The St. Louis Cardinals made a handful of roster cuts on Saturday as the club continues to prepare for Opening Day.
Opening Day is coming up on March 26 and St. Louis announced six moves on Saturday. Catcher Jimmy Crooks, right-handed pitcher Tink Hence, infielder César Prieto, catcher Leo Bernal and utility man Bryan Torres were optioned down to minor league camp. Right-handed pitcher Skylar Hales was reassigned to minor league camp. The club officially announced the moves.
We have made the following roster moves.
Our Spring Training roster now stands at 51 players. pic.twitter.com/3HTZfl2L0K
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) March 7, 2026
The Cardinals were busy
Sep 23, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Jimmy Crooks (8) stands at bat against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn ImagesAt first glance, the move that stands out is sending Crooks down to minor league camp. The Cardinals are loaded in the catching department in general. With this move, it leaves Pedro Pagés, Yohel Pozo and Iván Herrera in the big league camp. Herrera has been working his way back behind the plate after not getting much action there in 2025 due to injury. Pagés has been a roster clock from the beginning. Pozo has been a bit more up in the air.
With it being unclear how much Herrera will actually catch, there’s an argument that the club should get as much as they can out of Crooks right now, because soon enough the catching question is going to get even more difficult as Bernal and Rainiel Rodriguez inch closer to the big leagues. But instead, it sounds like Pozo could be in the mix for Opening Day. Jeff Jones of Belleville News-Democrat called Pozo’s chances of making the big league club “all but a certainty” now.
“Bernal, Crooks, Hence, Prieto, Torres optioned,” Jones wrote on X. “Skylar Hales reassigned to minor league camp. Points to Yohel Pozo making the team being all but a certainty.”
With Pozo, you do get a bit more depth. He has gotten some action at first base as well. He has also been great in camp. He’s slashing .462/.563/.846 with one homer, six RBIs and three walks in six games so far.
The decision to send Crooks down is a bit surprising, but Pozo has made the most of his opportunity so far. There will be more cuts to come, but it sounds like Pozo has an inside track to a big league roster spot.
