Cardinals Opening Day Roster Prediction 2.0: How Brandon Crawford shakes things up

With a new signing, updated injury statuses, and pitching competitions underway, it's time to take a fresh look at the Opening Day roster.

Sep 5, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Tommy Edman (19) makes a
Sep 5, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Tommy Edman (19) makes a | Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
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The St. Louis Cardinals have been in camp for a few weeks now and are in the swing of their game schedule, which has given us a greater glimpse into what their Opening Day roster may look like when they open up the season against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

On Valentine's Day and the first official day of team workouts, our own Thomas Gauvain predicted who would be on the club's Opening Day roster, but a lot has happened in a few short weeks that has shaken up that mix.

Since camp began, a few different arms have caught the attention of fans and media alike, perhaps moving their names to the front of the line when it comes to the Cardinals' bullpen mix early on in the season. Even so, talk of a six-man rotation to begin the year may complicate what the mix could look like, or at least change what the Cardinals are looking for from one of those spots.

On the position player side of things, the recent signing of shortstop Brandon Crawford has caused some changes to how we view the Cardinals' bench mix at this moment, and so has the health of center fielder Tommy Edman. Edman's status on Opening Day will shake up who gets the final position player spot on this roster.

And of course, there have been some prospects who have brought excitement to camp early on who many are wondering if they can break into that Opening Day mix as well. Based on all of the recent news and what we have seen so far in camp, this is how I think the Cardinals' Opening Day roster will stack up as things currently stand.

Catcher (2) - Willson Contreras and Ivan Herrera

No changes here, and barring an injury, Willson Contreras and Ivan Herrera will be the Cardinals catching tandem for the entirety of the 2024 season and for years to come. Herrera is coming off an exciting 2023 campaign and a strong winter, while Contreras was a top-5 hitter in the second half last year and has made major adjustments to his framing over the offseason.

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