How meeting Vince Coleman impacted this Cards prospect

This story was excerpted from John Denton’s Cardinals Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

The son of two former college sprinters and the owner of 94 stolen bases in two levels of the Minor Leagues this season, Victor Scott II is known for having an explosive first step and elite top-end speed.

However, the Cardinals No. 4-ranked prospect claims to have never moved faster in his life than he did when he got word that legendary basestealer Vince Coleman was hanging out in the lobby of his Seattle hotel before the MLB Futures Game back in July.

“I don’t know what could have gotten up faster -- a Tesla going 0 to 60 [mph] or me jumping up and getting down to the lobby,” joked Scott, who would later steal a base in the Futures Game off catcher Edgar Quero, the No. 3-ranked player in the White Sox organization, per MLB Pipeline. “I was like, ‘I don’t know if this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing, but it’s a great opportunity to meet someone whose game is like the one I play.’

“I got down there, and we started talking about jumps, reading pitchers’ tendencies and how confidence plays into stealing bases. … We created this really great relationship. I’ve been able to lean on him, he’s given me advice and I knew he’d never be a guy who would steer me wrong.”

With help from Coleman -- the Cardinals Hall of Famer with 752 career stolen bases -- Scott sprinted his way to becoming the organization’s fastest-rising prospect. The 22-year-old lefty-hitting center fielder hit .303 with nine home runs, 20 doubles 10 triples and 94 stolen bases in 132 games split between Single-A Peoria and Double-A Springfield. His 94 steals were tied with Rays prospect Chandler Simpson for the Minor League lead. He also jumped 21 spots in MLB Pipeline’s rankings of Cards prospects.

An Atlanta native by way of West Virginia University, Scott was a fifth-round pick by the Cardinals in 2022. His promising performance this season earned him a chance to play in the prestigious Arizona Fall League -- the platform Nolan Gorman, Lars Nootbaar, Jordan Walker and Masyn Winn used to propel themselves from the Minors to the big leagues.

“The steps are kind of laid out for me,” said Scott, who came into Monday’s Fall ball play hitting .313 with three stolen bases in four tries. “If I continue being that consistent, humble guy and follow those steps within God’s plan, it seems like I may have a shot at being a big leaguer next year, which would be awesome.”

Here is a look at how Scott and others fared in the Cards farm system:

3 who forced their way onto the radar

Thomas Saggese -- The versatile infielder and Cardinals' No. 9 prospect, who was acquired in the Jordan Montgomery trade, nearly won the Double-A Triple Crown by leading in hitting (.318) and RBIs (107) and finishing second in homers (25). Read about Saggese’s inspiration here.

César Prieto -- Another infielder acquired in a midseason trade, No. 14 prospect Prieto has an MLB-ready bat (.323, 25 doubles and 69 RBIs). He could make it to the bigs if Tommy Edman is dealt for pitching.

Luken Baker -- The 6-foot-4, 280-pound Baker made it to the big leagues on the strength of a Triple-A season in which he hit .334 with 33 home runs and 98 RBIs.

2 breakout players

Tink Hence -- Another player from the 2020 Draft class that also produced Walker and Winn, Hence could potentially provide some swing-and-miss. The Cardinals' No. 2 prospect was purposefully limited to 96 innings, but he struck out 99 batters.

Tekoah Roby -- Also acquired from the Rangers in the Montgomery trade, the Cardinals' No. 5 prospect's swing-and-miss stuff -- 69 strikeouts in 58 1/3 innings -- could fast track him to the big leagues.

1 big question

After promoting Gorman, Walker and Winn over the past two seasons, who is the next player from the farm system to reach the big leagues?

If Edman and/or Dylan Carlson are dealt, Scott might be the center fielder of the future.