3 Cardinals who could be the next face of the franchise

3. Nolan Gorman

Another young star who showed a great deal of improvement this season is slugger and second baseman Nolan Gorman.

Gorman emerged as a power threat from the left side of the plate, and he even got close to 30 home runs in just his second season in the big leagues. Sadly, his season came to an end due to a hamstring injury. He also missed some time with a back issue in August.

However, he was one of the few bright spots in what was truly a down season in St. Louis. In addition to his 27 homers, he drove in 76 runs, stole seven bases, and posted an .806 OPS. His batting average was a mere .236, but the power he showed at the plate is certainly a sign of things to come.

Gorman is a player that the Cardinals should try to protect at all costs. He'll be back next year along with Brendan Donovan. The Cardinals also have Goldschmidt, Arenado, Walker, Willson Contreras, Lars Nootbaar, and Tommy Edman.

The return of Gorman should be a boon for the 11-time World Series champions as they try to bounce back into contention in 2024.