Jupiter, Fla. – When spring training for the St. Louis Cardinals opens on Monday, it will be a strong center of prospects in the spotlight instead of their familiar Major League regulars.
Instead of superstar third baseman Nolan Arenado, Nolan Gorman will take center stage, and his glove at second base will attract more attention. Matthew the Liberator’s belongings and fixture on the mound will be closely scrutinized, just as it would have been in Jack Flaherty’s presence. And young slugger Jordan Walker will likely replace Paul Goldschmidt and Tyler O’Neill when it comes to hitting home runs in batting practice.
The Cardinals’ massive 153-man minor league Spring Training roster reported camp for testing over the weekend. On Monday, most of the army of players – 82 pitchers, 28 outfielders, 26 infielders and 17 catchers – will take the field at Roger Dean Stadium, and they may very well be in core fields usually reserved for Major League regulars. Huh. Because of baseball’s ongoing labor negotiations.
With that thought in mind, here are six cardinals to see who are currently in camp with the club. Keep in mind that some top prospects, such as outfielder Juan Yepez and third baseman Brendan Donovan, are not in camp because they are on the Cardinals’ 40-man roster, and they fall under the MLB Players Association umbrella.
Nolan Gorman (Cardinals No. 1 prospect per MLB pipeline)
Gorman is a no-brainer on this list due to the lofty expectations the Cardinals have placed on his capable shoulders this off-season. A third baseman, Gorman spent much of his baseball life working with Cardinals minor league infield coordinator Jose Oquendo to master the art of playing second base. St. Louis is eager to try to bring Gorman’s prodigious left-hander into the lineup, and the second base figure is the best slot for his future, so he’s not blocked by that other “Nolan.” Gorman scored 11 home runs and 27 runs in 43 games at Double-A Springfield last year and then scored another 14 home runs and 48 when promoted to Triple-A Memphis.
1 second base prospect and 24th ranked prospect per MLB pipeline, Gorman could very well start the season in St. Louis if his gloves and footwork are up to par on the field. Still only 21 years old after being the 19th overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, Gorman will be watching closely at camp to see how he handles the weight of expectations thrown at him this spring.
Matthew the Liberator (No. 2)
Could this be the season when Cardinals fans see the huge promise of a 6-foot-4 left-handed pitcher at the big league level? After all, baseball diehards in St. Louis are looking forward to seeing the Cardinals return from trade, where they surrendered to Randy Arozerena at Tampa Bay in January of 2020. All Arozerena has won ALCS MVP with Raze in two seasons. AL Rookie of the Year Award in ’20 and ’21 – achievements that only add to the pressure the libretto is facing.
The libretto, 22, has both the baggage and mindset to potentially be a front-line ace somewhere down the line. At 6-foot-4 and a slim 200 pounds, the belief is that he can still add more bulk and muscle to propel his fastball to more than the 95-96 mph where he currently sits. . Already, he has command of a four-pitch Arsenal, with his curveball and changeup ratings as major pluses.
Oddly, Liberatore’s performance last season didn’t match his talent level, something that suggests he may need more development time in the minors. On the plus side, he did well in the Olympic qualifiers and the MLB All-Star Futures Game. In contrast, he was just 9-9 with a 4.04 ERA in Memphis, while he surrendered as many hits as a strikeout (123) in 124 2/3 innings.
The Cardinals signed Steven Matz before the lockout to cover their need for a left-handed pitching, but he may still need help at the back end of the rotation and off the bullpen. If the Liberatores prove themselves ready to step into one of those roles, the franchise could spend its free-agent dollars on DH Bopper instead of pitching relief when baseball fully resumes.
Jordan Walker (No. 3)
The 19-year-old Georgia slugger is still a year or more away from reaching Major League level, but that doesn’t mean he won’t have a lot of eyes this spring. At 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, Walker has the kind of raw power and athleticism that is already the saliva of MLB scouts. His undeniable talent and unusual “it” factor have already ranked him as the No. 3 third base prospect and the 57th overall prospect per MLB pipeline.
Walker, the 21st overall pick of the 2020 MLB Draft, certainly didn’t disappoint in his first season of Pro Ball. In 27 games at Low-A Palm Beach, Walker scored .374 runs, including six home runs, 11 doubles and 21 RBIs. He then scored .292, slugging .487 at High-A Peoria and eight other home runs in 226 at-bats.
Where Walker starts this season – with big league clubs in Springfield, Memphis or even St. Louis – will likely depend on how much development he shows this spring. Opinions differ on what their long-term defensive positions will be as their bodies mature and develop, but they may be best served by learning to play the outfield as Arenado and Goldschmidt will have more opportunities for the next few years. The two corner infield spots are closed.
Alec Burleson (No. 11) and Lucan Baker (No. 13)
One of these two power-hitting big men could emerge as a candidate to fill the DH role that could become universal in Major League Baseball once a labor agreement is reached between the owners and the Players Association. Burleson, the 70th pick of the 2020 MLB Draft, displayed such growth in his first pro season that he matriculated through three levels of the Cardinals’ farm system in ’21. In 119 games in Peoria, Springfield and Memphis, Burleson scored 22 home runs, scored 76 runs and scored .454.
Burleson, 23, has already been at Jupiter for several weeks working with Oquendo to become a more fluid and efficient outfielder. Burleson is also a capable first baseman and says he shifted his focus this season to taking better care of his body so that he can withstand the rigors of a long season.
Baker, a hulking 6-foot-4, 280-pound first baseman, scored 26 home runs and 68 runs in 91 games at Springfield—work that eventually earned him a two-game audition in Memphis. Injuries have been a major problem for Baker, who was the 75th overall pick of the 2018 MLB Draft. If Baker’s production begins to fulfill its potential this spring, he’ll likely start the season as a bat off the bench in Memphis or St.
Felix Taveras
What would a “players to watch” article be without at least one total wildcard player who could emerge as a surprise to the organization? Eventually, one of the greatest players in franchise history – Albert Pujols – came to Jupiter’s training camp in 2001 as a total wild card and played his part on the Major League Opening Day roster. The rest, of course, remain in the Cardinals’ lore and record books.
Taveras, who doesn’t turn 19 as of Tuesday, has set the Dominican Summer League on fire by playing little or no baseball over the past two seasons. The 6-foot-1, 186-pound Taveras hit .301, slugged .549, and the Dominican had .918 OPS in 39 games. He scored six home runs—two of them in a single game—and scored 30, and he also hit nine doubles and three triples.
Adding more intrigue to Taveras as a possibility, he stole seven of the nine bases. The power-hitting Taveras’ talent and skill to do everything the Cardinals are looking for in the franchise is still hungry for left-handed hits.
Can he become another wild card like Pujol? Who knows, and that’s why Cardinals fans would be wise to keep their eye on Taveras in the coming weeks.
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