Alec Burleson Is Rewarding the Cardinals for Their Patience

The year is 2023 in St. Louis. After a major culture shock, the St. Louis Cardinals are turning to hit-first prospect Alec Burleson, but it isn’t clear if he even has a position. 

Burleson, dubbed ‘Burly’ for short, is an East Carolina University product. In his opening act for St. Louis in 2022, he was limited to a frugal 16 games and didn’t find any success. 

After his messy introduction, the Cardinals granted Burleson 315 at-bats in the infamous 2023 season. The Redbirds’ record landed at a bleak 71-91, and Burleson contributed to the poor performance with a -0.7 bWAR and an OPS+ of 87. 

As a prospect, Burleson was coveted for his bat-to-ball skills and flashes of raw power. He was a hitter first, and it showed. 2023 was full of defensive woes and poor offensive performance for the former top 10 organizational prospect (according to MLB Pipeline). 

The following season was a slight improvement for Burleson and the Cardinals, but still didn’t deliver what fans were expecting.  

Burleson was out of position, struggled to barrel the baseball, and swung at nearly anything thrown in his direction. Then, a lightbulb went on. 

Stats updated prior to games on July 5.

St. Louis’ Wait Paid Off on Alec Burleson

In 2025, Burleson continued playing all over the field. He spent a majority of his time in the corner outfield spots, occasionally manned first base, and even logged an inning on the mound.

Ahead of the season, the Cardinals made it a point for him to improve not only his defense, but also his swing decisions. 

Burleson said he was trying to “mainly swing at more strikes, take your walks and do damage on pitches that you can — and not just swing at pitches to swing at them.”  

Subsequently, he cut his chase rate from 34.5% in 2024 to a much more tolerable 28.8% the following year. His discipline shone through for a fantastic campaign. 

In 2025, Burleson took home the utility-player Silver Slugger Award. He did so by slashing .290/.343/.459, which equaled an .801 OPS and a career-high 1.9 bWAR. 

Burly also trudged slowly upwards as a defender, moving from -8 OAA to -4. His improvement in the field seemed like the final piece of the puzzle. Hitting was never a question of if, but rather when. The glove, on the other hand, was Carmen Sandiego. 

Ahead of the 2026 season, newly appointed president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom made a flurry of trades that quickly morphed a once-prolific Cardinals roster into a rather bare-bones collection of should-be big leaguers. 

The offloading of veteran first baseman Willson Contreras made way for Burleson to take over the reins at first base. 

The talent was always there for St. Louis, but they needed an anchor – someone to sit in the middle of the lineup and drive in runs. 

Burleson became just that, and with the introduction of JJ Wetherholt to the leadoff spot, the Cardinals are finally seeing the fruits of their labor. 

Peripherals couldn’t agree more that the breakout is a reality. He ranks in the 93rd percentile or better in xwOBA, xBA, and xSLG. His bat-to-ball skills have finally translated to quality contact. 

That’s largely due to his career-high barrel rate of 10.8% and his subtle shift in approach. The focus is no longer on not striking out; it’s on hitting the ball hard. Burleson whiffs more often now, but when he makes contact, it’s loud, and tarps come off. 

Even though he’s cut down on his chase rate, Burleson’s bat-to-ball skills remain prevalent outside of the zone. 

St. Louis announcer Chip Caray has long referred to Burleson as one of the sport’s best “bad ball” hitters. That contact precision has also played into the later innings. So far in high-leverage spots, the big lefty has a .905 OPS according to FanGraphs. 

Before his breakout, Burleson’s Achilles heel was expanding the zone; now, he’s turned his overly aggressive approach into a weapon. 

Burleson’s transition to first base has also converted him into an above-average fielder, measured by outs above average. 

His breakout has already changed this season’s landscape, but how will the Cardinals digest that success and quantify it moving forward? 

How Does Burleson Fit Into the Future for the Cardinals?

Burleson’s rise to stardom has given the Cardinals an interesting kind of problem. Now that he’s become the player that St. Louis was without, there are two options. 

The first, and likely most comforting for fans, is an extension. Burleson has two more years of arbitration before he’ll be eligible for the free market. There’s no telling what the new collective bargaining agreement will entail. That being said, Burleson’s steadiness could aid the Cardinals through unfamiliar terrain. 

The second, and more polarizing option, is to trade Burleson. 

His value comes from three distinct areas: hit tool, impact production, and team control. Hitters who can flirt with a .300 batting average, drive in runs, and hold multiple years of control rarely become available. 

However, the dilemma is more than dollars and sense. Burleson’s value stretches beyond the statistics. As one of the faces of this year’s team, his quality production and lovable personality have fans back at the ballpark. Trading Burleson would almost certainly undercut some of the good faith that the team has rebuilt with the fanbase. 

It’s easy to dream on a massive haul for a player of Burleson’s caliber. However, it’s equally as entrancing to forgo trade talks and chase down October baseball. 

Although emotions around the Cardinals are currently as good as they’ve been in years, Bloom isn’t known for his sentimentality. 

Harsh decisions, a cutthroat mentality, and unwavering focus have characterized Bloom’s front office tenures elsewhere. It’s only rational to assume that emotions won’t play a part in his decisions later this month. 

For now, the Cardinals are living between two realities. Burleson is clearly a key fixture in this year’s lineup. It’ll be up to Bloom to decide if a current chase for the Wild Card outweighs retooling for the future. 

Fortunately, the Cardinals already won the waiting game. Two years ago, Burleson was positionless and stalled offensively. Now, he’s powering the Cardinals into a playoff spot and has enough value to debate a blockbuster deal.