Oscar Taveras is early offseason candidate for 2014 NL Rookie of the Year

To all of those St. Louis Cardinals fans that are in the area of severe weather activity, our thoughts and prayers are with you right now. Please do your best to stay safe and dry.
Mar 19, 2013; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Oscar Taveras (87) rounds third base and scores a run in the fourth inning during a spring training game against the Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium. Image Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Fansided’s Minor League Baseball website, Grading on the Curve, looks at the race for the 2014 National League Rookie of the Year. In my opinion, it is way too early to even be thinking about such a thing right now but it’s always a great idea to think about rookie sleepers for fantasy baseball teams.

The first name on their list is Oscar Taveras.

"Should, however, the Cardinals fail to find a top tier regular to fill their void in right field and merely hire a stopgap until Taveras is ready, Oscar would likely become the early favorite for the ROY award."

There is no mistaking that Taveras will be one of the top National League candidates for the Rookie of the Year award. The key, though, is making sure he is 100% healthy when he enters spring training. If Taveras is healthy, he’ll surely be one of the top three finalists.

The Miami Marlins have an interest in Cardinals third baseman David Freese. Marlin Maniac weighed in with their thoughts including the fact that 2013 first round draft pick Colin Moran will be their third baseman of the future. Freese could serve as some sort of stop gap for the Fish. Whether they can work out a deal with the Cardinals remains to be determined at this point.