The Cardinals added a familiar power bat to their Spring Training mix, announcing that corner outfielder and designated hitter Nelson Velázquez will be among their non-roster invitees. That means Velázquez, 27, has signed a minor league deal with St. Louis as he tries to claw his way back to the big leagues for the first time in two seasons.
Velázquez’s journey has been anything but linear. After getting outrighted off the Royals’ 40-man roster last spring, he struggled out of the gate in Triple-A, hitting just .202 over 33 games.
Kansas City released him in May, leaving him to regroup and reset in the Mexican League. And regroup he did.
Over 49 games south of the border, Velázquez found his swing again, putting up big numbers and earning a second chance in affiliated ball with the Pirates’ organization.
That hot bat didn’t cool off when he returned stateside. In a short stint with Triple-A Indianapolis to close the year, Velázquez slashed .284/.329/.554 with five home runs in just 79 plate appearances. While it wasn’t quite enough to earn a September call-up from Pittsburgh, it was enough to catch the attention of the Cardinals, who are clearly intrigued by his power potential.
Velázquez has shown flashes of that power at the major league level, too. After being traded from the Cubs to the Royals in 2023, he went on a tear, launching 14 home runs in just 40 games during the second half of the season.
That stretch remains his most productive in the bigs. Overall, he owns a .212/.286/.433 line with 31 homers across 615 plate appearances – essentially one full season’s worth of action.
The power is real, but the contact and on-base skills have lagged behind.
Still, the timing of this move makes sense for St. Louis.
The Cardinals are in the midst of a roster transition, and while they’re not calling it a full rebuild, there’s clearly an openness to reshuffling roles – especially in the outfield. The recent trade of Willson Contreras is expected to shift Alec Burleson into more of a first base role, which could free up corner outfield reps.
There’s also some uncertainty around Lars Nootbaar, who’s recovering from offseason heel surgeries. The team may want to ease him in before fully committing to his return.
Then there’s Jordan Walker, the former top prospect who’s set for another run in right field. This season is shaping up as a pivotal one for Walker, and the Cardinals will want to give him every opportunity to prove he can be a long-term fixture. At designated hitter, Iván Herrera is expected to see the bulk of the action when he’s not behind the plate, limiting opportunities there.
So where does Velázquez fit? Realistically, he’s not being brought in to leapfrog younger players like Walker or fellow right-handed slugger Joshua Baez in the pecking order.
But he does bring something unique to the table: he’s the only non-roster outfielder in camp with prior MLB experience. That gives him a potential edge if injuries pop up or if the Cardinals decide they need a power bat off the bench.
Most likely, Velázquez will open the season at Triple-A Memphis, where he’ll try to keep the momentum going and stay ready for a call-up. For a player who’s already battled through setbacks and detours, this invite is another shot – and if his bat stays hot, he might just force his way back into the big-league picture.
