The Road to The Show™: Nolan Gorman
Each week, MiLB.com profiles an elite prospect by chronicling the steps he's taken to reach the brink of realizing his Major League dream. Here's a look at St. Louis Cardinals infielder Nolan Gorman. For more player journeys on The Road to The Show, click here.
Each week, MiLB.com profiles an elite prospect by chronicling the steps he's taken to reach the brink of realizing his Major League dream. Here's a look at St. Louis Cardinals infielder Nolan Gorman. For more player journeys on The Road to The Show, click here.
Power has never been a bigger part of the game than it is today, and few youngsters possess more of it than Cardinals third base prospect Nolan Gorman.
As a 17-year-old, Gorman crushed baseballs and the competition to win both the All-Star Game High School Home Run Derby in Miami and the Under Armour High School All-America Game B45 Home Run Derby at Wrigley Field. A year later, after he completed his studies at Sandra Day O'Connor High School in Phoenix, the Cardinals made him the 19th overall pick in the 2018 Draft.
At 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds, the left-handed-hitting Gorman often looked like a man among boys as a prep player. Little changed when he arrived at Johnson City in the Appalachian League for his professional debut. He slugged a solo homer in his first game. A week and a half later he went on a six-game tear in which he went 11-for-25 with seven homers and 11 RBIs.
"We are really surprised with the talent he has and the kind of talent he brought into the Cardinals," Johnson City manager Roberto Espinoza told MiLB.com during Gorman's surge. "He's a young guy, an 18-year-old high school player, but he's got a really mature approach at the plate. He never really tries to hit those bombs. He's got that mature approach and has good exit velocity, so the ball flies and jumps off his bat."
By early August it was clear that the Appy League simply wasn't enough of a challenge. Having hit .350/.443/.664 with 11 homers in 38 games in the Rookie Advanced circuit, Gorman was promoted to Peoria in the full-season Class A Midwest League.
Part of Gorman's power stems from an uppercut swing that allows him to drive the ball in the air. That swing path also can leave him vulnerable to high heat and produce high strikeout numbers. Whether due to facing more experienced pitchers, fatigue from wrapping up his first pro campaign or simply bad luck, Gorman struggled with the Chiefs. He still hit six homers in 25 games, but also fanned 39 times in 107 plate appearances and put up a .202/.280/.426 line.
Despite that finish, Gorman's first pro season was a crashing success -- the 18-year-old clubbed 17 homers in 63 games overall, generated a .949 OPS and was only the seventh first-round pick out of high school in the last decade to reach full-season ball in his debut year.
"He's a special talent," said Chris Swauger, who managed Gorman in Peoria. "He's got great power potential. Coming into the Midwest League against guys four or five years older and still being able to hit for power the way he did was very, very impressive. I think the most impressive thing about him is his maturity. He scuffled at times, but he was able to recognize that and make adjustments. I evaluate players on how they deal with adversity, and this kid is at the top of that list."
Still more than two years younger than the average Midwest League hitter, Gorman returned to Peoria to begin his first full season in 2019. He got off to a flying start, collecting 10 hits and eight RBIs in his first five games, earning MWL Player of the Week honors and cutting his strikeout rate from 36.4 percent in late 2018 to 28 percent in the spring of 2019. The adjustments paid off quickly as the Cardinals promoted him to Class A Advanced Palm Beach just after he participated in the Midwest League All-Star Game in June.
Gorman earned an invitation to the All-Star Futures Game in Cleveland shortly after arriving in Florida, striking out against Royals right-hander Brady Singer in his lone plate appearance.
The move to the pitcher-friendly Florida State League (and extremely pitcher-friendly Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, Palm Beach's home park) took a toll on Gorman's output over the second half of 2019. His strikeout rate climbed again, his walk rate dropped to 5.7 percent and he hit only five homers in 58 games the rest of the way. Yet his .732 OPS was roughly average for the league and he was, at 19, nearly 3 1/2 years younger than the average FSL player. The Cardinals have pushed Gorman aggressively throughout his brief career, pitting him against much more experienced opponents and forcing him to make adjustments. He has yet to disappoint them.
Gorman spent the 2019-20 offseason working out at the advanced-tech Driveline facility in Seattle and attending a Cardinals hitting camp back in Palm Beach. In January, he got great news as the Cardinals acquired left-handed pitcher Matthew Liberatore from the Rays for José Martínez and Randy Arozarena. Despite attending rival schools in the Phoenix area, Gorman and Liberatore became great friends while teammates on a traveling team -- and now were in the same organization.
Both Arizonans participated in big league Spring Training with the Cardinals, and Gorman looked every bit the No. 43 overall prospect in the game, batting .308/.357/.500 with a homer and two doubles in 26 Grapefruit League at-bats. Then baseball shut down.
TO: @Mets fan in right field
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) March 4, 2020
FROM: Nolan Gorman pic.twitter.com/OijsvyRV5g
Gorman spent the summer at the Cardinals' alternate training site in Springfield, Missouri, where the Cardinals' No. 2 prospect earned glowing praise from director of development Gary LaRocque.
“He’s a student of the game, which is just one of his many wonderful qualities,” LaRocque told MLB.com. “He obviously has a lot of skill, a lot of talent, a lot of offensive upside, but he also loves to study the game on the offensive side. He’s just that type of player, very intense and focused. He was able to do an awful lot to help his own development.”
Gorman spent much of his time working on defense with Cardinals coach José Oquendo. While he has a powerful arm, he's been considered average at best at the hot corner and committed 21 errors each of his first two Minor League seasons.
“He did a lot of work defensively and was very productive, and José was very pleased with how he went about it," LaRocque said.
Still only 20, Gorman already has shown the work ethic, talent and ability to adjust required of an impact Major Leaguer. Given the Cardinals' aggressive promotion plan, he may not have to wait long to demonstrate it in The Show.
John Parker is an editor for MiLB.com.
Arkansas-based Mariners affiliate to honor legacy of the Little Rock Nine
The Little Rock Nine sounds like it could be the name of a baseball team playing in Arkansas' capital city, and for three nights during the 2025 season, it will be. The story behind the name transcends baseball, however. From Aug. 21-23, the Arkansas Travelers -- Seattle's Double-A affiliate --
MiLB podcast breaks down Spring Training storylines
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Leaf Peepers? Thunder Chickens?! Coming to the Minors this year
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Dodgers greats Newcombe and Campanella made history as Minors teammates
A version of this story originally appeared on MiLB.com in 2006. We present it here once more as Minor League Baseball celebrates Black History Month with stories of Black baseball pioneers.
15 prospects primed for a bounceback season from injury
A lot of players will be getting a fresh start heading into the 2025 season. Prospects who missed significant time due to injury have had upwards of six months between regular-season games to return to health. Now they'll be looking to re-establish their value and maybe even reach new heights.
Check out the newest Minor League team logos for 2025
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Here are 18 prospects who also starred on the gridiron
The two-time defending-champion Kansas City Chiefs are set to meet the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX, and plenty of baseball prospects will be keeping a close eye. After all, many current Minor Leaguers played football at a high level before committing fully to the diamond. No, there aren't any
Did you know the Superdome was once home to a Minor League team?
On Sunday, one of the world’s most-watched sporting events will take place at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Believe it or not, decades before Super Bowl LIX came to town, the same building was home to a Minor League Baseball team for one season. The 1977 Triple-A New Orleans Pelicans
How a Black pitcher's brief PCL stint in 1916 generated a historic card
A version of this story originally appeared on MiLB.com in 2010. We present it here once more as Minor League Baseball celebrates Black History Month with stories of Black baseball pioneers.
The Show Before the Show: Episode 489
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Minors legend Jones still holds batting record
A version of this story originally appeared on MiLB.com in 2008. We present it here once more as Minor League Baseball celebrates Black History Month with stories of Black baseball pioneers. Grover "Deacon" Jones spent more than a half-century in baseball, serving the game at almost every level and in
Hooks have a new look -- and more -- on the line for 20th season
In advance of a milestone season at Whataburger Field, the Corpus Christi Hooks are making a change. The Houston Astros' Double-A affiliate unveiled new logos and uniforms on Friday evening, marking the first time they have significantly altered their look since debuting in 2005. According to Hooks general manager Brady
Here's how Jackie Robinson fueled Montreal to a Minor League title in 1946
A version of this story originally appeared on MiLB.com in 2006. We present it here once more as Minor League Baseball celebrates Black History Month with stories of Black baseball pioneers.
They're due! MiLB's longest active title droughts
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
These players could earn teams extra Draft picks in 2025
Since the Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI) was implemented under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, four players have earned their clubs extra Draft picks. The PPI rewards teams for promoting their best prospects to the big leagues at the start of the season, enabling them to earn a Draft pick if
Each team's best non-Top 100 prospect
There just isn't enough room to fit all the worthy talents on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects list. We unveiled our latest rankings last Friday, and now we're going to spotlight the best prospect in each farm system who couldn't quite make the cut. We undertook the same exercise last
MiLB collaborates with Stand Up To Cancer
Minor League Baseball announced a new collaboration with Stand Up To Cancer® (SU2C), an organization that funds the development of new and promising cancer treatments to help patients today. Founded in 2008, SU2C raises awareness and funds research to detect and treat cancers with the aspiration to cure all patients.
These are the best tools on the new Top 100 Prospects list
Players featured on last year’s edition of the best tools among Top 100 prospects should look familiar to even casual baseball fans at this point. Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes (best fastball, slider) took the Major Leagues by storm as the NL Rookie of the Year, thanks to his hard-throwing ways
Answering your Top 100 Prospects list questions
MLB Pipeline released its new Top 100 Prospects list on Friday, and it was met with a bevy of questions and comments about fans' favorite prospects. To help make sense of all the inquiries, Pipeline's Jonathan Mayo took to Reddit and responded to fan questions in a Top 100 Prospect-focused
Here are every organization's Top 100 prospects for 2025
MLB Pipeline’s 2025 Top 100 Prospects list went live on Friday night, led by the newest Dodger, right-hander Roki Sasaki, Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony and Twins outfielder Walker Jenkins. There’s a lot of offensive firepower throughout the list, beyond those two outfielders at the top, but while the bats
Check out MLB Pipeline's 2025 Top 100 Prospects list
He was one of the most sought-after talents this offseason, and he hadn’t even played stateside ball yet. Now, he can add another bullet point to his already lengthy baseball resume. Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki tops MLB Pipeline’s 2025 preseason ranking of the Top 100 prospects, followed by Red Sox
The Show Before the Show: Episode 488
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Get ready to cheer for ... the Bathtub Donkeys?
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to The Baseball Traveler newsletter here.
These are MLB’s No. 1 prospects at each position
MLB Pipeline's 2025 rankings of the Top 10 prospects at each position are official and the 2025 Top 100 Prospects list will be revealed at 7 p.m. ET on Friday on MLB Network and MLB.com.