Scott steals a base -- and takes it home!
After 94 MiLB steals in '23, Scott hopes for many more in The Show
LOS ANGELES -- When rookie speedster Victor Scott II reached base for the first time in his MLB career on Thursday -- on a hurried throwing error by Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts -- Cardinals teammates in the dugout requested the ball in case the play was later overturned to a hit.
Three pitches later, Scott, the Cardinals' No. 3 prospect per MLB Pipeline, flashed his blazing speed by easily stealing second base. Seconds after that happened, Cardinals’ star Paul Goldschmidt yelled from the dugout, “Give him the base!” according to manager Oliver Marmol.
While Scott never got that first hit from the Dodger Stadium official scorekeeper, he did get the base from his first-ever steal as a surprise gift on Friday night following the Redbirds’ 6-3 loss to the star-studded Dodgers.
Scott’s representation team, Ballengee Group, contacted the Dodgers on Friday and requested the second-base bag from Thursday’s Opening Day game so that Scott could honor his first stolen base as a big leaguer. The 23-year-old Scott, who swiped 94 bases between High-A Peoria and Double-A Springfield last season, said he already has a new home in mind for the Dodger Stadium base. It’s a collection to which he plans to add several times over in the coming days, weeks and months.
“I think it should go to my parents, because it will probably mean more to them,” said Scott, whose father, Victor Sr., and mother, Mary, were on hand at Dodger Stadium along with other family and friends. “It’ll be good for them to have it.”
Scott struggled with the 100 mph heat and cutting action on Bobby Miller’s pitches on Friday, striking out twice against him early in the game and a third time looking against Michael Grove in the seventh inning. Later in the game, Scott laced a line drive to center that Kiké Hernandez snared with a diving catch. Once again, Scott was denied the first hit of his MLB career.
“Kiké made a really good play,” Scott said with a wry smile, “and we’ll try again tomorrow.”