Cardinals Opening Day roster prediction as 2026 spring training gets underway

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St. Louis Cardinals fans just endured one of the most unique offseasons that the club has had in decades: a true rebuild. As Chaim Bloom deconstructed the Cardinals' roster and accumulated more young players, prospects, and draft picks, the club looks very different than the one we saw even just last season.

Out are the likes of Brendan Donovan, Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras, Nolan Arenado, and Miles Mikolas, and in are a variety of young arms and bats, many of whom won't be making an impact in the near future. Even so, there still are some new names, whether they were acquired via trade or free agency, that have joined the mix that Cardinals fans will get to meet this spring.

This year, more than any other, it is difficult to predict how certain position groups will shape out in camp, but with spring training getting underway, here is my first prediction for the Cardinals' 2026 Opening Day roster.

Catcher (3) - Ivan Herrera, Pedro Pages, and Jimmy Crooks

Right off the bat, the Cardinals have some interesting decisions to make in camp that will be dictated by a number of factors.

The biggest decision centers around how much Ivan Herrera will be catching in 2026. The organization made it clear this offseason that they'd still like to see what he can do behind the plate, but with other names they can lean on and uncertainty at other positions, it's no sure thing that he wins that job or even plays there much at all.

The scenarios range from Herrera as their primary catcher in 2026, a playing time split with other internal options, or Herrera could be cast back into the DH role or see more time in the outfield and first base.

For now, I am going to predict that Herrera is firmly in the catching mix, but that both Pedro Pages and Jimmy Crooks will have significant roles as well, at least to begin the season. Herrera will catch some, DH a lot, and possibly play some outfield or first base depending on what the Cardinals need, but I do not envision him catching more than 90 games.

The Cardinals are big fans of Pages' ability to call games and manage a pitching staff, so he'll be on the Opening Day roster and play often to start the year. But if Crooks catches eyes early, I could see Pages' role being reduced or eventually even traded. The same could happen to Crooks if Pages impresses as well. Or the duo could even push Herrera off the position. So many possibilities!

Yohel Pozo is a helpful depth option this year, but I do not see him having a major role this year, barring injuries.

Just missed: Yohel Pozo

Infield (5) - Alec Burleson, JJ Wetherholt, Masyn Winn, Nolan Gorman, Thomas Saggese, and Bryan Ramos

When you look at the players who will be on the dirt this year, it's a group that has the potential to raise the ceiling of this club both in the near and long-term future, and also has experienced more turnover than perhaps any other position group this offseason.

Gone from their starting lineup are future Hall of Famer Nolan Arenado, World Series champion Willson Contreras, and 2025 All-Star Brendan Donovan. Let that sink in for a moment. That's a lot of pedigree (even if in the case of Arenado, mostly past pedigree) to lose in one offseason!

The infield this year will feature Silver Slugger Alec Burleson (who will get to lock down first base more regularly now), top-five prospect in the game, JJ Wetherholt, former top prospect and power hitter Nolan Gorman, and the reigning National League Gold Glove Winner at shortstop, Masyn Winn. Let that sink in for a moment. For how much the Cardinals lost this offseason, their infield actually has a strong mixture of exciting and established young talent.

The question this year around their infield is how high the ceilings of each of their players truly are. We all expect JJ Wetherholt to be good, but is he a star in the making? Masyn Winn has the sixth most fWAR in baseball over the last two years from players 23 or younger (7.1), but does he have another gear he can hit offensively to become a face of the franchise type player? Alec Burleson was one of the best hitters in the game in 2025 and has gotten better every single year, but has he already hit his ceiling? And Nolan Gorman...is he forever lost? Or is the young slugger from 2023 still in there?

You even have names like Thomas Saggese and newcomer Bryan Ramos, both of whom had flirted with top 100 lists as prospects and were highly thought of infielders before struggling in their first stints of big league action. Can either of those right-handed bats carve out a role in a lefty-heavy lineup?

Here's a fun number to watch this year: Burleson posted a 124 wRC+ in 2025, which was 40th among qualified hitters. When Burleson played first base last year, he performed even better at the plate, posting a 153 wRC+ in 163 plate appearances. For context, that would have ranked sixth among all qualified hitters in baseball between Juan Soto and Kyle Schwarber, and first among all first basemen. Asking him to replicate that kind of production over 162 games is probably a stretch, but if he can level up even more offensively, that would be huge for the Cardinals' future.

Just missed: Jose Fermin

Outfield (4) - Jordan Walker, Victor Scott, Nathan Church, and Nelson Velázquez

If the Cardinals' infield has the most potential to become a stand out unit in 2026, then I would argue that the Cardinals' outfield has the most to prove, and likely the most pressure on them to perform, of any position group they have this year.

Jordan Walker was supposed to be the face of the next era of Cardinals baseball. Following the 2022 season that said farewell to franchise legends Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina, Walker made the Cardinals' Opening Day roster as a 20-year-old and was supposed to be the bridge from the Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt era to whatever came next.

Well, he's certainly a bridge, but he has not established himself as a guy like the Cardinals thought he would. Despite posting a 116 wRC+ in his rookie season, Walker followed that up with a 72 wRC+ in 2024 and 66 wRC+ in 2025, producing like one of the worst hitters in all of baseball and continuing to struggle defensively. The hope is that with a full offseason under his belt, incorporating the changes that this new regime has asked him to make, Walker can at least become an above-average ballplayer or even regain his status as a rising talent in the sport.

Victor Scott II was similarly rushed into big league action after never playing at the Triple-A level, and while he really struggled in 2024 because of that, 2025 saw him take a step forward offensively and establish himself as a top-three defensive center fielder in the sport. The Cardinals have spoken very highly of Scott this offseason and are expecting big things from him in 2026, so the pressure is on the 25-year-old to perform (happy birthday, VS2!).

Lars Nootbaar did not make this Opening Day lineup projection, purely because as things currently stand, I am betting against him being ready to play by then. He had double heel surgery this offseason, and there still hasn't been a clear timetable given for when he'll return. I expect him back in late April or sometime in May, and this is also a huge year for him.

Nathan Church debuted last year and figures to be that fourth outfielder type who plays center field when Scott is off and can be a late-game defensive substitute given his elite skills out there. Nelson Velazquez is a new addition to the organization this offseason and provides right-handed power from the outfield, having played with both the Chicago Cubs and Kansas City Royals at the Major League level. Unless the Cardinals sign a veteran right-handed bat, Velazquez will be competing with Ramos and Jose Fermin for platoon opportunities with the big league club.

Just missed: Lars Nootbaar (IL) and Bryan Torres

Rotation (5) - Matthew Liberatore, Dustin May, Michael McGreevy, Kyle Leahy, and Richard Fitts

The Cardinals' current rotation options may not have the ceiling that their infield group has long-term, but they sure do have a lot of variance and could be the X-factor for how competitive they are in 2026 and how bright the future is going into 2027.

Matthew Liberatore and Michael McGreevy are the two returning names in terms of established starters from last year, with Liberatore looking like a front-line starter at times in 2025 and gassed by the fourth inning in other cases, while McGreevy settled in as a solid back-of-the-rotation starter for St. Louis. Kyle Leahy is expected to transition over from the bullpen, and there are a lot of people who are very excited to see what he can do for them this year.

Dustin May was the Cardinals' big free agent signing this offseason, and the club is hoping he can have a bounce-back campaign on the mound so that they can flip him at the trade deadline. He's battled a number of injuries over the years with the Los Angeles Dodgers and a short stint with the Boston Red Sox in 2025, but he is healthy entering camp and has been able to put on weight that he lost after a freak, life-threatening accident.

Richard Fitts came over to the Cardinals in the Sonny Gray deal, and he is one of the favorites in my eyes to snag a rotation spot out of camp. He's impressed in different stints at the Major League level with Boston and has some interesting traits that could make him a dependable back-of-the-rotation starter for years to come. Andre Pallante struggled big time in 2025, and I could easily see him losing that rotation spot this spring.

Other candidates include names like Hunter Dobbins, who also came over from Boston this offseason via trade, but with Bloom still being uncertain about game action for him this spring, I'd bet on him starting on the injured list or in Triple-A. Quinn Mathews had a down campaign in 2025, and I would bet that, barring an incredible camp, they start him in Memphis as well, with the hope of bringing him up later in the year.

Just missed: RHP Hunter Dobbins (IL) and LHP Quinn Mathews

Bullpen (8) - Matt Svanson, Riley O'Brien, JoJo Romero, Ryan Stanek, Justin Bruihl, Matt Pushard, George Soriano, and Andre Pallante

For the last two seasons, the Cardinals' bullpen has been one of the club's saving graces and a major reason they've been able to outperform what their expected win-loss records would have said. They've lost a lot of talent since the trade deadline though, so this year's group is a lot more "green" and unknown than in those campaigns.

Right now, there is no clear closer on the Cardinals' roster, with names like Matt Svanson, Riley O'Brien, and JoJo Romero being the early favorites for save opportunities. The Cardinals could elect one of them as their established closer, or they could do a closer-by-committee approach where they ride with the hot hand or play match-ups late in games.

Those three should be getting high-leverage opportunities early in the 2026 season, but the rest of their bullpen is very much up in the air. Ryan Stanek, one of the Cardinals' other free agent signings this offseason, stands to be the veteran option in the bullpen who should take some of those opportunities. Matt Pushard, who the Cardinals selected in the Rule 5 draft, must remain on the active roster all season if they want to keep him, so I would imagine he makes the Opening Day roster as well.

The second lefty in the bullpen will be an interesting battle to watch. Currently, the only lefties, outside of Romero, that are on the 40-man roster are Justin Bruihl, Nick Raquet, Bryce Mautz, and Cooper Hjerpe. Hjerpe will begin the year on the injured list, so he's out of the equation, and Mautz will likely be a part of the Memphis rotation. Between Bruihl and Raquet, the latter has options remaining, so if Bruihl has a solid spring, he could make the roster since he is out of option years. Packy Naughton, who is finally back from injury, is a non-roster invitee to keep an eye on for that spot.

For the final two bullpen spots, I went with George Soriano and Andre Pallante. The Cardinals just acquired Soriano for Andre Granillo, a move that confused many but is clearly an upside play by Bloom's front office. The Cardinals liked having Steven Matz fill a Swiss-army knife role early last year, letting him get some spot starts to ease their rotation arms into the full season of work and then seeing long-relief and leverage opportunities as well. Pallante has filled that role for the Cardinals in the past, and I think he will again come Opening Day.

Just missed: LHP Packy Naughton, LHP Nick Raquet, RHP Chris Roycroft, RHP Luis Gastelum, and RHP Ryan Fernandez

Opening Day Lineups vs. RHP/LHP

Lineup vs. RHP
1.2B JJ Wetherholt
2. SS Masyn Winn
3. 1B Alec Burleson
4. LF Ivan Herrera
5. 3B Nolan Gorman
6. RF Jordan Walker
7. DH Thomas Saggese
8. C Pedro Pages
9. CF Victor Scott II

I'm being aggressive and bold here by having JJ Wetherholt as the Cardinals' lead-off hitter, but it is very likely he bats more like sixth or seventh to ease him into a bigger role. But with how talented and confident Wetherholt is, I could totally see Oliver Marmol letting him run right away.

I personally like how this lineup flows against righties, splitting up some of the left-handed and right-handed bats to avoid tunneling issues. With Lars Nootbaar likely being out come Opening Day, I do think we could see Ivan Herrera play some left field early on in the year, but again, that's another bolder take from me.

The Cardinals really need one of Nolan Gorman or Jordan Walker to bounce back at the plate this year to lengthen their lineup. Both will be relied on early and often, and if they are struggling, this lineup just does not have enough firepower to get runs across the plate consistently.

Lineup vs. LHP
1. 2B JJ Wetherholt
2. SS Masyn Winn
3. C Ivan Herrera
4. 1B Alec Burleson
5. LF Nelson Velazquez
6. RF Jordan Walker
7. 3B Nolan Gorman
8. DH Thomas Saggese
9. CF Victor Scott II

The Cardinals' lineup against left-handed pitching will be very interesting to see. The Cardinals are going to want to give opportunities to young bats against southpaws, but they also need to be able to produce against them as well. Nelson Velazquez, Thomas Saggese, and Bryan Ramos could be big parts of that solution.

The Cardinals' catching rotation also plays a role in how these lineups could be constructed. I would imagine they'd like to get Crooks starts against righties, but factoring in all three catchers could be an adventure for Marmol.

I have Victor Scott batting ninth in both lineups, but I do see a world where he could force his way into the lead-off spot if his offensive uptick ends up being real. The Cardinals could form a really fun top of the lineup that looks something like Scott-Winn-Wetherholt-Herrera-Burleson at some point in the year.