The St. Louis Cardinals are banking heavily on bounce-back seasons from several players.
One of those players is outfielder Dylan Carlson.
The switch-hitter had a difficult season in 2022 and was slowed down by various injuries.
In the end, he hit just .236 with eight home runs and 42 RBI.
On Monday, the Cardinals had the 24-year-old hitting in the second spot of the order and serving as the designated hitter.
And in the bottom of the fourth inning, Carlson showed off some power, hitting a towering home run off of Astros reliever Ronel Blanco.
The Cardinals tweeted a video of the highlight.
Crushed by Carlson! pic.twitter.com/Sk6u6MW7yq
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) March 6, 2023
Carlson once drew comparisons to the now-retired Albert Pujols.
He has been mostly productive in the early stages of his career.
However, the power numbers have not quite been there.
Fortunately, I have flashed some of that potential.
The Cardinals lineup could be very dangerous if Carlson can improve his power.
They already have MVP Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras, and Tyler O’Neill in their lineup.
A healthy Carlson could give them an extra power bat and could make their lineup even deeper, which may give fans flashbacks to the days of Pujols, Scott Rolen, Jim Edmonds, Larry Walker, and Reggie Sanders.
Carlson made his MLB debut in 2020 during the COVID-shortened season.
He found himself in the conversation for the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 2021.
He is projected to be the Cardinals starting center fielder this year, and he could ultimately secure the job if he keeps hitting.
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Jordan Walker Is Off To A Sizzling Start This Spring
