Spring Training, believe it or not, is less than a month away. The Cardinals will play their first Grapefruit League game on February 23 against the Marlins. It will mark the start of another season and bring with it high hopes for players looking to make their case for a spot on the big league team. The Cards have plenty of those guys, and though they won’t all make the roster, here are the ones to keep an eye on, in no particular order.
Pitchers
Genesis Cabrera
The Cardinals acquired Genesis Cabrera in a trade with Tampa Bay last year. He has been consistently compared to Carlos Martinez, due to his build and explosiveness, as well as the velocity and movement on his sinker. That alone qualifies him as an interesting player to watch come Spring Training.
He also had a very good showing in the Dominican Winter League this season. Over 20 games, 14.1 innings, he posted a 1.26 ERA and struck out 21 batters. President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak has even identified him as a player who could potentially make the big league team this year.
Ryan Helsley
Ryan Helsley saw a bit of a decline in his numbers in 2018, but he’s still listed as the Cardinals number four prospect according to MLB.com. He dominated in 2017, posting a 2.72 ERA, 11-3 record and 137 strikeouts over 132.1 innings. This past season he only threw 70.1 innings. His ERA rose to 4.61, but he still struck out 10.5 batters per nine innings.
At 24-years-old, Helsley’s big league debut isn’t far off. It’s possible he could get to make it this season, based on the Cardinals pitching needs and his performance. A big Spring Training would greatly help his case as well.
Position Players
Jose Adolis Garcia
Jose Adolis Garcia didn’t impress many people with his debut last season. In 17 at bats he got just two hits and struck out seven times. However, it was his first taste of the big leagues after just two minor league seasons.
The fact is, Garcia still has a very high ceiling. He’s got the potential combination of power, speed, average and defense that doesn’t come around often. Over his two years at Double and Triple-A, Garcia has 37 home runs, 136 RBI, 25 stolen bases, a .274 average and an .800 OPS.
He will have a good opportunity to make the MLB team again this year. With the Cardinals relying on a potentially unhealthy Marcell Ozuna and a declining Dexter Fowler at the corner outfield positions, a big spring could put Garcia right in line with Tyler O’Neill as a replacement.
Andrew Knizner
After being named one of the top ten catching prospects in baseball by MLB.com, this could be Andrew Knizner’s year to make the Cardinals roster. They resigned Francisco Pena to backup Yadi, but if he can’t hold up, Knizner would presumably get the next shot.
In the 2017 Arizona Fall League, Knizner slashed .358/.403/.537 and put himself on the Cards radar for a possible call up. Then last year, between Springfield and Memphis, he hit .313 with a .798 OPS. If he can continue showing his improvement this spring, he might even beat out Pena for the backup spot on the Opening Day roster.
Featured Image by the St. Louis Post Dispatch
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