Non-roster invitees for the Cardinals who could crack the Opening Day roster

As of now, the St. Louis Cardinals have a full 40-man roster. President of baseball operations Chaim Bloom has been busy all offseason cycling through waiver claims and Rule 5 draft picks to fill out the roster, and the 40-man roster is full at the start of spring training.

The Cardinals invited 27 players who were not on the roster to spring training this year. While a vast majority of these players will return to the minors, a lucky few could be added to the 40-man roster by the time the Cardinals depart Jupiter, Florida.

From shoo-in to long shot, which St. Louis Cardinals non-roster invitees to spring training will make the Opening Day roster?

The Shoo-In

INF JJ Wetherholt

Following offseason trades of Nolan Arenado and Brendan Donovan, JJ Wetherholt essentially has a spot guaranteed for him on the Opening Day roster. Where he plays on the dirt is yet to be determined, but there's a virtual guarantee that he'll be in the starting lineup on Opening Day 2026.

Wetherholt split the 2025 season between Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis last year, posting a combined slash line of .306/.421/.510 with 17 home runs and 23 stolen bases in 109 games. He's a shoo-in to start in the major on Opening Day.

The Battle Spots

There are two primary roster battles this spring training for the Cardinals: a right-handed bench player and bullpen depth. Let's start on the reliever side of things.

LHP Pete Hansen

Pete Hansen is currently experiencing shoulder soreness, but he is a name to keep an eye on this spring once he returns to pitching activities. Hansen, 25, has been in the Cardinals' system since 2022. Last year, he threw 137.1 innings for Double-A Springfield with a 3.93 ERA. He struck out 123 batters as well.

Hansen is well-liked within the clubhouse, and his ability to throw multiple innings could be appealing to the Cardinals, especially considering the fact that he throws from the left side, a department that the Cardinals are lacking in the bullpen.

LHP Zack Thompson

Similar to Pete Hansen, Zack Thompson is also experiencing an injury-related setback this spring as he looks to recover from a "cleanup procedure" in August on his throwing arm. Thompson was waived by the Cardinals in early November, but he was brought back on via a minor-league contract with an invite to camp.

The former first-round draft pick has experienced setbacks throughout his career when it comes to injuries. He's thrown only 118 major-league innings, and he missed all of the 2025 season due to a torn lat muscle. The southpaw hasn't worked much this spring training due to his August surgery, but if the Cardinals are confident he can pitch in the first two months of the season, he could find himself added to the 40-man roster once again this spring.

LHP Jared Shuster

Just before Christmas, the Cardinals agreed to a minor-league deal with former highly touted pitching prospect Jared Shuster. Shuster was drafted 25th overall by the Atlanta Braves in 2020. He played for the Chicago White Sox the last two seasons. Last year, Shuster pitched 15.2 innings while allowing 14 runs. He did, however, post a FIP of just 2.94, suggesting there could be room to improve for the southpaw.

Shuster excels at limiting walks and hard contact, but he doesn't strike batters out very often. He could be a valuable middle-inning reliever for the Cardinals if he's able to prove his worth this spring.

LHP Quinn Mathews

Quinn Mathews is probably the most MLB-ready prospect the Cardinals have. The lefty made 24 starts last year and threw 99 innings just a year after being announced as the organization's Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2024. While Quinn saw his numbers take a step back (3.73 ERA, 6.7 K/9) last year, he still has the ability to be a reliable mid-rotation starting pitcher.

Currently, Dustin May, Matthew Liberatore, Michael McGreevy, Andre Pallante, Kyle Leahy, Hunter Dobbins, and Richard Fitts will be fighting for rotation spots. If one or more of these players go down with an injury or falter, Mathews could hear his name be called to be on the 40-man roster.

OF Nelson Velazquez

The Cardinals signed outfielder Nelson Velázquez to a minor-league deal last month. The corner outfielder/designated hitter has plenty of pop, as he's slugged 31 home runs in 615 plate appearances. He has, however, struggled to get on base and hit for average. Velázquez's defense is nothing to write home about, but the power potential that he's displayed throughout his career is enticing to a team that has finished near the bottom in home runs over the last few years.

The Long Shots

OF Mike Antico

According to reports out of camp, Mike Antico has become a beloved player amongst his peers. His personality is appealing to players of all ages looking to hang out. Given Antico's track record in the minors, few position players at camp can boast more experience than he has throughout professional baseball.

Antico, 28, has spent the last five seasons toiling in the minors for the Cardinals, looking for his shot at the majors. That chance may come this year, especially if Lars Nootbaar starts the season on the Injured List.

Antico has a career MiLB slash line of .262/.346/.427. Where Antico really shines is on the basepaths. He set the stolen base record for the Springfield Cardinals in 2023 when he swiped 52 bags. His speed and versatility will be what gets him to the majors this year.