WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. 鈥 As they packed to return to their training complex in nearby Jupiter after ending their Grapefruit League schedule Sunday, the Cardinals did not have any final roster moves to reveal after spring games ended.
Official word on decisions such as whether top prospect JJ Wetherholt will begin the year in majors or minors or who may start in left field during Thursday鈥檚 opener could be revealed Monday, when the club travels to Springfield, Missouri, for an exhibition game against its Double-A squad.
But with the final roster moves unannounced Sunday, what the Cardinals fly back to Missouri with is a clear sense of the identity they will carry into the regular season.
鈥淚 feel good about the way we're going to compete every night,鈥 manager Oli Marmol said. 鈥淭hey've been clear on the style of play that we're looking to have all year, in not giving in to anything, I'm really confident in that.鈥
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The Cardinals came into this year鈥檚 spring training less seasoned after a series of offseason trades opened avenues for younger players. Winter deals turned four All-Stars (Brendan Donovan, Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras and Sonny Gray) into a haul of prospects and draft picks. The moves opened opportunities for jobs to be won.
They also opened room for roles to grow into within the clubhouse.
How that could shape up was on display all spring.
Early in camp, Matthew Liberatore, the club鈥檚 opening day starter, talked of establishing a support system within the young pitching staff. And during camp, veteran bullpen arms like JoJo Romero and Ryne Stanek acknowledged the roles they can play in being the experienced relievers in a relatively young bullpen. On the position player side, shortstop Masyn Winn also spoke about the 鈥減ride鈥 he could take in being a leader among the infielders.
鈥淎 lot of questions early in camp were around leadership as far as: Who's that leader? And I don't think you have to have a guy,鈥 Marmol said Sunday after the Cardinals beat the Astros to end the Grapefruit League 17-9-2. 鈥淚 think each person stepping into that next phase of leadership for them is important, but that room has done a nice job of speaking into that and then talking through how they're going to hold each other accountable to the style of play.鈥
On the field, the Cardinals received strong spring performances that have taken the roster battles through to the very end of camp.
Wetherholt, 23, ended the Grapefruit League with a .212 average and .780 on-base plus slugging percentage. He had more walks (nine) than strikeouts (seven) in 15 games.
The club鈥檚 top prospect came into his second spring training as a non-roster invite, with a lane for him to be the team鈥檚 starting second baseman on opening day following the Donovan trade. A non-roster invite a year ago, he had the goal of making the team coming off a strong 2025 minor league season that got him to Class AAA.
Wetherholt got most of his innings at second base this spring, where he made a pair of errors early on but showed improvement on defense as camp continued. He got at-bats from different spots in the order, including the leadoff spot, where the Cardinals could see how he approaches at-bats.
"It鈥檚 high-contact; it鈥檚 a solid approach," Marmol said Sunday morning. "It鈥檚 controlling the strike zone. He has the ability to solve for different styles of pitching, and it鈥檚 an overall tough at-bat. I think he鈥檚 done a really nice job of showing that with the opportunities we鈥檝e given him in these spring training games and in the leadoff spot."
There鈥檚 also the battle in left field.
With Lars Nootbaar (heels) set to open the year on the injured list and his timeline uncertain, the Cardinals used the spring to see how infielders Jose Fermin and Thomas Saggese could adapt to the outfield. They also got a lengthy look at Nelson Velazquez, who came into camp as a non-roster invite after being acquired over the winter on a minor league deal.
While Fermin and Saggese showed examples of being able to adapt defensively, Velazquez slugged his way through spring training. In 15 games, the right-handed-hitting outfielder batted .357 with four home runs and a 1.116 OPS.
The Cardinals would need to clear spots on the 40-man roster for Wetherholt and Velazquez to be added.
While the Cardinals wait to announce their final roster moves, they leave Florida with clarity on what their starting staff and bullpen will look like.
The option of Richard Fitts to Class AAA Memphis and announcement Hunter Dobbins will begin the year on the injured list set a five-man rotation that will open with Liberatore on opening day and follow with starts by Michael McGreevy, Dustin May, Kyle Leahy and Andre Pallante.
The decision to option Gordon Graceffo to Class AAA on Saturday cleared up the bullpen battle. Right-handers Chris Roycroft, George Soriano and Matt Pushard, a Rule 5 draft pick, round out a relief group that will include Stanek, Romero, Matt Svanson, lefty Justin Bruihl and Riley O鈥橞rien.
While Stanek, Romero, Svanson and O鈥橞rien are candidates to fill out late-inning roles, how the Cardinals will approach the closer鈥檚 role is to be determined.
What is known, however, is the 鈥渟tyle鈥 the Cardinals will look to bring to those games.
鈥淭hat's the one thing I can guarantee,鈥 Marmol said, 鈥渋s there'll be a style of play that I think is exciting to watch.鈥
最新杏吧原创 Cardinals first baseman (and outfielder) Alec Burleson says he worked on both his offense and defense in the offseason and is loving the team's energy at spring training. Video by Laurie Skrivan, 最新杏吧原创 Post-Dispatch
