IMAGE: St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (33) flips to second base to force out Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Joey Ortiz (3) during the ninth inning at Busch Stadium. \/ Jeff Curry \/ Imagn Images<\/div>\n
St. Louis Cardinals: Projecting the Opening Day Roster as Spring Training Nears<\/strong><\/p>\nWe\u2019re officially in the home stretch before spring training kicks off, and for the St. Louis Cardinals, that means the roster puzzle is starting to come into focus.<\/p>\n
While there\u2019s still time for trades or surprises to shake things up, the current group heading to Jupiter offers a strong foundation for projecting the Opening Day roster. Health, of course, is the big caveat – but assuming no major setbacks, here\u2019s how things are shaping up across the roster.<\/p>\n
\nStarting Pitchers (6)<\/strong><\/h3>\nRichard Fitts, Kyle Leahy, Matthew Liberatore, Dustin May, Michael McGreevy, Andre Pallante<\/strong>
\nInjured List: Hunter Dobbins<\/strong><\/p>\nThe Cardinals\u2019 rotation picture splits into two tiers. At the top, you\u2019ve got Liberatore<\/strong>, May<\/strong>, and McGreevy<\/strong> – three arms with a leg up thanks to experience and the organization\u2019s investment in their development. If they stay healthy, pencil them into the Opening Day rotation.<\/p>\nThen there\u2019s the competition for the final spots. Leahy<\/strong> enters with an edge, largely due to his success out of the bullpen last season and the team\u2019s interest in stretching him out further. He\u2019s the kind of hybrid arm modern rotations love – flexible, effective, and already proven at the big-league level.<\/p>\nThe Cardinals aren\u2019t likely to commit to a strict six-man rotation, but they\u2019ve shown a willingness to get creative. Think back to how they deployed Steven Matz<\/strong> early last season – not quite a traditional starter, but a valuable swingman who helped bridge gaps in the rotation. That model could return, especially early on, with someone like Pallante<\/strong> filling that role.<\/p>\nFitts<\/strong> is in the mix, too, though he\u2019s likely ticketed for Memphis if Dobbins<\/strong> – who\u2019s still working back from a torn knee ligament – is ready sooner than expected. All three (Fitts, Pallante, Dobbins) have minor league options, giving the front office some flexibility.<\/p>\n
\nBullpen (7)<\/strong><\/h3>\nScott Blewett, Justin Bruihl, Riley O\u2019Brien, Matt Pushard, JoJo Romero, Ryne Stanek, Matt Svanson<\/strong><\/p>\nThe back end of the bullpen looks solidified with O\u2019Brien<\/strong>, Romero<\/strong>, Stanek<\/strong>, and Svanson<\/strong> handling high-leverage duties. Svanson, in particular, seems poised to take on even more responsibility after proving he can handle multi-inning stints – a key asset in today\u2019s game.<\/p>\nPushard<\/strong>, a Rule 5 pick out of Miami, is more of a wild card. But history tells us the Cardinals tend to keep their Rule 5 arms around, even if their role isn\u2019t fully defined yet. Unless he\u2019s injured or returned to the Marlins, he\u2019s likely to break camp with the big-league club.<\/p>\nBruihl<\/strong> is another name to watch. As a lefty without minor league options, he either makes the roster or hits waivers.<\/p>\nThat alone gives him a leg up over other lefty contenders like Nick Raquet<\/strong> and Jared Shuster<\/strong>. His presence could also allow Pallante<\/strong> to stay stretched out as a starter.<\/p>\nBlewett<\/strong> brings veteran experience and is a steadying option for the early part of the season. While he struggled during his most extended MLB stint last year, the Cardinals clearly see potential value in his arm. He\u2019s on a minor league deal, so his spot isn\u2019t guaranteed, but he\u2019s in the mix.<\/p>\nOther names like Ryan Fernandez<\/strong>, Gordon Graceffo<\/strong>, Andre Granillo<\/strong>, and Chris Roycroft<\/strong> aren\u2019t in this projection but are expected to see time in the majors at some point this season.<\/p>\n
\nCatchers (3)<\/strong><\/h3>\nJimmy Crooks, Iv\u00e1n Herrera, Pedro Pag\u00e9s<\/strong><\/p>\nManager Oli Marmol<\/strong> has already acknowledged that spring training won\u2019t offer a full evaluation window for Herrera\u2019s<\/strong> work behind the plate. That uncertainty – combined with the Cardinals\u2019 recent history – makes it likely they carry three catchers again.<\/p>\nCrooks<\/strong> gets the nod over Yohel Pozo<\/strong> thanks to his game-calling skills and the different look he provides as a left-handed hitter. That platoon advantage could earn him pinch-hit chances or even occasional DH opportunities, though those will be limited with Brendan Donovan<\/strong> still on the roster.<\/p>\n
\nInfielders (6)<\/strong><\/h3>\nAlec Burleson, Brendan Donovan, Nolan Gorman, Thomas Saggese, JJ Wetherholt, Masyn Winn<\/strong><\/p>\nThe Cardinals have been pretty transparent about JJ Wetherholt\u2019s<\/strong> potential to make the Opening Day roster – and they haven\u2019t exactly downplayed expectations for their top prospect this winter. That\u2019s usually a sign.<\/p>\nWith Donovan<\/strong> still around, Wetherholt likely opens at third base, while Gorman<\/strong> shifts into more of a full-time DH role. But Donovan\u2019s versatility (and potential trade candidacy) means we could see Wetherholt slide to second and Gorman to third depending on how things shake out. If Donovan\u2019s moved, that alignment could become the norm.<\/p>\nSaggese<\/strong> edges out Jos\u00e9 Ferm\u00edn<\/strong> for the final infield spot, even though Ferm\u00edn is out of options. The Cardinals have managed to keep Ferm\u00edn on the roster longer than expected, but Saggese\u2019s name keeps popping up in conversations about third base depth – something Ferm\u00edn hasn\u2019t been part of. That gives Saggese the inside track, with the understanding that he could be optioned to Memphis if regular playing time isn\u2019t available.<\/p>\n
\nOutfielders (4)<\/strong><\/h3>\nNathan Church, Victor Scott II, Nelson Vel\u00e1zquez, Jordan Walker<\/strong>
\nInjured List: Lars Nootbaar<\/strong><\/p>\nWith Lars Nootbaar<\/strong> recovering from double heel surgery and no clear return timeline, the outfield picture becomes a bit more fluid – but also more open for opportunity.<\/p>\nScott<\/strong> and Walker<\/strong> are locked in as the starters in center and right field, respectively. The Cardinals are going to give both every chance to prove they can hold those spots down.<\/p>\nVel\u00e1zquez<\/strong>, despite being a non-roster invitee, is the only right-handed outfield bat with a legitimate path to the roster. His ability to fill in at center in a pinch is a bonus, but his bat is the real draw.<\/p>\nChurch<\/strong> profiles as the primary backup in center and gives the team a left-handed option off the bench. While the fourth outfielder role could be absorbed by a utility infielder like Ferm\u00edn<\/strong> or Saggese<\/strong>, Church\u2019s defense and speed make him a strong fit for the job.<\/p>\n
\nFinal Thoughts<\/strong><\/h3>\nThere\u2019s still plenty of time for things to shift before Opening Day – trades, injuries, breakout spring performances. But if the current group heads to Jupiter as expected, this is a roster that blends youth, flexibility, and a few key veterans in the right places.<\/p>\n
The Cardinals have some tough decisions ahead, particularly around the margins, but the core is starting to take shape. And with top prospects pushing for playing time and a few key arms returning to health, this spring could be one of the more competitive and telling camps in recent memory.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
IMAGE: St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (33) flips to second base to force out Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Joey Ortiz (3) during the ninth inning at… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":147332,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-147356","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\n
Cardinals Narrow Opening Day Roster With One Big Name Still Uncertain - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=147356\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Cardinals Narrow Opening Day Roster With One Big Name Still Uncertain - NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"IMAGE: St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (33) flips to second base to force out Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Joey Ortiz (3) during the ninth inning at...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=147356\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-31T17:54:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Rinrin-19-4.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"XuanTan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"XuanTan\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=147356\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=147356\",\"name\":\"Cardinals Narrow Opening Day Roster With One Big Name Still Uncertain - NEWS USA\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=147356#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=147356#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Rinrin-19-4.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-31T17:54:02+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-31T17:54:02+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/ac862d5ceb335ec8f1e374ed4bdb0c06\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=147356#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=147356\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=147356#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Rinrin-19-4.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Rinrin-19-4.jpg\",\"width\":1000,\"height\":1000},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=147356#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Cardinals Narrow Opening Day Roster With One Big Name Still Uncertain\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/\",\"name\":\"NEWS USA\",\"description\":\"Your Daily Dose of Sports News and Updates\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/ac862d5ceb335ec8f1e374ed4bdb0c06\",\"name\":\"XuanTan\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4f0d0d8858cf9c64fc1f3105c62cff269864cf9a26f88149688bdf4dc953df45?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4f0d0d8858cf9c64fc1f3105c62cff269864cf9a26f88149688bdf4dc953df45?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"XuanTan\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?author=2\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Cardinals Narrow Opening Day Roster With One Big Name Still Uncertain - NEWS USA","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=147356","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Cardinals Narrow Opening Day Roster With One Big Name Still Uncertain - NEWS USA","og_description":"IMAGE: St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (33) flips to second base to force out Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Joey Ortiz (3) during the ninth inning at...","og_url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=147356","og_site_name":"NEWS USA","article_published_time":"2026-01-31T17:54:02+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1000,"height":1000,"url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Rinrin-19-4.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"XuanTan","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"XuanTan","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=147356","url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=147356","name":"Cardinals Narrow Opening Day Roster With One Big Name Still Uncertain - NEWS USA","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=147356#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=147356#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Rinrin-19-4.jpg","datePublished":"2026-01-31T17:54:02+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-31T17:54:02+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/ac862d5ceb335ec8f1e374ed4bdb0c06"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=147356#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=147356"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=147356#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Rinrin-19-4.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Rinrin-19-4.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=147356#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Cardinals Narrow Opening Day Roster With One Big Name Still Uncertain"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/","name":"NEWS USA","description":"Your Daily Dose of Sports News and Updates","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/ac862d5ceb335ec8f1e374ed4bdb0c06","name":"XuanTan","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4f0d0d8858cf9c64fc1f3105c62cff269864cf9a26f88149688bdf4dc953df45?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4f0d0d8858cf9c64fc1f3105c62cff269864cf9a26f88149688bdf4dc953df45?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"XuanTan"},"url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?author=2"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147356","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=147356"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147356\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":147357,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147356\/revisions\/147357"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/147332"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=147356"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=147356"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=147356"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![](\"https:\/\/files.fanbeat.win\/art\/9QY5f0BYsCOu.avif\")
<\/p>\n