St. Louis Cardinals Preseason Roster Predictions Part 5

Bench:

Brayan Pena: Like most rosters, the Cardinals will have a starting catcher. While it’s possible that Michael Ohlman or some other minor leaguer could claim that spot, it’s not likely given that the Cardinals are paying Brayan Pena $5 million over two years. So I’m betting on Pena as the backup catcher for Molina.

Matt Adams: It is possible that Matt Adams will be starting to open the season, and Brandon Moss will occupy this spot, but we’ve already discussed that. I predict that Adams will find himself on the bench as the backup first baseman, ready to fill in as needed.

Jedd Gyorko: The end result of the Jon Jay trade, Jedd Gyorko is the made-to-order utility infielder the Cardinals needed. After a number of years of Daniel Descalso and Pete Kozma, having a reasonable option to backup the infield is a nice upgrade. With Gyorko on the bench, we won’t have to cringe when Peralta gets a day off, or when Matheny decides to pinch hit for the pitcher. While he won’t have much of a shot at a starting role, he should be a great upgrade for the bench.

Tommy Pham: There is a some chance that Tommy Pham will wind up as the St. Louis Cardinals starting center fielder, but it’s more likely that he serves as a one of the better fourth outfielders around. Although he probably won’t start opening day, he should see plenty of playing time giving rest to all three starting outfielders, and providing a fair number of pinch hit at bats.

Aledmys Diaz: The final bench spot is far and away the most interesting one.Rather than choosing the traditional fifth outfielder, I’m guessing that we’ll see another infielder here in Aledmys Diaz. Mentally, I have Brandon Moss playing the role of the fifth outfielder, even while starting the majority of the games at first base. It’s an odd situation, no doubt, and I could be very wrong but between Diaz and Anthony Garcia, I’ll take Diaz.

Of course, the Cardinals could also start the season with three catchers, given Molina’s health, or do something entirely different. The final bench spot is up in the air at this point, and Spring Training will do a lot to affect the final decision.

Next: The Starting Rotation