Before rookie shortstop Masyn Winn packed his gear and left the Cardinals clubhouse following the final game of the 2023 season, he reflected on his first experience in the major leagues with optimism that it would 鈥渂e huge鈥 for him a year later.
At that time, Winn came off a 37-game stretch in the majors where he batted .172 in 122 at-bats. He had a .468 on-base percentage plus slugging percentage (OPS) in 137 plate appearances in the majors following a strong campaign with Class AAA Memphis.
Winn, 22, followed that sample of the majors in 2023 with a 2024 season in which he batted .267, produced a .730 OPS and hit 15 home runs in 150 games as the Cardinals鈥 starting shortstop. The rookie鈥檚 157 hits were second-most among Cardinals hitters and tied for second among all qualified rookies behind 162 hits for San Diego鈥檚 Jackson Merrill.
So how much did Winn鈥檚 offensive struggles in 2023 aid him a year later?
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鈥淎 lot of it,鈥 Winn said in late September following the Cardinals鈥 final home game of the 2024 season. 鈥淚 haven鈥檛 seen too many guys come up here and just start raking right away. I think having that month and a half or so of really struggling up here last year I think helped me and got me mentally prepared for what could be.
鈥淛ust kind of seeing how the guys will pitch me, how the atmosphere is because everybody is nervous whether they say it or not their first time. Kind of getting that underneath the belt, then coming into this year confident was good.鈥
On top of the offensive output, the rookie provided a mix of flash and consistency that led him to become one of three finalists for the Rawlings Gold Glove Award for National League shortstops.
Winn led all qualified players at his position in defensive runs saved with plus-14, while finishing with a plus-three in outs above average, per FanGraphs.
The next-closest shortstop in MLB this year to Winn in DRS was Angels鈥 23-year-old Zach Neto (plus-11). Among NL shortstops, Colorado鈥檚 Ezequiel Tovar was second with plus-9 DRS. Tovar, who had a plus-15 OAA, and the Cubs鈥 Dansby Swanson, who finished with a plus-seven DRS and plus-18 OAA, were named finalists alongside Winn.
鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing, especially on the offensive side,鈥 Winn said when asked about the entirety of his 2024 season. 鈥淒efensively, I would like this to be one of my worst years. I鈥檝e made a lot of errors this year, but on the offensive side of it, I mean, I鈥檝e loved it.鈥
Winn began the 2024 season as the Cardinals鈥 opening day shortstop and regularly hit in the bottom third of the order for the first two months of the season. He ascended to the leadoff spot by the start of June.
In 102 games from the top of the batting order 鈥 100 of which came June 1 or later 鈥 Winn produced a .248 batting average and a .290 on-base percentage and hit 13 home runs. The 109 hits Winn collected from the leadoff spot were 12th-most in the majors. He was the only rookie across the majors this season to surpass 320 plate appearances as his team鈥檚 leadoff hitter.
Is that role one Winn could see himself in moving forward?
鈥淵eah, no doubt,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely going to be a choice (the Cardinals) have to make next year. Hopefully, I鈥檓 back up there again. But I love it. I love being the leadoff. I love setting the tone.鈥
The 150 games Winn played this year were his most in a single season at any level of professional baseball. To reach that mark, he said the built-in off-days early in spring training helped him manage back pain that limited him in late February. Winn started 143 games at shortstop and got breathers from veteran Brandon Crawford, who served as Winn鈥檚 backup before being released Aug. 20.
鈥淎t the beginning of the year, my back was pretty messed up,鈥 Winn said of the spring training management. 鈥淔or them to work in some off days for me and having (Crawford) here was great. He filled in nicely on the days he could.鈥
After batting .227 in 17 Grapefruit League games during spring training, Winn batted .310 through the first 56 games he played and went into the All-Star break with a .284 batting average and a .332 on-base percentage across 88 games played.
The rookie shortstop鈥檚 bid to make his first All-Star team as a major leaguer fell short as two fellow rising young shortstops in Cincinnati鈥檚 Elly De La Cruz and Washington鈥檚 CJ Abrams received nods as reserves to the NL squad.
Coming out of the All-Star break, Winn kept his batting average around the .280 mark while remaining a constant factor in the Cardinals lineup throughout July and August.
But with the wear and tear that comes with a full season, Winn posted a .196 batting average and a .229 on-base percentage in 21 games to bookend a rookie campaign that may end in Gold Glove honors and as a potential vote-getter for the National League Rookie of the Year award.
Just as his introduction to the majors did a year ago, the finish to his first full big league season gives Winn an experience he can build off as looks ahead to 2025.
鈥淥ne of the biggest things I鈥檝e learned this year is you鈥檙e not always going to be healthy,鈥 Winn said. 鈥淵ou got to be out there, and you got to compete. I think this last little stretch has shown me that I can definitely fight through some pain and just keep playing. But I think I just got to be more consistent overall.鈥