The big question surrounding Nolan Gorman entering 2023 was whether he could improve defensively at second base, and so far he’s seemed up to the task, making a few smart plays at the keystone this spring . At the plate, Gorman was one of my breakout candidates going into this year due to the insanely high percentage of balls he hit in the “sweet spot” of the bat last season.
Gorman has a noticeably more toned physique this season with more even weight distribution, and that may be contributing to his early success. He’s hitting .333 with a home run so far, and his surprising defensive performance means he might be able to play second base almost every day.
I don’t like the idea of putting such a young player into the designated hitter on a regular basis, and if Gorman can stay steady in the field, he should be able to be a more well-rounded player than many fans expected.