4 Cardinals who didn't make the Opening Day roster but will get the call up in 2025

When the St. Louis Cardinals announced their 26-man roster for Opening Day in 2025, there were plenty of surprises.

Victor Scott II earned his starting spot thanks to a torrid spring. However, Michael Siani's inclusion on the roster left fans feeling deflated and confused. These two players are similar due to their speed, left-handedness, and plus defense. While Scott has a higher offensive ceiling, Siani's defense is likely better.

The lack of a backup shortstop also left fans puzzled. Now, utility man Brendan Donovan will have to add another glove to his bag, so to speak. The club expects Masyn Winn to play as many games as possible at shortstop in just his second full season in the majors.

Steven Matz being placed as a swingman in the rotation was a pleasant surprise. Usually, the club gives preference to its pricey veterans. This time, John Mozeliak and Oliver Marmol opted to provide a runway for a young player to the rotation in Matthew Liberatore. However, the decision to run with Liberatore in the rotation left out another young starting pitcher.

All of these surprises left a few players without a spot on the major league roster. A position crunch limited the number of talented and young players the organization could place on its Opening Day roster. Now, those players will have to wait their turn in Triple-A Memphis to find regular time in the majors.

An injury, a trade, or underperformance will open up opportunities for these players who didn't quite make the cut.

These 4 players didn't make the 26-man roster on Opening Day for the St. Louis Cardinals, but they will still find plenty of playing time in the majors this year.

OF Matt Koperniak

Matt Koperniak wasn't a household name prior to Spring Training. He's a 27-year-old outfielder who boasts decent pop, a serviceable glove at all three spots, and a strong BB-K ratio. Koperniak has been a solid minor leaguer throughout his career, and he's consistently put up positive offensive numbers.

He took his game to a new level during the spring circuit.

In 33 plate appearances, Koperniak slashed .355/.394/.645 with two home runs, three doubles, and six RBIs. He was one of the best hitters during Spring Training for the Cardinals.

Instead of being rewarded for his efforts, Koperniak was optioned to the Triple-A Memphis squad near the end of camp. This was a very surprising move, as Koperniak is on the club's 40-man roster. Therefore, a corresponding roster move wasn't necessary to place him on the 26-man roster. He simply could have supplanted outfielder Michael Siani on the bench and given the Cardinals a more viable bench bat from the left side.

Assuming he continues to hit, Koperniak could find himself in the majors in short order. If Michael Siani or Jordan Walker struggles out the gate, he could be promoted. If an injury occurs to any one of the club's position players, he could also hear his name be called, particularly if an outfielder gets hurt.

In the exhibition game between the Cardinals and the Memphis Redbirds, Koperniak started as Memphis's designated hitter, and he went 4-4 with a run against the major-league squad. He did this just a week after the Cardinals placed him in Triple-A to start the year.

Expect to see Matt Koperniak play in the majors this year.

UTIL Jose Fermin

Jose Fermin isn't known for his bat. He's struggled throughout his career to be an above-average hitter, but his glove is his calling card. Fermin can capably play third base, second base, shortstop, and the corner outfield. He battled all spring with infielder Jose Barrero for the final roster spot. In fact, Fermin was even reported to be the club's final man on Opening Day. Plans changed, though.

Instead of being placed on the 26-man roster for the Cardinals, Fermin found himself relegated to the Memphis Redbirds roster. This demotion comes on the heels of a minor-league season in 2024 where he walked far more than he struck out and where he posted a 145 wRC+ in 240 plate appearances. Fermin took his game to another level last year in Triple-A.

He also had a strong spring showing recently, slashing .292/.352/.479 with nine RBIs through 54 plate appearances. He finished fourth on the team in Spring Training at-bats with 48, a clear indication of the organization wanting to see what he could do this year.

Rather than being rewarded with a spot on the Opening Day roster, Fermin was placed in Memphis. Now, he'll have to continue to prove his worth in the minors.

An injury to a position player — especially shortstop Masyn Winn — this year will open up a spot for the scrappy 25-year-old. Additionally, underperformance from Nolan Gorman in particular will clear the path for Fermin's promotion to St. Louis.

If he can continue his offensive performance while being a useful utility player, Fermin won't be sent back down to the minors after being called up.

INF Thomas Saggese

Thomas Saggese is at a strange point in his career as a prospect with the Cardinals. On one side, he's being blocked at third base by veteran and future Hall of Famer Nolan Arenado and at second base by youngster Nolan Gorman.

On the other side, he's being pushed by top prospect JJ Wetherholt. Wetherholt, the Cardinals' seventh overall pick in the 2024 draft, is rising through the system quickly, as he'll start the year at Double-A Springfield. Wetherholt is also probably a third-baseman/second-baseman once he ascends to the majors. This push-and-pull effect on Saggese is squeezing him out of a spot on the major league roster.

Saggese was a long shot to get a spot on the 26-man roster on Opening Day due to the roster crunch in the majors. With infielders Brendan Donovan, Nolan Gorman, Nolan Arenado, and Masyn Winn on the roster, squeezing him in would have been tough. A prospect of Saggese's level shouldn't be relegated to a bench role just to make the majors, too. He should be getting regular time.

Thomas Saggese will make the roster this year simply due to his plus-bat skills. Saggese has a career .842 OPS in the minors, and his defensive versatility gives him viability at multiple positions on the infield.

If Nolan Arenado, Brendan Donovan, Masyn Winn, or Nolan Gorman gets hurt or underperforms this year, expect Saggese to get called up. He'll only be promoted if an everyday role is available for him given the club's desire to play him full time.

RHP Michael McGreevy

Michael McGreevy's placement on the Triple-A Memphis roster out of spring was perhaps the most frustrating decision made by the front office.

McGreevy's major-league debut last year couldn't have gone better; he threw only 24 innings across four appearances (three starts). McGreevy finished with 18 strikeouts, a 1.96 ERA, a 0.783 WHIP, and a 3-0 record. As far as rookie debuts for pitchers go, it couldn't have been much better for the 2021 first-round pick.

McGreevy's career as a prospect prior to his promotion last year was largely underwhelming given his first-round status. Through four seasons in the minors, McGreevy had a 4.13 ERA and a 7.9 strikeouts-per-nine ratio. His 1.334 WHIP paired with 2.3 walks per nine innings showed that he struggled with command and limiting hits. McGreevy has done a good job throughout his career at limiting home runs, however.

This past offseason, McGreevy worked hard to put on weight while cutting body fat. He also changed his mindset. Since he's primarily a ground-ball pitcher, McGreevy realized that he doesn't need to make perfect pitches or push more.

During Spring Training, McGreevy opted to use his slider more than he has in the past. He threw the pitch about a quarter of the time this spring while cutting back on his fastball usage. His four-seam fastball is also sitting at 93 MPH, something he was unable to touch as a prospect. McGreevy's slider usage paired with a more lively fastball have helped him find success in the majors.

Despite being one of the best pitchers for the Cardinals this spring, McGreevy will find himself in the Memphis rotation to start the year. In his stead, left-hander Matthew Liberatore will be the team's fifth starter. When the club expands its rotation to six starting pitchers, it will be veteran lefty Steven Matz getting the call instead of Michael McGreevy.

McGreevy will be depth for the Cardinals in the minors should a pitcher get injured or traded. If any one of the team's current starters goes down (or out for that matter), Michael McGreevy will absolutely be the first minor leaguer to be promoted. Michael McGreevy being promoted is an issue of "when" not "if" at this point. His production last year paired with this spring proves that he is ready for a major-league job.