ST. LOUIS (KMOX)- Three days after being sent back to Minor League Camp, Victor Scott II is now rejoining the team and will be the Cardinals Opening Day centerfielder.
The reverse decision comes a day after centerfielder Dylan Carlson was injured after a collision with right fielder Jordan Walker in Monday's exhibition game against the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona.
The Cardinals announced Carlson suffered sprained AC joint in left shoulder and will open the season on the injured list, opening a path for Scott to join the club in Los Angeles and will be the club's starting centerfielder on Thursday.
A corresponding move on the Cardinals 40-man roster will be needed with the club set to pick up Scott II's contract.
Cardinals Beat Writer Derrick Goold says Carlson has a sprained AC joint in left shoulder and Cardinals official told him Carlson's absence will be weeks, “not a matter of months.”
Carlson's injury is the latest blow in the Cardinals outfield that is already short on depth, with centerfielder Tommy Edman and left fielder Lars Nootbaar both starting the season on the IL.
While the Cardinals do have some corner outfield depth with Brendan Donovan and Alec Burleson as serviceable options, the same can't be said in centerfield after the Carlson injury, with Michael Siani as the only realistic option before Scott II's call up.
Scott II call up Tuesday will cap off a quick ascendency to the Majors. A year after being draft in the fifth round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of West Virginia, Scott II quickly turned heads, quite literally. In only 163 Minor League games and 23 Arizona Fall League Games, Scott flashed through the Cardinals farm, reaching up to Double-A Springfield to end 2023. Scott's speed was the highlight of his ability, stealing 125 total bases between the Minors and Arizona Fall League.
Scott II impressed during his stint with the Cardinals Major League Camp in Spring Training as a non-roster invitee, showing how his speed helped him in the field and hitting a respectable .316/.409/.368 slash line in Spring Training and racking up 14 total bases and eight steals to go along with hitting a triple.