Making his impact known on the defensive side of the game, former West Virginia baseball star Victor Scott II brings elite speed and a great glove to the St. Louis Cardinals.
During the first week of the MLB regular season, Scott II made a sensational leaping catch in right-center field and then helped double a runner up at second base who did not tag-up on the catch. And on Saturday, he made another incredible play roaming the outfield, which you can watch below.
Victor Scott II lays out to make the grab! pic.twitter.com/cw2Sc1rAc1
— MLB (@MLB) April 26, 2025
Barely hanging on to a 6-5 win over their division rivals Milwaukee Brewers, the Cardinals were up 5-0 in the fifth inning with no outs. To the benefit of Cardinals’ starter Sonny Gray, Scott II made a full-extension diving catch in the left-center field gap. As the Cardinals barely managed to hold on, Scott II’s catch might’ve saved the game for St. Louis.
The young former WVU outfielder is making a name for himself defensively
Scott II appeared on MLB Network on April 18 to discuss his swing and give insights on his approach at the plate. Scott II is making great strides in his offensive game, currently hitting .264 with 10 RBIs and one home run after Saturday’s game. But one trait that Scott II has possessed for a while is his defensive skillset.
Taking a peek at Scott II’s Baseball Savant page, two areas are blood red on the website. Red areas indicate measurables that a player is above average or at the top of the league in. Scott II’s red areas? Defense and speed/baserunning.
In outs above average, Scott II is in the 96th percentile in the MLB and also ranks third in all NL outfielders. His arm strength is no laughing matter either, with an average of 89.2 mph on his throws, which is good to rank him in the 80th percentile.
Pairing with his defense, Scott II’s baserunning ability has also garnered attention -- his Sprint Speed of 30 feet per second ranks as the third-best amongst all MLB players at the moment. What does this all mean? Scott II is a proven and impactful player, flying around and making plays in the outfield.
While playing at a high level on defense, Scott II seems to be enjoying himself. After the catch, Scott II shows off his swim moves while on the ground and afterwards gets up and seems to have a smile on his face while engaging with teammate Brendan Donovan.