Gorman hits 3 HRs, has 7 in last 5 games

Since the calendar flipped to June, Nolan Gorman may have taken the mantle as the hottest baseball player in the world.

MLB Pipeline’s No. 31 prospect launched three homers in a game for the first time in his career in Double-A Springfield's 9-2 victory over Arkansas. Gorman finished the day 3-for-4 at the plate with three runs, four RBIs, a walk and a fielder's choice.

It was also the second straight game in which Gorman swatted multiple home runs, smacking two on Friday night. Gorman has been on an absolute tear over the last week for Springfield, hitting seven dingers in his last five games played. Gorman’s career day on Saturday was also the first regular-season three-homer game in Springfield’s history.

“I’m up there hunting a pitch in my zone, being on time and putting a good swing on it. When you’re having success, you’re pretty confident," said Gorman. “Every day you've got to step in the box and have confidence."

Gorman began the night with a solo shot to right field to kick off the scoring for Springfield. He added his second homer in the second inning, a three-run rocket pulled towards the foul pole at Hammons Field. He hit his third blast of the night in the fourth inning as the second leg of a back-to-back-to-back run for the Cardinals, a moonshot to right-center field.

“It was one of those things where I wanted to get around the bases pretty quick so I could get back inside the dugout, because the guys were pretty fired up," said Gorman. "Walking in the dugout, being told it’s unreal and not human. It’s just fun, we’re having a good time in there."

After fouling off pitches in his wheelhouse, he added a walk in the fifth, and grounded into a fielder's choice in the seventh.

The Cardinals’ No. 2 prospect has been dominant at the dish in June. Gorman has crushed seven homers this month with 13 RBIs in 11 games. He is slashing .426/.481/.894 for an OPS of 1.374 and has hit a homer in 13.5% of his June plate appearances. In five games played since June 8, Gorman is 9-for-21 with seven dingers and 12 RBIs.

Gorman attributes his power surge to "trusting what I have. The coaching staff here has been really good with helping me every day get to where I want to be.”

"A little minor adjustment getting the ball up in the air to the right side, driving the ball to the left side and being a complete hitter. Being on time is what we preach here in Springfield,” said Gorman.

On the year, the slugging lefty has hit 10 homers and driven in 23 runs in 33 games. After a tepid start to the season, Gorman is finding the stroke that earned him a power grade of 60 on Pipeline’s rankings, slashing .328/.401/.588 with an OPS of .989 through 147 plate appearances.

The 21-year-old’s first dinger of the game on Saturday was his 40th career Minor League blast over his three professional seasons. Gorman’s name has been tossed around in speculative trade talks, but the Cardinals have him working on his positional versatility in Springfield, slotting him in at second base to make room for his powerful bat in St. Louis.