If spring training ended today, what would the St. Louis Cardinals’ roster look like?
As the calendar turns over to March and the St. Louis Cardinals approach the halfway point of spring training, the vague outlines of the opening day roster are beginning to take shape.
With opening day in Cincinnati a mere three and a half weeks away, the Cardinals will spend their remaining exhibition games evaluating players in the scenarios in which they’re likely to find themselves once the scores start to matter.
Sudden injuries, like those suffered by Miles Mikolas (flexor tendon) and Yairo Muñoz (hamstring), have the potential to cause unpredictable changes to the team’s makeup. Failing any additional unfortunate surprises, what follows is the best guess at the 26 players who will accompany the team north at the end of spring.
Starting Pitchers
Jack Flaherty, Dakota Hudson, Kwang Hyun Kim, Carlos Martinez, Adam Wainwright
Last Cut: Austin Gomber
Injured List: Mikolas
The Cardinals have already conceded that Mikolas will begin the season on the IL, though according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Cardinals manager Mike Shildt told reporters in Jupiter on Sunday morning that he’ll resume playing catch on March 11. Assuming he’s able to progress as planned, he’ll likely miss the first month to six weeks of the season.
Kim has shown a strong pitch mix and deception which is likely enough to convince the Cardinals he deserves the opportunity to display his skills as a starter. Martínez has gotten much deeper into camp this spring than last without showing any weakness in his shoulder, and the team is eager to see him return to the dominant form he’s shown at times in his career.
Gomber, who missed most of the 2019 season with a biceps injury, will likely head to Memphis as a stalwart of their rotation, ready to fill in in the big leagues as needed. He’ll be joined by Jake Woodford and possibly Génesis Cabrera, though Cabrera’s strong camp may make him available in the big league bullpen sooner than later.
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Bullpen
Cabrera, Andrew Miller, Tyler Webb, John Brebbia, Giovanny Gallegos, John Gant, Ryan Helsley, Daniel Ponce de Leon
Last Cuts: Alex Reyes, Kodi Whitley
Injured List: Brett Cecil, Jordan Hicks
If Reyes is able to show improved command to pair with his surpassing talents, he’s likely to grab the last spot in the bullpen from Cabrera. For now, until he demonstrates that ability, he’ll head to Memphis with a plan to pitch in high-leverage situations and force the club to promote him early. Whitley, a non-roster invite, has drawn long looks in camp and seems certain to make his Major League debut this season.
Gant, Helsley and Ponce de Leon have all gotten looks as a starter, and Ponce de Leon may be best positioned to seize a role there should any of the incumbent five falter. He’s made it clear that he believes he belongs in the big leagues, and his performance to date has backed that up. Ponce de Leon would also provide multi-inning coverage should Gant (unlikely) or Helsley (smart money) seize the closer’s role.
Hicks’s recovery from Tommy John surgery will last until at least the All-Star break. Cecil, in the last year of a disastrous tenure with the Cardinals, will likely get an opportunity to show the club he can contribute at extended spring training as he works back from a year lost to carpal tunnel syndrome.
Catchers
Yadier Molina, Matt Wieters
Last Cut: Andrew Knizner
There’s no compelling reason for the Cardinals to carry three catchers. Knizner is only a phone call away, and Wieters’s value as a pinch hitter decreased with the early spring addition of lefty bat Brad Miller.
Infielders
Matt Carpenter, Paul DeJong, Tommy Edman, Paul Goldschmidt, Brad Miller, Rangel Ravelo, Kolten Wong
Last Cut: Edmundo Sosa
Injured List: Munoz
Carpenter’s stiff back is not believed to be serious enough that he’ll miss significant time, though his history of back injuries does increase the chances that a minor issue could develop into something more serious.
Edman will have the opportunity to seize a role as a super sub, though he’s struggled at the plate early in camp. Miller has seen time all over the infield, and can play as many as seven positions capably.
The Cardinals prevented Ravelo from taking a job in Korea this winter with the expectation that he would be needed on their bench. He’s gotten playing time in both corner outfield spots this spring in preparation for his expected role as a right-handed bench bat who’s likely to be involved in double switches in close games.
Sosa’s path to the roster, despite his strong winter and spring, was largely foreclosed upon with Miller’s arrival. The same is true of Muñoz, whose hamstring injury will result in his collecting service time and a major league paycheck as he convalesces.
Outfielders
Harrison Bader, Dylan Carlson, Dexter Fowler, Tyler O’Neill
Last cut: Lane Thomas
Carlson’s status is the most intriguing storyline of this year’s spring camp. The organization’s top prospect went the better part of last week without making an out, and looks to be fully ready for the majors despite making only a brief stopover in Triple-A last season — a stop, of course, at which he raked.
To the Cardinals’ credit, they’ve largely avoided the service time manipulations for which other teams have been long criticized. If Carlson continues his torrid pace and shows he deserves to be a part of the big league outfield, he’ll be given the opportunity. Watch for him to get additional reps in center field in the coming weeks.
Neither O’Neill nor Thomas has anything left to prove in the minors, but Thomas becomes the last man out by virtue of O’Neill’s greater amount of big league experience. If Carlson truly pushes the issue in center and the Cardinals are comfortable with some combination of Edman, Miller and Ravelo in the corner outfield spots, the club might pursue a trade of O’Neill or Thomas at the end of spring to shore up their pitching depth.
