SI: The new Victor Scott II approach

[imetsatchelpaige]

The Seven MLB Hitters Who Are Raking With Reinvented Batting Stances
It's all in the setup.

Victor Scott II, CF, St. Louis Cardinals
2024: 145 AB | .179 BA | .219 OBP | .283 SLG | .502 OPS
2025: 143 AB | .288 BA | .355 OBP | .400 SLG | .755 OPS

OPS Improvement: .253 | Stance Change in Degrees (Abs. Value): 32.59
Like Rice, Scott is a second-year player on this list who was called up late in the 2024 season and had a tough end to the year. He’s fortunately looked much better in his sophomore campaign.

Last season Scott used an open stance, but his lead foot pointed toward the back of the plate. This year, he's even more open, but he’s kept his lead foot closer to parallel with his back foot while also narrowing his stance altogether.

Like Báez, batted-ball metrics indicate Scott may getting a bit lucky with an abnormally high .378 BABIP. Perhaps that's in part due to his increased ability to take the ball the opposite way this year with a narrower stance (13.3% last year, 21.3% in 2025).

https://www.si.com/mlb/seven-mlb-hitter ... ng-stances

[moose-and-squirrel]

The Seven MLB Hitters Who Are Raking With Reinvented Batting Stances
It's all in the setup.

Victor Scott II, CF, St. Louis Cardinals
2024: 145 AB | .179 BA | .219 OBP | .283 SLG | .502 OPS
2025: 143 AB | .288 BA | .355 OBP | .400 SLG | .755 OPS

OPS Improvement: .253 | Stance Change in Degrees (Abs. Value): 32.59
Like Rice, Scott is a second-year player on this list who was called up late in the 2024 season and had a tough end to the year. He’s fortunately looked much better in his sophomore campaign.

Last season Scott used an open stance, but his lead foot pointed toward the back of the plate. This year, he's even more open, but he’s kept his lead foot closer to parallel with his back foot while also narrowing his stance altogether.

Like Báez, batted-ball metrics indicate Scott may getting a bit lucky with an abnormally high .378 BABIP. Perhaps that's in part due to his increased ability to take the ball the opposite way this year with a narrower stance (13.3% last year, 21.3% in 2025).

https://www.si.com/mlb/seven-mlb-hitter ... ng-stances

lets see what happens once the league gets a book on him like they have Walker

[imetsatchelpaige]

The Seven MLB Hitters Who Are Raking With Reinvented Batting Stances
It's all in the setup.

Victor Scott II, CF, St. Louis Cardinals
2024: 145 AB | .179 BA | .219 OBP | .283 SLG | .502 OPS
2025: 143 AB | .288 BA | .355 OBP | .400 SLG | .755 OPS

OPS Improvement: .253 | Stance Change in Degrees (Abs. Value): 32.59
Like Rice, Scott is a second-year player on this list who was called up late in the 2024 season and had a tough end to the year. He’s fortunately looked much better in his sophomore campaign.

Last season Scott used an open stance, but his lead foot pointed toward the back of the plate. This year, he's even more open, but he’s kept his lead foot closer to parallel with his back foot while also narrowing his stance altogether.

Like Báez, batted-ball metrics indicate Scott may getting a bit lucky with an abnormally high .378 BABIP. Perhaps that's in part due to his increased ability to take the ball the opposite way this year with a narrower stance (13.3% last year, 21.3% in 2025).

https://www.si.com/mlb/seven-mlb-hitter ... ng-stances

lets see what happens once the league gets a book on him like they have Walker

I get your point, but this guy does not have that "deer in the headlights" look so common with JW. And his defense is superb, something no one will ever say about JW.

[moose-and-squirrel]

The Seven MLB Hitters Who Are Raking With Reinvented Batting Stances
It's all in the setup.

Victor Scott II, CF, St. Louis Cardinals
2024: 145 AB | .179 BA | .219 OBP | .283 SLG | .502 OPS
2025: 143 AB | .288 BA | .355 OBP | .400 SLG | .755 OPS

OPS Improvement: .253 | Stance Change in Degrees (Abs. Value): 32.59
Like Rice, Scott is a second-year player on this list who was called up late in the 2024 season and had a tough end to the year. He’s fortunately looked much better in his sophomore campaign.

Last season Scott used an open stance, but his lead foot pointed toward the back of the plate. This year, he's even more open, but he’s kept his lead foot closer to parallel with his back foot while also narrowing his stance altogether.

Like Báez, batted-ball metrics indicate Scott may getting a bit lucky with an abnormally high .378 BABIP. Perhaps that's in part due to his increased ability to take the ball the opposite way this year with a narrower stance (13.3% last year, 21.3% in 2025).

https://www.si.com/mlb/seven-mlb-hitter ... ng-stances

lets see what happens once the league gets a book on him like they have Walker

I get your point, but this guy does not have that "deer in the headlights" look so common with JW. And his defense is superb, something no one will ever say about JW.

Walkers defense has been quite good this year. and he hasn't been playing OF his whole life. I hope Scott continues (I wasn't expecting much out of him after seeing him last year) and Walker figures it out.

[craviduce]

he doesn't seem overwhelmingly streaky . He'll have his game or two with 0'fers, but comes back with multi-hit games later in the week.

that's pretty mature in the box, imo.

[imetsatchelpaige]

he doesn't seem overwhelmingly streaky . He'll have his game or two with 0'fers, but comes back with multi-hit games later in the week.

that's pretty mature in the box, imo.

The guy never looks intimidated, and is remarkably consistent.
I'm not sure I've ever seen adjustments made that quickly by a Cardinal rookie.