Nolan Gorman Bio
Nolan Brian Gorman, nicknamed “Norm,” is an American professional baseball infielder for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Gorman was drafted by the Cardinals out of high school in the 2018 Major League Baseball draft and developed into one of the organization’s top prospects. He made his MLB debut in 2022 and has since been part of the Cardinals’ starting lineup as a power-hitting middle infielder.
Early Life and Background
Nolan Brian Gorman was born on May 10, 2000, in Phoenix, Arizona, in the United States. He grew up in the Phoenix area and attended Sandra Day O’Connor High School, where he quickly established himself as one of the premier amateur baseball players in the country. Gorman committed to play college baseball at the University of Arizona in August 2015, but ultimately chose to begin his professional career straight out of high school.
As a high schooler, Gorman produced consistently strong numbers at the plate. In 2016, as a sophomore, he batted .490 with 11 home runs and 49 runs batted in (RBIs), and in 2017, as a junior, he batted .361 with 11 home runs and 34 RBIs. That July, he won the MLB High School Home Run Derby in Miami, Florida, and later that month he played in the Under Armour All-America Baseball Game and won its home run derby. In September 2017, Gorman played for the USA Baseball 18U National Team, helping lead Team USA to its fourth consecutive gold medal at the U-18 Baseball World Cup in Thunder Bay, Canada. In his senior season in 2018, Gorman slashed .421/.641/.894 with 10 home runs and helped lead O’Connor to a 6A state baseball championship.
Path to Major League Baseball
Gorman’s path to the professional ranks accelerated rapidly in his draft year. Following his senior season at Sandra Day O’Connor, the St. Louis Cardinals selected him in the first round, with the 19th overall pick, of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft. He was the first player born in the year 2000 to be drafted by an MLB team. Gorman signed with St. Louis for $3.231 million and was assigned to the Johnson City Cardinals of the Rookie Appalachian League, where he homered in the second at-bat of his first professional game.
His first professional season established the template for his development: elite raw power paired with steady promotional movement through the minor leagues. After batting .345/.440/.662 with 11 home runs and 28 RBIs in 37 games with Johnson City, he was promoted to the Peoria Chiefs of the Class A Midwest League in August 2018. The Cardinals’ confidence in his bat was clear early, and Gorman was named an Appalachian League All-Star and the league’s Player of the Week during his brief stay in Johnson City.
Nolan Gorman Career
Early Career (2018–2019)
Gorman returned to Peoria to begin the 2019 season and was named the Midwest League’s first Player of the Week for the season on April 15 after batting .395 with four home runs and 13 RBIs. In June, he was named to the Midwest League All-Star Game and competed in its Home Run Derby. On June 19, he was promoted to the Palm Beach Cardinals of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League. In July, he represented the Cardinals in the 2019 All-Star Futures Game alongside Dylan Carlson. Over 125 games between Peoria and Palm Beach, Gorman slashed .248/.326/.439 with 15 home runs and 62 RBIs, cementing his status as one of baseball’s top prospects.
Triple-A Development (2021)
After the Cardinals acquired All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado before the 2021 season, Gorman began practicing at second base, having been a third baseman throughout his career. To begin the 2021 season, Gorman was assigned to the Springfield Cardinals of the Double-A Central. On June 12, 2021, in a game against the Arkansas Travelers, he became the first Springfield player to hit three home runs in a regular-season game. After slashing .288/.354/.508 with 11 home runs and 27 RBIs over 43 games, he was promoted to the Memphis Redbirds of the Triple-A East in late June. That same month, Gorman was selected to represent the Cardinals, alongside Matthew Liberatore, in his second All-Star Futures Game. Over 76 games with Memphis, Gorman slashed .274/.320/.465 with 14 home runs and 48 RBIs, and he was later selected to play in the Arizona Fall League for the Glendale Desert Dogs, where he was named to the Fall Stars Game.
MLB Debut and Rookie Season (2022)
Gorman returned to Memphis to begin the 2022 season and quickly reminded the Cardinals of his offensive ceiling. After slashing .308/.367/.677 with 15 home runs and 23 RBIs in 34 games, the Cardinals announced on May 19 that they would be selecting his contract and promoting him to the major leagues to make his MLB debut the next day as the starting second baseman. In his first at-bat, he singled against Zach Thompson of the Pittsburgh Pirates, and finished the night one-for-three with a walk. On May 28, Gorman hit his first MLB home run versus Adrian Houser of the Milwaukee Brewers in an 8–3 win, and on June 21 he notched his first multi-home run game, also against the Brewers.
One of the signature moments of Gorman’s rookie year came on July 2, 2022, at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. He hit the second of a record-tying four consecutive home runs for the Cardinals, the 11th such occurrence in major league history. Nolan Arenado, Gorman, Juan Yepez and Dylan Carlson all homered off Phillies starter Kyle Gibson with two outs in the first inning, marking the first time the Cardinals had accomplished the feat, and the first time it occurred in the first inning. On September 19, the Cardinals optioned Gorman to Memphis, but he returned to the major-league roster for the Wild Card Series. Over 89 games and 283 at-bats with St. Louis, he slashed .226/.300/.420 with 14 home runs, 35 RBIs and 13 doubles.
Sustained MLB Role (2023–2025)
Gorman started for the Cardinals on 2023 Opening Day as their designated hitter. On May 22, 2023, he was named the National League Player of the Week after batting .458 with four home runs and 11 RBIs. Gorman appeared in 119 games for the Cardinals that year, batting .236 with 27 home runs and 76 RBIs, though he missed time due to back injuries. He opened the 2024 season as the Cardinals’ starting second baseman, but was optioned to Memphis on August 21 after holding a MLB-worst 37.6% strikeout rate, and spent the remainder of the season there. Over 107 games with St. Louis, Gorman hit .203 with 19 home runs and 50 RBIs.
2026 Season and Beyond
In 2026, Gorman started the season as the third baseman for the Cardinals, taking the place of Nolan Arenado. Through early June, however, he struggled to a .194/.279/.318 slash line with seven home runs and 74 strikeouts across 62 games and was optioned to Memphis on June 12. His role within the Cardinals’ infield mix going forward is expected to be a key storyline for the organization.
Nolan Gorman Career Wins
Wins at the major-league level for position players are tracked at the team and series levels rather than individually, but Gorman has produced several headline performances since debuting with St. Louis. He is most associated with the Cardinals’ record-tying four-consecutive-home-runs game on July 2, 2022, and with his National League Player of the Week honor in May 2023.
Nolan Gorman Family
Personal Life
Gorman has been friends with fellow 2018 first-round pick and Cardinals teammate Matthew Liberatore since they were five years old. Gorman and his wife, Madison, married on December 31, 2024, in Chandler, Arizona. The two have been partners since his earliest professional seasons in the Cardinals’ system.
2025 Season Performance
Gorman opened the 2025 season with St. Louis before being placed on the injured list with a hamstring strain. In July, he was placed back on the injured list with back pain, and he rehabbed with Springfield before returning to St. Louis. Over 111 appearances with St. Louis, Gorman hit .205 with 14 home runs and 46 RBIs, splitting time defensively at third base (54 games), second base (28 games), designated hitter (22 games) and first base (seven games). The 2025 campaign was ultimately defined by injuries and positional flexibility rather than consistent offensive production, and Gorman will look to recapture his top-prospect form as he continues to compete for at-bats in the Cardinals’ infield.
