memphis on June 12.

Scott II, 25, quickly became one of the most popular players on the Cardinals in 2025 because of his effervescence while playing the game and his fearless defense. However, Scott II entered 2026 knowing that he had to hit to stick in the big leagues. He had three hits in the Opening Day win over Tampa Bay, but success quickly evaporated. When he was optioned to Memphis, Scott was hitting just .194 and his .276 on-base percentage negated his 98th percentile speed. The struggles even seemed to sap Scott’s swagger on the base paths as he was successful on stolen base attempts just nine times in 13 tries – after going 34 for 38 in 2025.

As for Saggese, he got inconsistent playing time in the early going and it affected his hitting and he batted just .184 with 26 strikeouts and just six walks in 32 games with the Cardinals. The club demoted him on May 4, but they brought him back a day later when Ramon Urias went down with the first of two elbow injuries. Ultimately, the club sent Saggese to Memphis when Jose Fermin beat him out for the top utility job.

Even more damning for Gorman and Saggese and Scott is that the Cardinals have not gotten much production from the players who have replaced them in the big-league level – Blaze Jordan and Fermin at third base and Nathan Church, Everson Pereira and Fermin in center field.

Cardinals’ third basemen rank in the bottom third of the 15-team National League in batting average (.213, 14th), on-base percentage (.271, 13th), slugging (.338, 14th), OPS (.609, 13th), homers (12, 11th) and RBI (56, T-11th) in 2026. Cards’ center fielders haven’t fared much better, ranking in the NL’s bottom third in batting average (.225, 10th), on-base percentage (.289, 12th), slugging (.332, 14th), OPS (.621, 13th), homers (10, 11th) and RBI (45, 11th) in 2026.

Cardinals Top Prospect Pushing for a Triple-A Promotion with Scorching August Surge

With that in mind, here is a look at how Gorman, Scott II and Saggese have fared at Triple-A Memphis and how they are swinging the bat in August:

Nolan Gorman

Many of the same swing-and-miss problems that plagued Gorman in St. Louis followed him to Memphis. In 46 Triple-A games, his strikeout rate has climbed (from 32.3 percent to 36.3 percent). He has hit 13 homers and driven in 29 runs, but he’s still striking out twice as often as he is walking. Gorman’s power has surfaced in August as he’s bashed seven homers, but he is still striking out 37.8 percent of the time.

Victor Scott II              

The speedy Scott might be the closest to returning to St. Louis with how he has swung the bat in August. Scott has slashed .304/.400/.420/.820 this month with four doubles, two triples and four RBI. He stole his first 11 bases in a row for Memphis before finally getting caught. He’s stolen nine bases in 11 tries in August.

In 52 games with the Redbirds, Scott is hitting .246 and he’s getting on base at a .332 clip. He has 11 doubles, three triples, two homers, 17 RBI and 19 steals in 21 tries.

Thomas Saggese

The former Texas League (Double-A) Most Valuable Player continues to chase far too many pitches out of the zone as he has a 23.2 percent strike out rate and a 10 percent walk rate in 53 Triple-A games. He does have 10 doubles, 10 homers and 33 RBI for the Redbirds, while slashing .264/.339/.457/.796.

 It wasn’t a good sign for Saggese, 24, when the Cards replaced the injured Pereira (left hand contusion) with Urias instead of him. Striking out three times as much as walking (18 to 6) in August certainly didn’t help Saggese’s case for promotion.

 

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