PEORIA, Ill. — Two former Peoria Chiefs used one word to describe the journey through the minor leagues in their careers as the Cardinals Caravan stopped in Peoria on Friday night: exciting.
While the trek through the minors can be long and seem endless, Tommy Edman and Nolan Gorman view the experience as a positive one.
“It’s exciting starting at the bottom of the minor league ladder and working your way up. I had a few guys I played with step-by-step and we got to the majors around a similar time,” said Edman.
Along the way, both Edman and Gorman made stops, albeit short ones, in Peoria to play for the Chiefs.
Edman played 38 games for the Chiefs to begin 2017 where he had a batting average of .284. Edman then began the following season with the Cardinals’ AAA affiliate, the Memphis Redbirds.
Gorman, who was 19 when he began his first professional season in Peoria in 2019, had a similar view when asked about his journey thus far.
“It’s pretty exciting actually. It’s really cool to see different parts of the country and learn about it,” said Gorman.
Gorman also mentioned that he doesn’t know if he would have ever visited Peoria had it not been for baseball and signing with the St. Louis Cardinals organization.
Gorman played more than half of his first professional season in Peoria, where he appeared in 67 games. During his time, he boasted his well-known power with 10 home runs and 41 RBI during his stint with the Chiefs.
Gorman is ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the Cardinals organization and was featured in the Midwest League All-Star Game in 2019.
Edman is expected to be a regular starter in the Cardinals infield in the 2020 season after breaking through onto the team and becoming an everyday player in 2019.
