Here’s a first look at the St. Louis Cardinals’ Opening Day roster. Any surprises?
The St. Louis Cardinals have reached the halfway point in spring training. In three weeks, they will depart Florida for an exhibition game in Memphis against the Triple-A Redbirds before opening the season at home against the Minnesota Twins.
A long, quiet winter is rapidly approaching its end, and real decisions about the opening day roster composition will soon have to be made.
The only significant injury the team has endured thus far in camp is a lat strain to lefty Zack Thompson, who was unlikely to break camp with the club even if healthy. That is unlikely to hold through the end of camp, if history is any guide.
Indeed, outfielder Jordan Walker left Tuesday’s split squad game in West Palm Beach with left knee pain and is pending evaluation. Still, it provides the opportunity to look at the preferred roster which has been set up by camp work thus far.
Here’s a projection:
Starting Pitchers
Erick Fedde, Sonny Gray, Steven Matz, Miles Mikolas, Andre Pallante
Last cut: Michael McGreevy
The Cardinals entered spring with five incumbent starters, and all five have presented as healthy, defusing any competition before it might have started. McGreevy has done nothing in camp to hurt his standing in the organization, but he was going to have to overcome significant barriers to break through, pending any roster movement.
It’s likely that the opening day roster decision will come down to whether McGreevy benefits more from a cameo bullpen role in the big leagues than taking a regular turn for Memphis. Starter attrition is inevitable throughout the season – probably even so before the end of camp – so it’s possible that this is a “problem” that resolves itself.
Bullpen
Nick Anderson, Ryan Fernandez, Ryan Helsley, John King, Kyle Leahy, Matthew Liberatore, Riley O’Brien, JoJo Romero
Last cut: Chris Roycroft
The veteran Anderson signed a minor league deal just before the start of camp which carries a salary structure that strongly implies the Cardinals expect him to make the team. His veteran presence and experience will also be welcome in a bullpen that is sure to miss Andrew Kittredge, his former Rays teammate. Anderson will be given every opportunity to carve out a similar niche.
While Roycroft is listed here as a last cut, he’s among a group which includes Gordon Graceffo, Ryan Loutos and Roddery Muñoz for options to rotate fresh arms into the season as the bullpen needs reinforcements. Manager Oli Marmol acknowledged early in camp that the team has assembled the sort of relief corps that allows for frequent utilization of the Memphis Shuttle, and that’s likely how they’ll proceed throughout the season.
Catchers
Iván Herrera, Pedro Pagés
Last cut: Chance Sisco
There’s no controversy to be had here over roster spots. That will come when it’s time to pass out playing time.
For now, the catching group is set. If there’s a short term injury to one of the big league catchers and a need for a pure backup, veteran Sisco has the experience and inside track to act as the emergency call-up.
Should they be facing a more extended absence, it’s possible that top catching prospect Jimmy Crooks could reach the majors. That foursome has handled nearly all of the top level catching duties in camp thus far.
Infielders
Nolan Arenado, Luken Baker, José Barrero, Alec Burleson, Willson Contreras, Brendan Donovan, Nolan Gorman, Masyn Winn
Last cuts: José Fermín, Thomas Saggese
“Infielder” is a somewhat deceptive description for this group, as both Baker and Burleson are likely to receive reps as bats without positions rather than extended exposure in the field. Donovan will surely play left field in chunks, and Barrero’s appeal largely comes from his ability to handle all three outfield positions as well as shortstop.
Arenado’s presence in camp has been discussed ad nauseum, but even if he had been traded this winter, there’s still a real possibility that Saggese would have started the season in the minors receiving regular at bats. He has time on his side and didn’t force his way into the conversation with his cameo last fall, and the Cardinals seem content to allow him to develop.
The bench will be imbued with a great deal of positional flexibility in places, which is in part necessary due to the presence of Baker and Burleson. Still, Burleson is the team’s top returning offensive performer from last season, and another year of sending Baker to Memphis to mash home runs at a level he’s clearly bested is to no one’s benefit. It’s unlikely that he’ll receive much in the way of starts in the majors, but he’ll be utilized as a late-game pinch hit option for some of the lineup’s lefties and could receive DH starts against tough lefty pitchers.
The Cardinals continue to be reluctant to allow Fermín to handle shortstop, which seemingly slots him in behind Barrero. Thompson’s injury could also potentially free up a spot on the 40-man roster should he be eligible for the 60-day injured list; under this projection, the Cardinals will need to free up a spot among that group for Barrero as well as reliever Anderson.
Outfielders
Lars Nootbaar, Michael Siani, Jordan Walker*
Last cuts: Matt Koperniak*, Victor Scott II
If Nootbaar is getting regular opportunities in center, then playing time for one of Scott and Siani will be somewhat irregular. Of the two, it seemingly benefits the Cardinals more to allow Scott to play every day at Memphis and utilize Siani as a late-game defensive replacement and pinch runner on the days when he’s not in the lineup.
Nootbaar and Walker figure to play as close to every day as is practical, with Walker planted in right and Nootbaar bouncing between left and center. Donovan, as mentioned above, seems likely to get some looks in left field, and Barrero’s ability to backup all three spots gives the team the flexibility to go light with its personnel.
Perhaps the most intriguing roster battle will be for the last spot on the bench, and it will seemingly come down to the slugger Baker and the high-contact Koperniak, who had a strong season for Memphis last year and has flashed excellent bat to ball skills in the first half of camp.
Koperniak swings lefty, though, and the Cardinals have a surplus from that side of the plate. That gives Baker the edge for opening day, but it would be a huge surprise if Koperniak didn’t make his debut at some point relatively early this season. Indeed, if Walker is sufficiently injured as to miss time at the start of the year, that would become Koperniak’s spot to lose.
