Ohhh buckle up, folks, because this is one of those stories that’ll make you want to stand up, cheer, and maybe even text that one stubborn friend of yours who wrote the Cardinals off before the season started — because this just might be the spark that leads to an inferno of a season. Read on for The Secret to the Early Success of Victor Scott II.
Let’s talk about Victor Scott II — Cardinals prospect, base-stealing machine, and self-described “stubborn to a fault” 23-year-old who nearly derailed his career before it could even take off. We’ve all been there in our twenties, right? Feeling invincible, convinced we know better than the coaches, the parents, the seasoned vets who’ve seen it all. That was Scott. Locked into a no-stride, wide-stance approach at the plate that got him through the minors… and straight into a brick wall in 2024.
Enter Luddy
Now, here’s where the plot thickens. Scott was floundering. Batting .207 in Triple-A, confidence in the tank, and folks — let’s just be real — his big-league dreams were slipping through his fingers. But then, enter stage left: Ryan Ludwick. Former All-Star, 12-year MLB vet, and apparently, the only man who could get Scott to finally listen.
Ludwick walks into the cage and doesn’t sugarcoat a thing. He takes one look and says, “You’ve got to change this.” And boom — that was it. Scott, to his credit, finally asked the right question: “What should I do?” And what followed was a full-on mechanical reboot. Out went the static setup, in came the exaggerated leg kick — and with it? Fireworks.
Let’s just run it down: A triple on July 23. A 382-foot bomb off the scoreboard in Columbus. Then a 373-foot rocket in Durham. And the cherry on top? His first career grand slam — 404 feet of no-doubt power, 104 mph off the bat, five-point-eight seconds of hang time. The kind of shot that is hard to not take a good long look at while it sails out of Busch Stadium.
And look, this isn’t just about home runs — it’s about redemption (and stole bases). The kid went 5-for-59 in his first big-league stint. That’s not just a slump, that’s a crisis of confidence. But instead of doubling down in his usual stubborn way, he adapted. That painful stretch? He calls it a blessing now. Because it humbled him. It made him listen. It made him adjust and thus it made him better.
And now? With Michael Siani sidelined, Scott’s back in center field for St. Louis, not just faster and stronger — but smarter. That, folks, is growth. That’s grit. And that’s exactly why you don’t count a guy out just because he fell flat the first time around.
Victor Scott II is back. And this time, he’s listening — and launching (and stealing).
