The word 鈥渂attle鈥 didn鈥檛 carry the correct connotation, and I knew it as I let it slip out of my mouth. The idea I鈥檇 really meant to convey was more akin to a maturation process or continued development or refinement, but it was too late. I鈥檇 used the phrase in my question, and Cardinals manager Oli Marmol seized upon the opening.
You see, has an uncanny ability to hit line drives to the opposite field or up the middle. He did it last season. He鈥檚 done it this season. Nothing in baseball is automatic, but that has felt like a staple when Winn鈥檚 swinging the bat well.
As Winn settled into the starting job as a rookie last season, he also showed he could punish opposing pitchers for thinking his tendency to hit baseballs the other way meant that they could sneak pitches past him on the inner half of the plate.
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Winn mashed 15 home runs last season, all on pitches over the middle or inside. He also hammers pitches in the lower part of the zone, typically an area pitchers go to avoid 鈥渄amage.鈥
Winn, 23, packs explosive athleticism into a 5-foot-10, 185-pound frame, but it raises a question.
As he continues to round into the hitter he鈥檒l ultimately be in the big leagues, will Winn battle the urge to stop hitting opposite-field line drives in favor of taking big swings and trying to pull the ball in pursuit of home runs and extra-base hits?

Cardinals batter Masyn Winn lays down a sacrifice bunt in the second inning against the Padres on July 25, 2025, at Busch Stadium.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not a battle, it鈥檚 a fricking superpower,鈥 Marmol said. 鈥淭hink about it. If someone has the ability to pick and choose when they can use the right side of the field or go pull-side, it鈥檚 a strength 鈥 once you understand that both of those things are a strength.鈥
Little did I realize that using the term 鈥渂attle鈥 was like putting the key in the ignition of a car and turning it.
Marmol cited Winn鈥檚 two-strike prowess and his ability to put the ball in play (lower strikeout rate than about three-quarters of MLB players since the start of 2024).
By keeping the bat in the strike zone for a longer period, it makes hitters like Winn dangerous and very difficult for opposing pitchers to handle. If he鈥檚 able to hit the ball everywhere, a pitcher can鈥檛 simply approach him like a power hitter and focus on avoiding mistakes.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a tough, tough out,鈥 Marmol continued. 鈥淭hen when he鈥檚 ahead in the count, his ability to get the head out and pick his spots 鈥 whether that鈥檚 sitting on a pitch or just getting the head out on a fastball and going pull-side and hitting and doubles and homers 鈥 he did that at a high rate. He hit 15 homers.
鈥淪o it鈥檚 not a battle, in my opinion, as much as gaining an understanding of your entire game. There鈥檚 different clubs for different situations, and his ability to know when to pull those clubs out is incredible. He has that ability. Not everybody in that clubhouse has that ability. That鈥檚 what makes him 鈥 you can dream on what鈥檚 possible for him. It鈥檚 that skillset that鈥檚 super-intriguing.鈥
Somewhere in the middle of Marmol鈥檚 response and rejection of the term 鈥渂attle,鈥 it clicked.
I suspect that either Marmol or members of the coaching staff have likely delivered some version of a similar sermon to Winn, stressing his unique talent of being able to pull out 鈥渄ifferent clubs for different situations.鈥
Part of the reason I suspect that has to do with Winn鈥檚 own words.
鈥淚鈥檓 trying to pull the baseball,鈥 Winn said during the final homestand before the MLB All-Star break. 鈥淲hen I go oppo, for the most part, I鈥檓 just late. 鈥 Early in the count, I鈥檓 trying to pull the ball. You know. If I get a knock the opposite way, it鈥檚 great.鈥
Even going back to last season, Winn has talked about wanting to get off his 鈥淎-swing鈥 in order to do a bit more damage and provide more offense for the Cardinals lineup in the form of extra-base hits as opposed to piling up singles.
It鈥檚 also natural that he鈥檇 want to continue to expand his individual game, both as a competitor and as a young player who knows in the back of his mind that power numbers play into how he鈥檒l be judged in salary arbitration as well as the .
However, Winn referenced small adjustments at the plate following a three-hit game that included two doubles against the Miami Marlins on Monday at Busch Stadium.
鈥淩eally just using the big part of the field and I think it鈥檚 opening up both sides,鈥 Winn said.

The Cardinals鈥 Masyn Winn rounds first base after a high throw to Braves infielder Matt Olson in the fourth inning Friday, July 11, 2025, at Busch Stadium.
That鈥檚 not just talk or echoing things coaches may be telling him behind the scenes. He鈥檚 putting that approach into practice.
Of the four batted balls Winn put in play that night, one was straightaway and three others (including both doubles) went to his pull side (left field).
In his first 50 plate appearances coming out of the All-Star break (through play on Friday night), Winn struck out just five times, was hit by a pitch once and laid down one sacrifice bunt.
Of the remaining 43 plate appearances (he did not have a walk), Winn put 15 balls in play to the opposite field, 15 up the middle and 13 to the pull side.
During that 13-game stretch and the same size of 50 plate appearances, Winn has batted .375 with a .388 on-base percentage and a .458 slugging percentage with four doubles.
Hmmm. Different clubs for different situations.
鈥淗e has the ability to beat you a lot of different ways,鈥 Marmol said. 鈥淭he better he gets at understanding that, the better player we鈥檙e going to see. He doesn鈥檛 have to chose between just a guy who hits balls in the 4-hole or a guy that hits homers. Do all of it.鈥