The Brant Brown Impact: How One Coach Revitalized the Cardinals’ Offense
The 2024 St. Louis Cardinals struggled mightily at the plate, especially in clutch situations. Much of the blame landed on then-hitting coach Turner Ward, who was let go in October. While the team retained assistant hitting coach Brandon Allen, it was the hiring of Brant Brown that truly marked a turning point.
Brown, who served as the Seattle Mariners’ bench coach in 2024 and Miami Marlins’ hitting coach under Skip Schumaker in 2023, was known more for his ability to connect with players and energize a lineup than for past statistical success. The Cardinals brought him in hoping he could spark a turnaround—and he has done exactly that.
A Revitalized Offense
Since taking over, Brown has helped transform the Cardinals’ offensive identity. Under his guidance, the team is putting up its best slash line numbers in years: a .262 batting average, .338 on-base percentage, and a .329 wOBA—all improvements over the previous two seasons.
Brown’s approach centers on patience and smart pitch selection. His philosophy emphasizes seeing pitches early, investing in counts, and avoiding the urge to chase. As he explains, “It’s a giant game of keep-away and speed traps… we just don’t want to chase them around.”
This mindset has paid off. The Cardinals are now 10th in walk rate and second in doubles, showing that players are taking team-first at-bats. The team has embraced a “get on, move over, get in” mentality that has led to consistent run production.
Better Decisions, Better Results
Cardinal hitters are more selective than in recent years. Their swinging strike rate of 17.1% is well below league average, and they’re making contact on 76.7% of their swings—the sixth-best rate in baseball. They’re also showing more discipline on first pitches, swinging at just 29.4% of them (ninth lowest in MLB).
Brown has also encouraged hitters to spread the ball around the field more. Opposite-field contact is up to 27.2%, the team’s highest rate in four years. They’re hitting more line drives too—21.3% of batted balls, the second-best mark in the league.
Runners in Scoring Position: A Complete Reversal
Perhaps the most striking improvement has come with runners in scoring position. In 2024, the Cardinals were among the worst teams in baseball in those situations, batting just .229. Now, they’ve raised that average to .271 (eighth in the league), with a .344 OBP (ninth) and a .413 SLG (tenth). Their runs per game have surged to 4.82, placing them seventh overall.
A Culture Shift at the Plate
Brant Brown didn’t just tweak a few mechanics—he reshaped the Cardinals’ offensive culture. By focusing on discipline, situational awareness, and adaptability, he’s helped turn a stagnant offense into one of the league’s more effective units. Without Brown’s influence, it’s hard to imagine the Cardinals enjoying the level of success they’ve had so far in 2025.
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