Cardinals Announce Spring Roster Reduced to 31
CARDINALS ANNOUNCE SPRING ROSTER REDUCTIONS
31 PLAYERS REMAIN IN MAJOR LEAGUE CAMP
JUPITER, Fla., March 16, 2025 – The St. Louis Cardinals announced this afternoon that the team has reduced its Spring Training roster to 31 players, with 13 players moving to minor league camp.
Following this afternoon’s game, the Cardinals optioned infielders Michael Helman and Thomas Saggese and outfielder Matt Koperniak to the Memphis (AAA) roster.
The team re-assigned non-roster pitchers Michael Gomez and Andre Granillo, catchers Gavin Collins, Wade Stauss, Chance Sisco and Yohel Pozo, infielders César Prieto and R.J. Yeager and outfielders Nathan Church and Ryan Vilade to minor league camp.
The Cardinals currently have 29 Major League roster players and two non-roster invitees remaining in the team’s Major League Spring Training camp.
— STL —
The 31 players in camp are:
Pitchers (16): Nick Anderson, Erick Fedde, Ryan Fernandez, Sonny Gray, Ryan Helsley, John King*, Kyle Leahy, Matthew Liberatore*, Phil Maton, Steven Matz*, Michael McGreevy, Miles Mikolas, Andre Pallante, JoJo Romero*, Chris Roycroft, Zack Thompson*
Catchers (2): Ivan Herrera, Pedro Pages
Infielders (9): Nolan Arenado, Luken Baker, Jose Barrero, Alec Burleson, Willson Contreras, Brendan Donovan, Jose Fermin, Nolan Gorman, Masyn Winn
Outfielders (4): Lars Nootbaar, Michael Siani, Victor Scott II, Jordan Walker
*Left-handed pitchers
Anderson and Barrero are the non-roster players still in camp; I’m expecting Anderson will be cut. Barrero and Fermin are interchangeable, so Fermin has a slight advantage already being on the 40-man; that said, Barrero has had the better camp. One of the 2 will make the roster since they are the only backup shortstops in camp right now (Donovan could play it in a pinch, but they’ll want someone else). That’s 29 players for 26 spots.
The team can carry 13 pitchers, so there are 2 demotions. I believe the 6 in the rotation battle (Fedde, Gray, Matz, McGreevy, Mikolas, Pallante) all make the roster. That leaves the relievers, and the guys with options are Fernandez, King, Leahy, Liberatore, Roycroft, and Thompson (I believe, don’t quote me). Thompson goes down to start; they committed to that last year and I think (hope) they continue to allow that. The last spot will come down to Leahy and Roycroft, and I believe they keep Roycroft.
They’ll need to demote a fielder, and I believe the 2 candidates are Baker and Scott II. Baker is redundant on the roster with Burleson and Contreras ahead of him on the depth chart at first base; his saving grace is the power he brings off the bench and he really has nothing to prove. Scott II is having an amazing spring and it would be a shame to send him down when he’s a better version of Siani. I think Baker ends up going down.
There is also the option of Gorman being demoted, but I don’t think the Cardinals want that; they want him to play as much as possible to see if he’s still a part of their long-term plans. Same with Burleson.
As far as the roster moves they made, all 3 players optioned will see time in the Majors this year. Saggese will be the first guy up if there are injuries or struggles; he’s in the long-term plans, but the lack of Arenado trade prevented him from cracking the roster. Helman is more of short-term play for the team, really just MLB-caliber depth; he’ll be the guy to replace Saggese if/when he’s struggles, if/when he’s promoted. Koperniak comes off as a guy that’s going to stagnate at Triple A, but they don’t really have a spot for him, unless there is a long-term injury (Nootbaar maybe?).
Prieto is the only re-assigned player that is of real note; he could be the utility man of the future when they are ready to move on from Fermin/Barrero after the season.
