PEORIA — Victor Scott II is back on top of the baseball world in the stolen base race — plus he and one of his former Peoria Chiefs teammates will showcase their talents to the world.
The speedy center fielder has 51 steals — the most in baseball, including the major leagues. His personal pursuit of 100 steals changed venues on Wednesday as the parent club St. Louis Cardinals promoted the Peoria Chiefs prospect to Double-A Springfield. He debuted there Wednesday — and promptly stole a base.
More: ‘I want 100’: One of pro baseball’s top base stealers is playing with the Peoria Chiefs
Scott stole 50 bases in just 66 games with the Chiefs, the second-highest per-game rate in the 40-year Peoria franchise’s history, and a pace that had him on the way to 103 for the season. His 50 will stand as the sixth-highest single-season total in Chiefs history, and most since Oscar Mercado stole 53 in 2015.
Scott, the Cardinals No. 26-ranked prospect, hit .282 and scored a team-best 44 runs in his time with the Chiefs.
Eye on the Future
Scott II and Chiefs right-handed pitcher Tink Hence were named to the 2023 Sirius XM All-Star Futures Game by MLB. The talent showcase will be played at 6 pm on July 8 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.
Hence, whose fastball touches 99-100 mph, is 2-1 with a 2.25 ERA for the Chiefs this season and is St. Louis’ No. 3 ranked prospect. He has a 1.16 ERA over his last five starts, and he is scheduled to pitch Thursday night at Dozer Park as part of a doubleheader.
More: St. Louis Cardinals prospect explains his unique name, an aspirational tattoo and a 100 mph fastball
Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men’s basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: St. Louis Cardinals promoted stolen base king; two Chiefs make Futures Game