MIAMI -- Outfield coach Jon Jay arrived at the visiting clubhouse at loanDepot park on Wednesday on a skateboard, rolling his suitcase alongside him. He changed into his Cardinals gear and began handing out notecards to hitters.
For Jay, the trip to Miami added a personal element, but his influence continues to show in how the Cardinals prepare and play.
A Miami native, Jay attended Christopher Columbus High and then the University of Miami. He spent 12 seasons in the Majors and won a World Series title with the Cardinals in 2011. He also served as Miami’s first-base and outfield coach from 2023-24.
“It’s always good to come back home,” Jay said. “Obviously, this is where it all started for me. This city raised me. It helped me get to where I'm at now, and I'll never forget that.”
From pregame work to in-game execution, Jay has helped shape how the Cardinals’ outfielders and baserunners operate, influencing both their positioning in the field and awareness on the bases.
That routine showed up early on Wednesday. Center fielder Victor Scott II, who is hitting .197 and went 0-for-3 in the Cardinals’ 4-1 loss to the Marlins, arrived before anyone else and set up the cage himself, knowing the expectation.
“[His] work ethic, level of care, relentless mentality when it comes to not allowing the small things to go not talked about or addressed,” manager Oliver Marmol said. “The feedback loop of reviewing the game, being ready to have conversations with players the next day and understand the personality of each player. He does an incredible job with all of that. He does it at a pretty high level.”
That attention to detail has translated to the field. The Cardinals’ outfield has remained disciplined in positioning and decision-making, even when the results vary.
“You see our outfield play, and it's pretty good. Guys are in the right spots, doing the right things,” Marmol said. “Doesn't mean they're not going to make mistakes, but how they make those mistakes and their process for how they go about their day is pretty dialed in.”
St. Louis showed that again in the series finale. The Cardinals recorded an outfield assist during the game when Nathan Church threw from right field to third base, helping erase Javier Sanoja in a rundown, the third of the series. The Cards lead the Majors in outfield assists with eight.
“Church's throw was really good in order to kind of eliminate that baserunner, less traffic, the inside move,” Marmol said.
Jay’s influence extends beyond defense. His work with players on baserunning and situational awareness has factored into their offensive production. Jordan Walker, who owns a 1.8 bWAR, also leads the team with eight home runs and 16 RBIs while slashing .292/.357/.607. Walker is tied with JJ Wetherholt for the team lead with four stolen bases, an area Jay has emphasized.
“That’s a big credit to [Jay], working with him on base running and stuff like [where to position myself],” Walker said. “Talking to [Jay], like every four at-bats, he just reminds me of what the pitcher does, how quick he is to the plate, what the situation is, to kind of keep it running for my brain, so I can just have in the back of my mind so I can, you know, take advantage of the situation if need be.”
With a stretch of 17 games in 17 days following Thursday’s off-day, the Cardinals adjusted their lineup to manage workloads. Walker and Masyn Winn were both out of the lineup in the finale after entering the series on hitting streaks. Walker stretched his to 15 games on Monday, and Winn's stretch reached eight on Tuesday, part of a broader effort to maintain consistency over a longer stretch.
Jay’s overall message to players centers on responding to failure and maintaining a consistent routine, regardless of results.
“The biggest thing is this game is not easy, and you're gonna make mistakes,” Jay said. “When you make a mistake, learn from it, get better and move on. And I think that's something that this group has done a really good job of, just not harping on stuff too much, but just continuing to go out there and play.”