Two Players Competing For Cardinals Starting Center Field Job

The St. Louis Cardinals are gearing up for the upcoming baseball season, and manager Oliver Marmol has some decisions to make regarding the outfield.

Marmol has announced that Tyler O'Neill and Dylan Carlson will be competing for the starting job in center field during spring training.

Tyler O’ Neill with a 3-run homer for the Cardinals. 💥

pic.twitter.com/E7FRDXpQ9Z

— 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬 (@sportingnews) April 7, 2022

However, Marmol also envisions an interchangeable approach to deploying the outfielders throughout the season.

Along with O'Neill and Carlson, Lars Nootbaar is also a front-runner for a starting outfield job. Top prospect Jordan Walker is in the mix for a corner outfield position, while Juan Yepez and Alec Burleson are also vying for roles this spring.

Here’s a short clip of #STLCards OF Tyler O’Neill ranging from center to right-center to track down a ball off the bat in BP. O’Neill is battling Dylan Carlson and Lars Nootbaar for the starting CF job. He is a two-time Gold Glove winner as a left fielder. pic.twitter.com/xr6zRRlJlS

— John Denton (@JohnDenton555) February 21, 2023

Interestingly, O'Neill is also slated to play center field for Team Canada in the upcoming World Baseball Classic, giving the Cardinals an opportunity to evaluate him in that position.

Although it is likely that Carlson will start in center and O'Neill will start in left field on Opening Day, the team is keeping their options open. Notably absent from the center field competition is Nootbaar, who is likely to be placed in a corner outfield position. If O'Neill plays some center field, this would potentially clear the way for Jordan Walker to start in right field.

Overall, the Cardinals have a lot to sort out in their outfield, but Marmol and his team have several talented players to choose from. Photo Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports