St. Louis Cardinals: Ideal roster additions out of spring

The St. Louis Cardinals have little time left in spring and this means that several prospects are running out of time to make the opening day roster.

The St. Louis Cardinals will soon depart Spring Training and go to the great white north to play their final exhibition games before kicking off the official start to the season. This means that time is running out for promising prospects to make an impression. Lucky for them, the front office and Mike Matheny are giving them plenty of chances to impress.

With the regulars seemingly in stone, prospects are fighting for spots both in the pitching corp and on the bench. The opening day lineup looks to be set as such:

Dexter Fowler, RF

Tommy Pham, CF

Matt Carpenter, 1B

Marcell Ozuna, LF

Paul DeJong, SS

Yadier Molina, C

Jedd Gyorko, 3B

PITCHER

Kolten Wong, 2B

The actual construction of the lineup order might be different than what is listed above, but the positions seem set. That said, Carpenter- if his back/shoulder health will allow- could appear at third base with Jose Martinez getting the start at first.

While questions do remain about several names above, these seem to be the foregone conclusions at these positions.

As related to pitching, the following seems to be the set rotation breaking camp:

Carlos Martinez

Michael Wacha

Luke Weaver

Adam Wainwright

Miles Mikolas

As with the position players, the actual order of the names above might be different but the names slotted are less likely to change. That comes with one caveat: Jack Flaherty. Flaherty could spell a bump to Mikolas and/or Flaherty could cause the St. Louis Cardinals to push a 6-man rotation.

The information above leaves many names with questions still attached. Let’s take a look at the remaining names and whether they should break camp with the St. Louis Cardinals or not.

The St. Louis Cardinals have promising names that could make them a stronger team but can they impress enough to break camp on the bench?

The St. Louis Cardinals would love to carry greater than 25 men into the regular season but alas cannot. This leaves question marks for several names who have been impressive this season. Looking at the bench, the following names are competing still: Greg Garcia, Adolis Garcia, Yairo Munoz, Carson Kelly, Luke Voit, Francisco Pena, and Harrison Bader.

Let’s take a quick look at the stats before diving into discussions.

Greg Garcia

Adolis Garcia

Yairo Munoz

Carson Kelly

Luke Voit

Francisco Pena

Harrison Bader

Looking at these Spring Training stats, each have things that make them attractive for the opening day lineup.

While Greg Garcia has a low batting average for the Spring, his OBP makes him an attractive bench role. Add to this his left-handed batting and multiple infield position capabilities and it is difficult to cut him from the team. Oh, and he also is out of options so he either needs to make the team or receive a DFA.

Adolis Garcia is an interesting name since he can easily backup the outfield spots. He has also been impressive this season. The one thing that might keep him from breaking camp is his youth: it might serve him best to start in AAA.

Yairo Munoz has been the most impressive of the names listed here this spring. Additionally, Munoz has shown that he can play both the infield and the outfield and carries a respectable bat. He is likely the one to break camp on the bench along with Jose Martinez and whoever serves as catching backup.

Carson Kelly is still the assumed heir to the St. Louis Cardinals catching duties following Yadier Molina, but this moniker might be fading. Outside of his catching abilities, Kelly has been disappointing this spring at the plate. This might be to his demise at breaking camp.

Luke Voit would likely break camp with the St. Louis Cardinals if it weren’t for Jose Martinez. That said, Voit has been impressive at the plate and- if the St. Louis Cardinals were in the American League- would be a great designated hitter. Alas, this isn’t an option for National League teams yet. Yet.

Francisco Pena has been impressive this spring at both the plate with a bat and with his glove behind the plate. He may have usurped Carson Kelly and could be the name to break camp with the big squad.

Harrison Bader has made some outstanding plays in the outfield this spring. His numbers at the plate aren’t bad either. Sadly, the St. Louis Cardinals aren’t likely looking for another outfielder so this might stand in his way.

Here’s my final thoughts on these names: I look to see the St. Louis Cardinals break camp with Yairo Munoz and Francisco Pena. This means that I look for Greg Garcia to receive a DFA, pass through waivers (albeit he might get grabbed elsewhere) and then sign a minor league deal, and I see the others starting in Memphis.

One more thing, I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see Kelly and Voit shopped in trades.

The St. Louis Cardinals have toyed with the idea of carrying 13 pitchers and this might be outcome of spring. Either way, names are still battling for spots of any nature.

The St. Louis Cardinals of 2018 can consider themselves pitching rich. This means that many names carry stats worthy of spots. Names such as Jack Flaherty, John Brebbia, Dominique Leone, Bud Norris, Jason Motte, Dakota Hudson, Daniel Poncedeleon, and Edward Mujica are all vying for spots in the pitching corp.

As with the bench roles above, let’s look first the stats and then dive into a discussion of each.

Jack Flaherty

John Brebbia

Bud Norris

Jason Motte

Dakota Hudson

Daniel Poncedeleon

Edward Mujica

I wish there was a nice HTML table of Mujica’s work this spring but there just isn’t. That said, Mujica notched the save today against the Atlanta Braves. For a clip of his performance, click here.

Each name carries some worth that would make them a nice fit for the pitching corp for new pitching coach Mike Maddux, but not all can make it. While the St. Louis Cardinals might consider carrying thirteen pitchers, perhaps the bench is more valuable.

With a pitching corp already in the pen consisting of Brett Cecil, Tyler Lyons, Matthew Bowman, and Luke Gregerson, will any of these find a way onto the squad?

Jack Flaherty should 100 percent make the team. He needs to either be one of the starters or starting the season in the pen as the rotational sixth starter when needed. Either way, the St. Louis Cardinals need this impressive arm on their mound in some way.

John Brebbia is a name that many could consider already on the squad thanks to his performances in 2017 and those individuals would not be wrong. Brebbia is likely already on the St. Louis Cardinals opening day roster. And that’s the way it should be.

Bud Norris is one who should and could find his way departing Spring Training either in the minors or released. While he brought with him protective promise for the starting rotation, the Cardinals quickly moved him to pen duties with even considering him as a potential closer. I wanted to be impressed by him, but simply am not.

Jason Motte was a great story and had all the promise of being the reclamation piece that the St. Louis Cardinals were at one time known for, but that was back in the day of Dave Duncan. Maddux is amazing but I’m not sold yet that he is reclamation Jedi that was Duncan. I look for Motte to serve 2018 with Memphis and likely fill in when needed in the pen.

Dakota Hudson is amazing. Period. That said, I doubt the St. Louis Cardinals are looking to expose him just yet. While he has had a nice spring, it would do him well to serve a bit more time in the minors but don’t count him out. Injuries could pull him quickly onto the I-55 shuttle to St. Louis.

Daniel Poncedeleon, like Motte, carries with him an incredible St. Louis Cardinals story. This was to be the comeback kid and he well could be this. His spring numbers aren’t impressive but him simply appearing on the mound is in light of the life-threatening circumstances of 2017. Look for Poncedeleon to wet his chops in Memphis and to be a name to watch at the trade deadline.

Edward Mujica is an interesting, interesting name. To me, he is the incumbent backup for Gregerson if he falls or is injured. That said, it makes the most sense to see him start the year in Memphis. Should he show the front office that he has the closing chops that he had during his days of St. Louis Cardinals past, then the club can rest a little easier risking with Gregerson.

Here’s my final take on the arms: look for the club to NOT carry 13 pitchers. But, if they do, or if they want to consider any of the names above to break camp with the St. Louis Cardinals, I look for Flaherty and Brebbia to be on the flight from Canada to New York for Opening Day.