St. Louis Cardinals: Give Dylan Carlson every opportunity

The St. Louis Cardinals have held a surplus of outfielders for the last few years. With Marcell Ozuna heading to free agency, all eyes will be on minor league phenom Dylan Carlson.

Let’s face it. Given the St. Louis Cardinals’ salary cap for the 2020 season, it would be surprising we went after any free agent in this years’ class. With that, of course, means they will return to their prospect pool.

Shocking, I know.

If you have followed the Cardinals’ minor league prospects the last couple years, you are probably well aware of how fast outfielder Dylan Carlson rose. The former first-round pick from the Cardinals’ 2016 draft has taken every opportunity given to him in the minor league and flourished offensively.

Let’s face something else as well. The Cardinals’ offense this year was… lackluster.

Cue, Bernie Miklasz.

Last week, my colleague Matt Graves wrote about the new 26 man roster and how the Cardinals could utilize a six-man outfield. If Carlson shows during Spring Training in Jupiter that he can produce, I see no reason for him not to be on the Opening Day roster.

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Now if Carlson is on the 2020 Opening Day roster, my concern moving forward is this: Is he going to get the Arozarena treatment?

One of the many controversies from last year was the lack of playing time for Randy Arozarena. If you remember, Arozarena did everything necessary in Memphis to earn a promotion to the Major Leagues. Yet in only 19 games, he only got 20 at-bats.

When he did get his chances, he sure made the most out of them.

Dylan Carlson is the most exciting prospect right now for the St. Louis Cardinals and gives the team a need for the 2020 season with the bat. If Carlson shows what can do in Jupiter next March, he should be on the 26-man roster.

Just being on the roster is not enough. He has to actually play. Count me in on the Dylan Carlson bandwagon this year.