2023 could be a make-or-break Spring Training for these five St. Louis Cardinals non-roster invitees.
The St. Louis Cardinals have unveiled their list of non-roster invitees to Spring Training for the 2023 season. For these five players on that list, this spring could be the one that decides their future with the franchise.
Tommy Parsons, RHP
Tommy Parsons looked to be on his last legs at the start of 2022, with an 8.18 ERA out of the Triple-A bullpen in April. However, Parsons was able to turn his season around, finishing the season with a 4.31 ERA and moving back to his familiar spot in the rotation in June.
Parsons was an undrafted free agent out of Adrian College in 2018, and time isn't on the 27-year-old's side for him to carve out a meaningful major league career. A strong spring could vault Parsons to the last big-league bullpen spot, but he's more likely to start the year at Triple-A again and receive a promotion later in the season.
The Cardinals' pitching philosophy under Mike Maddux was to pitch to contact. Parsons doesn't blow hitters away with velocity, so he seemed to fit the bill. However. with new pitching coach Dusty Blake taking the reins, it's not clear whether Parsons' approach will mesh with that of the Cardinals.