5 biggest storylines to watch as the St. Louis Cardinals begin spring training

As pitchers and catchers officially report to Jupiter, Florida for the beginning of spring training, the St. Louis Cardinals find themselves in an unfamiliar position this camp.

Last year, the Cardinals reported to Florida looking to rebound from a disastrous 2023 campaign, one of the worst in franchise history. This year? They want to be competitive, but clearly the expectations have shifted for this storied organization.

Chaim Bloom is set to take over as president of baseball operations following the 2025 campaign, so John Mozeliak's last ride in charge of the baseball decisions has been about cutting costs and prioritizing young talent (well, mostly).

That created an awkward tension all offseason that ended up resulting in virtually no movement with the roster. Sure, some veterans walked in free agency, but trades were not made, free agents were not signed, and outside of some moves around the edges of the 40-man roster or non-roster invites, the Cardinals have been silent.

Cardinals fans have every right to be frustrated with the organization right now. We've talked about that plenty on the site. But now as camp begins, I want to at least shift a little bit of our focus to what we should be keeping our eyes on as camp begins. No, it's not an excuse for the offseason or brushing past it, but I do want to start talking about what is actually happing on the field now that camp is here.

But first, let's address that elephant in the room that John Mozeliak has alluded to all offseason.

1. Will Nolan Arenado remain a member of the St. Louis Cardinals after all?

At this point, it's anyone's guess as to what will happen with Arenado. Will he be the Cardinals' starting third baseman in 2025? Or will the club finally fight the right deal to ship him out to a contender (that he'll actually approve)?

That's the ($74) million-dollar question. Arenado's presence dramatically impacts the status of young talent they want to platform, while also creating a lingering narrative that the club will have to navigate for the season.

Arenado has not reported to Jupiter yet, which is not shocking considering he is not required to yet. The Cardinals have stated they expect Arenado to be in camp and full steam ahead if he is not traded, but honestly, who knows what to believe at this point with this situation. Both sides would love to get a deal done soon, so perhaps once Bregman signs, both sides will get their wish.

But for now, the plot thickens and lingers on. Let's not focus on that too long though, as there are other things happening in Jupiter that are worth our attention.