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Coming off a strong spring training that earned him the opening day job as the Cardinals’ starting center fielder for a second consecutive season, Victor Scott II understands the role he can play as a “hit collector� in the team’s lineup this year.

In four at-bats from the eighth spot of manager Oliver Marmol’s lineup on Saturday, Scott showed glimpses of that.

The 24-year-old singled twice, one of which was on a bunt, stole two bases, scored one run and struck out twice in his club’s 5-1 win over Minnesota at Busch Stadium. The first of the speedster’s hits came in a 10-pitch at-bat in which he fouled off four consecutive 3-2 fastballs before grounding the fifth one to center field. The second was a bunt on a 100.7 mph fastball from Jhoan Duran that required a replay review to overturn the original out call at first base as Scott beat Duran’s throw to the bag.

“Today I was in there fighting,� Scott said Saturday. “That’s a part of it. Part of this role of being a hit collector. I came out on the other end of the two strikeouts that I had but fought in there ... and then they showed up in the two hits that I had in my other at-bats. It was a cool day for sure.�

It continued on Sunday, when he hit a three-run homer to right field in his first at-bat. The home run and RBIs were his firsts of 2025. He also added a stolen base in the Cardinals’ 9-2 series-sweeping victory over the Twins.

Scott entered the season after slashing .349/.451/.721 with five stolen bases and four home runs in 16 games during spring training. The pair of hits and stolen bases were his firsts of the season. Scott’s bunt single was his second in the major leagues.

“That’s going to be part of his game,� Marmol said of Scott’s bunt single. “He’s going to have opportunities to do that. And there are times where the third baseman is playing in and based on them playing in and over, he still has an opportunity because of his speed and then you see what he can do once he gets on.�

Following the multi-hit, multi-steal game Saturday, Scott said the phrase “hit collector� he used to describe himself was given to him by Cardinals hitting coach Brant Brown. The identity is one the speedster said has “progressed over time,� notably over the offseason as he’s worked with Brown and his personal hitting coach in Atlanta, Michael Butler.

He made clear that being a “hit collector� was not something he “just woke up� and became. Rather, it’s an identity he knows can bring his team value in different facets.

“For myself, it’s just knowing the role of a hit collector and getting on base and causing havoc in that way,� Scott said. “If I can execute that 2 out of 4 times, 2 out of 5 times, and best case is three or four times a night, then I’m in a pretty good position to help this team win.�

Contreras’ quick decision

When the tape on the handle of his bat began to come undone and the pitch timer ticked down, Willson Contreras had to make a split decision.

At that moment Contreras, who already had used his timeout, recalls having 11 seconds left and knew if he didn’t get his head up by the 10-second mark he’d be assessed an automatic strike that would give him a third strike in his at-bat in the third inning on Saturday. To resolve the issue, Contreras began to peel off the tape with his teeth, used his right hand to rip it off, and then stuck that piece in his mouth and chewed on it as if it were bubblegum while he stepped into the batter’s box with a 3-2 count.

Contreras’ at-bat ended with a swing and miss on the next pitch, but as he noted, the quick decision helped him avoid an automatic strikeout.

“I would rather strike out swinging than by the clock,� Contreras quipped.

Of the bat tape, “it was a bad taste,� Contreras joked.

Extra bases

Jordan Walker’s absence from the Cardinals’ starting lineup Sunday was a scheduled day off and not related to any lingering effects from getting hit on his right hand by a 92 mph sinker from Joe Ryan in his first at-bat on Saturday, Marmol said. Walker remained in Saturday’s game after getting hit by the pitch.

• Steven Matz threw a bullpen session Saturday as he would typically do while on a starter’s schedule, then pitched the final four innings of Sunday’s game to earn a save. He allowed only one hit and no runs. Matz is in the bullpen to provide length and is line to join the rotation on April 16, when the club plans to expand to a six-man rotation.
• Quinn Mathews, the Cardinals’ top pitching prospect, allowed two runs, four hits and walked three batters while striking out one on 65 pitches (36 strikes) in his season debut Saturday with Class AAA Memphis.