5 surprises on St. Louis Cardinals 2022 Opening Day roster

Oliver Marmol #37 of the St Louis Cardinals watches game action against the Washington Nationals during a spring training game at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches on March 16, 2018 in West Palm Beach, Florida. The Nationals defeated the Cardinals 4-2. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)
Oliver Marmol #37 of the St Louis Cardinals watches game action against the Washington Nationals during a spring training game at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches on March 16, 2018 in West Palm Beach, Florida. The Nationals defeated the Cardinals 4-2. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images) /
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BUFFALO, NY – JULY 19: Corey Dickerson #14 of the Toronto Blue Jays takes batting practice before the game against the Boston Red Sox at Sahlen Field on July 19, 2021 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Kevin Hoffman/Getty Images)
BUFFALO, NY – JULY 19: Corey Dickerson #14 of the Toronto Blue Jays takes batting practice before the game against the Boston Red Sox at Sahlen Field on July 19, 2021 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Kevin Hoffman/Getty Images) /

Corey Dickerson

It was wild to see the Cardinals actually seek help from outside the organization. But the team is embarking on a season of high expectations and the club will need all the help they can get.

Dickerson was signed to a one-year deal worth $5 million with the intent to be a designated hitter as well as be a backup outfielder. Dickerson, a lefty bat, will DH against right-handed bats. This spring he’s hit .455/.538/.636 and an OPS of 1.175. He has two walks, two doubles, and two RBI in five games.

For his career, Dickerson has hit .283/.327/.488 with an OPS of .815. He has 128 home runs in his nine-season career along with 213 doubles, 35 triples, and 416 RBI.

Dickerson will mostly be a DH, but he can help in the outfield. While the club has Harrison Bader, Tyler O’Neill, and Dylan Carlson, they have Nootbaar and Dickerson available to help. This will likely help big time in Marmol’s match-up usage.

For several seasons, the Cardinals haven’t had the most reliable depth off the bench. The signing of Dickerson gives them significant depth along with Nootbaar.