Carlson went 3-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored Tuesday against the Nationals.

EDGE Analysis

Carlson has racked up plenty of counting stats early on this season, delivering three home runs, nine RBI and seven runs scored across 11 games. However, he had not recorded more than one hit in a contest until Tuesday's effort. While his production has been strong through 44 plate appearances, he's punching out an elevated 29.5 percent clip and has struck out at least once in all but one start this season.

Carlson went 1-for-4 with a grand slam Wednesday against the Marlins.

EDGE Analysis

Carlson was held hitless through three at-bats, but came to the plate with the bases loaded in the ninth inning and smacked his third home run of the season. He's had an interesting start to the season, as his only three hits of the campaign have all gone over the fence. As a result, he's hitting only .158 and has a 30.4 percent strikeout rate, a mark that will likely need to come down for Carlson to remain productive.

Carlson went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 4-2 win over the Marlins.

EDGE Analysis

He gave the Cards an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning by taking Richard Bleier deep. Carlson has two homers and five RBI through five games, but those are his only two hits and the 22-year-old has a 2:6 BB:K.

Carlson went 1-for-3 with a walk, a three-run home run and two strikeouts in Thursday's win over the Reds.

EDGE Analysis

Playing center field and batting seventh, Carlson cashed in on an early Eugenio Suarez fielding error with a three-run homer which clanged off the right-field foul pole. It was reminiscent of his uppercut homers from the spring. There would seem to be a lot of upside here although it's worth noting that Carlson has attempted only two stolen bases in 36 regular-season games to date at the highest level.

Carlson is expected to serve as the starting center fielder for the Cardinals with Harrison Bader (forearm) sidelined to begin the regular season, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

EDGE Analysis

Manager Mike Shildt revealed Wednesday that Bader is dealing with a "flare up" in his forearm that will keep him sidelined at least four weeks. Carlson is starting in center field during Wednesday's Grapefruit League game and should see most of his playing time at the position while Bader is unavailable. Shildt hasn't announced who will start in right field, but Justin Williams, Lane Thomas and Austin Dean are candidates to fill in while the Cardinals are shorthanded in the outfield.

Carlson went 2-for-2 with a two-run home run, a walk and an additional run in a Grapefruit League win over the Astros on Saturday.

EDGE Analysis

The elite prospect was hitting just .182 after an 0-for-4 tally last Sunday against the Mets, but he's gone 4-for-9 with a triple, Saturday's round tripper, three RBI, three walks and four runs in his subsequent four contests. Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports both the switch-hitting Carlson's three-bagger and the homer came from the left side of the plate, where he's remain focused recently as he approaches a season he's expected to begin as the Cardinals' starting right fielder.

Carlson diligently prepared this offseason for what should be an extended major-league opportunity in 2021 and has a chance to win a starting job ahead of Opening Day, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The 22-year-old had a couple of stints with the big-league club during the abbreviated 2020 season, each with markedly different results. Carlson finished his initial tour of duty with St. Louis slashing just .162/.215/.243, but he bounced back to generate a .278 average and .936 OPS over the final 12 games of the campaign. Carlson then hit .333 over his three playoff appearances, giving him some momentum heading into the offseason. He subsequently put his time off to good use, working on further refining an already impressive swing and putting on some additional muscle. Carlson has a chance to push for the right field job in spring training if he can pick up where he left off, and Silver adds that the currently vacant leadoff role could be a good landing spot for him in the lineup.

Carlson went 2-for-3 with two walks and a pair of runs scored in Wednesday's wild-card Game 1 win over the Padres.

EDGE Analysis

Carlson struggled to a .162/.215/.243 line in 23 games in his first big-league stint, but he returned following a brief demotion to hit .278/.325/.611 over 12 games to close the year. If Wednesday's performance is any indication, the latter stretch is closer to what can be expected of the rookie going forward. The Cardinals apparently think so, as they trusted him with the cleanup spot.

Carlson will start in left field and bat cleanup against Brett Anderson and the Brewers on Sunday.

EDGE Analysis

As Rob Rains of StLSportsPage.com notes, Carlson is the first 21-year-old player to start a game in the cleanup spot for the Cardinals since Albert Pujols in 2001. Carlson has really turned it on since returning from the alternate site, slashing .313/.361/.668 with two homers in 11 games.

Carlson went 1-for-3 with a two-run double, a walk and a run during a win over the Brewers in the second game of a doubleheader Friday.

EDGE Analysis

The rookie continues to look like a completely different player in his latest big-league stint, with Friday's double marking his fourth extra-base hit of the last five games, a stretch during which he also has a pair of multi-hit efforts and seven RBI. Carlson is still slashing just .214/.268/.388 for the season, but his line since being called back from the alternate training site on Sept. 18 is an exponentially more impressive .345/.394/.759 over 10 games (33 plate appearances).