Two-sport athlete at McEachern High School in Powder Springs, Ga., as a three-time captain of the baseball team and also played basketball...Recognized as a Cobb County All-Star...Earned his degree from West Virginia during 2023 offseason...Played three seasons at West Virginia University (2020-22), where he was a three-time Academic All-Big 12 honoree and teammates with Cardinals No. 2024 first-round draft pick, JJ Wetherholt...Among Cardinals with Major League connections to West Virginia University, joins former Cardinals infielder Scott Seabol (2005), infielder Jedd Gyorko (2016-19), 2006 draft pick RHP David Carpenter, Cardinals LHP Steve Kline (2001-04) and Memphis outfielder Darrell Whitmore (2000-01) who also served as the first Palm Beach Cardinals hitting coach (2003)...Was 38-of-45 in stolen base attempts in 2022, ranking sixth in NCAA Division I and setting the Mountaineer single-season record...Swiped 62 bags over three seasons at West Virginia, second-most in school history and the most since 1965...Both his father, Victor, and mother, Mary, ran track at Morris Brown College (Atlanta, Ga.) and his father is in their Hall of Fame...Hobbies include fishing and bowling...Worked at a bowling alley during an offseason and would bowl after hours, improving up to a score of 250...Learned fishing from Peoria Chiefs teammates Nathan Church, Jimmy Crooks and Cooper Hjerpe...Nicknamed "Swiper" and "Man of Steal" by Tink Hence...Created and released an online music album entitled "Write my Wrongs" under the name "Argo"...Was a fan of Andrew McCutchen and Starling Marte as a child...His father was Pirates fan from Pittsburgh, although Victor II grew up a Braves fan...Signed by TC Calhoun...Resides in Powder Springs, Ga.
2024
Was on the Cardinals Opening Day roster and started in center field against the Dodgers (3/28) at Dodger Stadium...Became only the eighth player in franchise history to make his MLB debut as an Opening Day starting center fielder and the first since Bobby Smith (1957); Bill Virdon (1955), Wally Moon (1954), Rip Repulski (1953), Terry Moore (1935), Homer Smoot (1902) and Emmet Heidrick (1901)...Stole second base (Glasnow/Smith) for his first MLB theft at LAD (3/28), becoming the first Cardinals player with a stolen base in his MLB debut on Opening Day, regardless of age, in MLB history...First in MLB of his age since Anthony Volpe (NYY) in 2023 at 21-years, 336 days...Became the second-youngest Cardinals centerfielder to bat lead-off in a home opener behind shortstop Arnold Hauser (22.207) in 1911 at Robison Field...Played in 53 games, starting 40 in centerfield...Also appeared in right field (five games) and left field (two games)...Joined teammates Jordan Walker and Dylan Carlson among 10 Cardinals all-time to start the first nine games of the season at age 23 or younger...Recorded his first hit as part of a two-hit game at LAD (3/31) with an infield single, then a double and was on base three times (walk)...Was 5-for-6 in stolen base attempts in St. Louis...Only caught stealing came on a Kyle Freeland pick-off play at first base in his final game of the season at COL (9/26)...Ranked seventh in MLB in "Sprint Speed" at 30.0 feet/second with Bobby Witt, Jr., leading the list at 30.5 ft/sec...His 31.3 feet/second on a ground out at ARI (4/13) was the fastest by any Cardinals player during the season...First two MLB RBIs came via sacrifice fly...Batted .081 (5-62) over his first 22 MLB games through Aug. 5...Finished the season batting .253 (21-83) with 2 HR and 8 RBI over his final 31 games of the season...Posted a career-high three hits vs. MIL (8/22)...Hit his first Major League home run vs. TB (8/6), a go-ahead two-run home run off Jeffrey Springs, the eventual game-winning RBI...Was recalled for the Rickwood Field game in Birmingham, Ala., on June 20. Helped with the ceremonial first pitch from fellow Atlanta, Ga. native, 99-year-old Bill Greason...Entered defensively in the game for the ninth inning playing left field in a 6-5 Cardinals win...Ranked 10th in the International League with 30 stolen bases despite playing in only 81 games...Had team-high four stolen bases in Spring Training and was co-leader with 10 runs scored in his 14 games.
2023
Hit .303/.369/.425 (166-548) with nine home runs, 10 triples, 20 doubles, 94 stolen bases and .794 OPS in 132 games between Peoria (A+) and Springfield (AA)...Finished second in all of Minor League Baseball in hits (166) behind Thomas Saggese (170). His 166 hits led the Cardinals organization and were the most by a Cardinals minor leaguer since 2002 Cardinals Minor League Player of the Year John Gall (166)...Ranked among minor league leaders in stolen bases (T-1st), hits (166, second), triples (10, T-3rd), plate appearances (618, fourth) and at-bats (548, fourth)...Led the Cardinals organization in plate appearances, at-bats, hits, stolen bases, and triples, ranked second in runs (95), total bases (233) and batting average (.303); T-2nd in games (132) and sacrifice flies (six); fifth in hit by pitches (15); and 10th in on-base pct. (.369) and OPS (.794)...Stole 94 bases in 2023, tying Chandler Simpson (Rays) for most in Major or Minor League Baseball...His 94 stolen bases was the fifth-highest total among Cardinals minor leaguers since 1962...Prior to Scott II and Simpson, Delino Deshields (101 in 2012) and Billy Hamilton (155 in 2012) were the last Minor Leaguers to swipe as many bags...Logged an 87.03% stolen base success rate (94-for-108)...Stole multiple bases in a game 21 times, including three bags in eight different games...Combined to record a .992 fielding percentage in 129 games in center field between Peoria and Springfield, 10th-best among Minor League outfielders...Began the season batting .282/.365/.399 (75-266) with 50 stolen bases and .763 OPS in 66 games with Peoria...Promoted to Springfield (AA) on 6/27...Finished the season hitting .323/.373/.450 (91-282) with 44 stolen bases and .824 OPS in 66 games...Batted .231 (3-13) with a stolen base in three games for Springfield in the Texas League postseason...Singled and stole second and third base in the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at Seattle's T-Mobile Park...Recognized as an Arizona Fall League Rising Star. Hit .286/.388/.417 (24-84) with three home runs, eight RBI and 18 stolen bases in 23 games for Scottsdale...Following the season in Baseball America's Best Tools survey, was recognized as the Midwest League's "Best Baserunner" and "Fastest Baserunner," and Texas League's "Best Defensive Outfielder."
