With the calendar turning to mid-November, the St. Louis Cardinals must navigate two critical offseason deadlines that will shape the organization’s 2027 roster. Teams must set their 40-man rosters by Tuesday, November 17, to protect eligible prospects from the Rule 5 Draft. Just three days later, on Friday, November 20, comes the non-tender deadline, when clubs must decide whether to offer contracts to players still under team control.
The Cardinals currently sit with 39 players on the 40-man roster. That limited flexibility means the front office is expected to outright or designate a couple of players for assignment in the coming days. Those moves would open spots for Rule 5-eligible prospects the organization does not want to risk losing—most notably infield prospect Jesus Baez, who enjoyed a breakout season with significant power production across the minor leagues.
The two players drawing the most attention as the Cardinals weigh contract decisions are third baseman Nolan Gorman and center fielder Victor Scott II. Both have shown flashes of their tools but have yet to establish consistent big-league production, leaving their futures with the club uncertain.
Gorman, a 2018 first-round pick, entered 2026 with expectations of helping fill the void at third base. Instead, he struggled mightily, posting a .184/.272/.308 slash line with nine home runs and 33 RBI across 85 games before spending time in Triple-A Memphis. The left-handed hitter remains arbitration-eligible and is projected for a modest raise into the low-to-mid $2 million range. His track record of swing-and-miss issues and inconsistent results has made him a clear non-tender or trade candidate as the Cardinals evaluate longer-term options at the position.
Scott II presents a different but related dilemma. The speedy outfielder has long been valued for his elite defensive instincts and baserunning ability in center field. In 2026, however, his bat remained a liability. He hit .193/.270/.253 with two home runs, nine RBI, and 12 stolen bases in 80 games while also logging substantial time in Memphis. Still pre-arbitration and possessing minor-league options, Scott could be outrighted or non-tendered to free a roster spot without significant financial cost. His defensive upside keeps him in the conversation, but the Cardinals must decide whether that skill set alone justifies retaining him on the 40-man amid a crowded outfield picture.
These decisions are interconnected. Protecting rising prospects requires roster space, and both Gorman and Scott represent the type of controllable but underperforming players teams often move on from during this window. The Cardinals’ approach over the next week will signal how aggressively they intend to clear the decks for younger talent heading into what is expected to be another transitional season.
By Tuesday, the 40-man composition should be clearer. By Friday, the contract offers—or lack thereof—to Gorman, Scott, and others will provide the next definitive clues about the organization’s priorities.
