One of many question marks for the St. Louis Cardinals heading into 2023 is the state of the outfield, both in terms of production and health.
Outfielder Dylan Carlson missed some time last year recovering from a hamstring injury and was also consistently bothered by a wrist injury, thus leaving his status for 2023 in question.
Carlson is competing to secure a starting job in the outfield and has put an emphasis on increasing his offensive production.
But Cardinals fans will like what they see in the video below, which shows the young outfielder hitting a ball into the gap off of teammate Giovanny Gallegos in batting practice.
#STLCards Outfielder Dylan Carlson drives a ball into the gap against reliever Giovanny Gallegos. Carlson is stronger and up to 12 pounds thanks to a 4,500-calorie diet and a strict weight-lifting program. (Read more about it later today on MLB(dot)com/Cardinals). pic.twitter.com/Lks611VDg2
— John Denton (@JohnDenton555) February 22, 2023
Carlson’s job certainly isn’t safe at the moment.
St. Louis has plenty of outfield competition with players such as Moises Gomez, Oscar Mercado, Jordan Walker, and Alec Burleson at camp.
Tyler O’Neill and Lars Nootbaar can also play all three outfield positions, with the former currently battling with Carlson for the center field spot.
There is a lot up in the air, but Carlson certainly put a good swing on the pitch from Gallegos and gave it a ride, which could be a good sign.
St. Louis already has a dangerous lineup, but with Carlson healthy and producing, their offense grows even stronger.
Also, according to Cardinals writer John Denton, who posted the video, Carlson has grown stronger himself and has put on 12 pounds of muscle as a result of a 4,500-calorie diet and strict weight-lifting program.
If that swing is any indication, Carlson could have a big year for the Cardinals in 2023.
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Video Shows Two Cardinals Stars Squaring Off In Practice
