All posts by Brian Walton

Brian Walton runs The Cardinal Nation, covering the St. Louis Cardinals and minor league system.

Cardinals Announce 2025 Spring Breakout Game Roster

photo: JJ Wetherholt (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

3/12 update

Fourth catcher Rainiel Rodriguez was taken off the roster in favor of Baez.


In their Friday, March 14 Spring Breakout showcase game against Miami Marlins prospects, the St. Louis Cardinals will deploy a roster of 27 players. Of them, 17 are members of The Cardinal Nation’s Top 50 prospects. Leading the way are no. 1 and no. 2 prospects, shortstop JJ Wetherholt and pitcher Quinn Mathews.

Pitchers (8) TCN rank Catchers (4) TCN rank
Osvaldo Berrios Leonardo Bernal #8
Tyler Bradt Ryan Campos #35
Angel Cuenca Jimmy Crooks #6
Luis Gastelum #31 Rainiel Rodriguez #34
Cooper Hjerpe #7
Quinn Mathews #2
Zack Showalter #17
Cade Winquest
Infielders (9) TCN rank Outfielders (6) TCN rank
Dakota Harris #50 Nathan Church
Brayden Jobert Chase Davis #10
Jonathan Mejia #25 Travis Honeyman #28
Yairo Padilla #38 Zach Levenson #27
Cesar Prieto #21 Yordalin Pena
Thomas Saggese #5 Jose Suarez
Miguel Villarroel
JJ Wetherholt #1
RJ Yeager

Notably missing are TCN’s no. 3 and no. 4 prospects, pitchers Tink Hence and Tekoah Roby. Both are coming off injury-interrupted 2024 campaigns but are currently in St. Louis’ camp.

Other Top 15 pitchers not included are all starters – Michael McGreevy (no. 9), Sem Robberse (12), Chen-Wei Lin (13), Gordon Graceffo (14) and Ian Bedell (15). McGreevy and Graceffo have already debuted with St. Louis, but so has infielder Thomas Saggese, who is on the Spring Breakout roster.

Mathews and Hjerpe (no. 7) are the cream of the pitching crop and as such are the likely starting candidates for the game. Very successful with Palm Beach in 2024, Luis Gastelum (no. 31) and Zack Showalter (no. 17) could be late inning options.

All four catchers are ranked prospects, while the very young outfield has just two players with any Double-A experience (Nathan Church and no. 10 prospect Chase Davis).

The manager will be Ryan Ludwick, assisted by bench coach Gary Kendall, the 2024 Kissell Award winner. Coaching first base will be Bernard Gilkey with Cardinals icon Jose Oquendo at a very familiar spot, third base.

The game will be televised in-market on Fan Duel Sports Midwest and out of market on MLB Network starting at 12:10 p.m. ET. I will be there in person to report on the action.


Now Available – 2025 Cardinals Prospect Guide

The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its eighth year. It includes 256 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of all-new player scouting reports. Order and download the PDF today or order your printed book copy to ship the next business day.

All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!

Order TCN’s 2025 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide


Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation

Cardinals Minor League Spring Training Camp Report – March 4-5, 2025


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Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com. Follow Brian and The Cardinal Nation on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.

© 2025 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Cardinals Minor League Spring Training Camp Report – March 4-5, 2025

After major and minor leaguers took Monday off, St. Louis Cardinals Spring Training Camp resumed on Tuesday, March 4. On Wednesday, the first Sim Game was held – with two full minor league lineups facing off. St. Louis’ Brendan Donovan had two hits. Noah Mendlinger plated two and Sammy Hernandez one.

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Cardinals Trim Eight from Spring Roster

photo: Alex Cornwell (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

After Sunday’s cuts, including five ranked prospects, 58 players remain in St. Louis’ spring camp.



St. Louis Cardinals release

The St. Louis Cardinals announced the team has reduced its Spring Training roster to 58 players today (Sunday, March 2), with eight players moving to minor league camp.

The team optioned left-handed pitcher Bailey Horn to the Memphis (AAA) roster, and re-assigned non-roster pitchers Ian Bedell, Alex Cornwell, Cooper Hjerpe, Quinn Mathews and Edwin Nuñez and catchers Sammy Hernandez and Carlos Linárez to minor league camp.

The Cardinals currently have 39 major league roster players and 19 non-roster invitees in camp.

Brian Walton’s notes

This is the second cut of the spring, following the reassignment of outfielder Chase Davis on Saturday. In addition to the 58 players still in big-league camp, the Minor League camp count increases to 143.

Five of the eight – Bedell (15), Hjerpe (7), Mathews (2), Nuñez (43) and Hernandez (20) – are members of The Cardinal Nation’s Top 50 Prospects for 2025.


For transaction and roster information

To see all players in the system by level and position plus every transaction all year ‘round, check out the always free Roster Matrix here at The Cardinal Nation, refreshed today.


Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation

Cardinals Spring Training Camp Report – February 27-28, 2025


Not yet a member?

Subscribe to The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.


Now Available – 2025 Cardinals Prospect Guide

The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its eighth year. It includes 256 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of all-new player scouting reports. Order your PDF or printed book today!

All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!

Order TCN’s 2025 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide

Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com. Follow Brian and The Cardinal Nation on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.

© 2025 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The Cardinal Nation 2025 Cardinals All Prospect Team

photo: Masyn Winn and Tink Hence (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The annual The Cardinal Nation St. Louis Cardinals All-Prospect Team is the top prospect at each position and includes 11 players – eight position players plus three pitchers – left and right-handed starters and a reliever. Six of the 11 spots have turned over with four-time top right-handed pitcher Tink Hence team captain. FREE article!



The next subject in our Top 50 St. Louis Cardinals Prospects for 2025 series is to recognize the organization’s best minor league prospects at each position. At the end, all Top 50 members are shown by their position groupings in an organizational prospect depth chart.

The selection process is very straightforward. We have already unveiled our Top 50 prospects in the system. Putting together this year’s All-Prospect Team is as simple as culling the top-ranked player at each position from that Top 50.

The annual The Cardinal Nation St. Louis Cardinals All-Prospect Team consists of 11 players – eight position players, including two corner outfielders, plus three pitchers – left and right-handed starters and a reliever.

Listed are each player’s ranking in the 2025 Top 50, age and highest level played in 2024.

The Cardinal Nation St. Louis Cardinals 2025 All-Prospect Team

All Prospect Team 2025 Player Rank Age 2024 Lvl
Catcher Jimmy Crooks 6 23 AA
First Base Josh Kross 48 21 A
Second Base Thomas Saggese * 5 22 MLB
Shortstop JJ Wetherholt 1 22 A
Third Base César Prieto 21 25 AAA
Corner Outfield Won-Bin Cho * 17 21 A+
Corner Outfield Chase Davis * 10 23 AA
Center field Victor Scott * 11 23 AAA
LH Starter Quinn Mathews 2 24 AAA
RH Starter Tink Hence C * 3 22 AA
LH Reliever none
RH Reliever Zack Showalter 16 20 A+

* returning member
C  unofficial captain

Coming into 2024, there was an unusually high level of turnover on our All-Prospect Team with nine new members. For 2025, the total has fallen to a more typical five.

With five new members, that means that six of the 11 are holdovers, denoted by an asterisk (*) above. With the graduation of shortstop Masyn Winn during 2024, that leaves right-handed starting pitcher Tink Hence as the only All-Prospect Team member remaining from either 2022 or 2023. Of course, both were part of the Cardinals’ exceptional 2020 draft class.

Back for his fourth year, as the senior member of the All-Prospect Team, Hence is the unofficial captain. He replaces Winn.

Tink Hence

The six new members of the team come from two different sources, including four homegrown Cardinals. From the wealth of prospects joining the organization via trade in July 2023 are infielder César Prieto and closer Zack Showalter.

Of the four homegrown prospects, two came from the 2024 Draft, shortstop JJ Wetherholt and first baseman Josh Kross. Earlier Cardinals draft picks are the battery of left-handed pitcher Quinn Mathews and catcher Jimmy Crooks, the organization’s top players in 2024.

Only one international free agent is among the 11 team members. Korean outfielder Won-Bin Cho is a repeater from 2024.

For the third time in the last four years, the left-handed reliever position is open, meaning there are no left-handed bullpenners in the 2025 Top 50.

TCN St. Louis Cardinals All-Prospect Teams – 2021 through 2024

All-Prospect Team members from the previous four seasons are included for comparison purposes.

2024 2023 2022 2021
C Leonardo Bernal Ivan Herrera Ivan Herrera Ivan Herrera
1B Chandler Redmond Luken Baker Juan Yepez Luken Baker
2B Thomas Saggese Anyelo Encarnacion Nolan Gorman Chandler Redmond
SS Masyn Winn Masyn Winn Masyn Winn Masyn Winn
3B Noah Mendlinger Samil De La Rosa Jordan Walker Nolan Gorman
COF Won-Bin Cho Jordan Walker Lars Nootbaar Jhon Torres
COF Chase Davis Alec Burleson Alec Burleson Dylan Carlson
CF Victor Scott Joshua Baez Joshua Baez Trejyn Fletcher
LHS Cooper Hjerpe Matthew Liberatore M. Liberatore M. Liberatore
RHS Tink Hence Tink Hence Michael McGreevy Johan Oviedo
LHR none Zack Thompson none none
RHR Edwin Nuñez Freddy Pacheco Tink Hence Junior Fernandez

The six players who left the 2024 All-Prospect Team departed in just two ways. Only one, Winn, graduated to the majors, the year after six All-Prospect Team members moved up.

The other five were simply passed by better prospects at their respective positions. At catcher, Crooks passed Leonardo Bernal, though the latter is still a Top 10 prospect. First baseman Chandler Redmond was replaced by Kross.

Mathews passed left-handed starter Cooper Hjerpe and reliever Showalter moved ahead of 2024 team member Edwin Nuñez.

César Prieto

Third base is a bit unique. 2024’s entrant, Noah Mendlinger, left the new Top 50. The only other ranked prospect for 2025 who played more third base than other positions in 2024 is Memphis’ Prieto. Due to the Triple-A roster construction this past season, the Redbirds needed the natural second baseman at the hot corner more often. So, for this All-Prospect Team only, Prieto is listed as the third baseman.

The streak of six new names at second base in the last six years prior to 2024 has been broken, with Thomas Saggese the repeater at the position. Again, a footnote of explanation is required. Though a natural second baseman, Saggese received more time at shortstop in 2024 with Memphis. This was more about broadening his defensive value as a utilityman.

Thomas Saggese

The new annual highest turnover position is third base with Prieto the fifth new choice in the last five years.

Other returnees from the 2024 All-Prospect Team along with Hence, Cho and Saggese are outfielders Victor Scott and Chase Davis.

Age and experience – 2021-2025

All-Prospect Team 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021
Average age 22.4 21.7 21.4 20.9 21.1
Average experience AA AA AA AA A+

At an average age of 22.4 years, the 2025 All-Prospect Team is our oldest group since 2018 (23.8). It is seven-tenths of a year older than the 2024 group and a year and a half older than the 2022 team (20.9).

This breaks a string of the last four All-Prospect Teams all averaging under 22 years of age after eight straight years of averaging older than 22.

Though this is nothing against them, the 25-year-old third baseman Prieto and the 24-year-old Mathews pulled up the All-Prospect Team average age for 2025. At the other end of the age spectrum is Showalter at 20 years of age.

Zack Showalter

The level of play reached by the average All-Prospect Team member is Double-A, same as last three years. However, the 2025 group is more experienced, right on the Double-A line, whereas the 2024 team was only ever so slightly above the High-A midpoint.

Depth at the full season levels is showing with the rookie ball teams both shut out of the All-Prospect Team for the second straight season.

Depth Chart (name/overall ranking)

Closing this installment of our analysis series is the 2025 Top 50 Prospect List oriented by position. Remember that the members of the All-Prospect Team are listed first in each position grouping. This provides a quick visual snapshot of system-wide balance at all positions across the system.

Pos # Prospect (Top 50 rank)
C 5 Jimmy Crooks (6) Leonardo Bernal (9) Sammy Hernandez (20)
Rainiel Rodriguez (34) Ryan Campos (35)
1B 1 Josh Kross (48)
2B 4 Thomas Saggese (5) César Prieto (21) Jonathan Mejia (25)
Dakota Harris (50)
SS 3 JJ Wetherholt (1) Yairo Padilla (38) Jeremy Rivas (44)
3B 0 (Prieto from 2B)
COF 7 Chase Davis (10) Won-Bin Cho (17) Zach Levenson (27)
Travis Honeyman (28) Matt Koperniak (29) Ian Petrutz (41)
Joshua Baez (32)
CF 1 Victor Scott (11)
LHS 7 Quinn Mathews (2) Cooper Hjerpe (7) Ixan Henderson (26)
Pete Hansen (36) Brycen Mautz (40) Drew Rom (45)
Jack Findlay (46)
RHS 14 Tink Hence (3) Tekoah Roby (4) Michael McGreevy (9)
Sem Robberse (12) Chen-Wei Lin (13) Gordon Graceffo (14)
Ian Bedell (15) Darlin Saladin (18) Max Rajcic (19)
Gerardo Salas (24) Brian Holiday (30) Andrew Dutkanych IV (33)
Keiverson Ramirez (37) Leonel Sequera (42)
LHR 0
RHR 7 Zack Showalter (16) Matt Svanson (23) Luis Gastelum (31)
Ryan Loutos (32) Andre Granillo (39) Edwin Nuñez (43)
Joseph King (49)
total 49

Generally, one can feel good about this Top 50 positional distribution. While the corner infield stands out as being under-represented, that is not a great concern. St. Louis already has backfill for them today with the ever-present possibility of moving other players to first base if needed later on.

The All-Prospect Team is a group of mostly elite prospects, ranked in the Top 20, with two exceptions.  Guess where? Yep, the two corner infielders, Kross and Prieto.

At the high end, six of the 11 Team members are in our Top 10, with the other three at 11th, 16th, and 17th.

Depth is not great up the middle and at the corner infielders. Though shortstop has just one prospect above no. 38, Winn is young and well-established with St. Louis.

Victor Scott

However, center field is a major concern. As discussed in an earlier article in this series, it could be argued that due to his MLB service time, Scott is no longer a prospect. Other ranked outfielders may have some experience in center but are likely not MLB-starter quality there. The Cardinals need a center fielder now as well as a future pipeline for the position.

Starting pitching depth remains strong in number with five in the Top 10 and nine in the Top 15. However, nagging injury concerns plague too many of them for comfort.

Quinn Mathews

Thanks to the 2024 emergence of Mathews, the left-handers are well represented near the top. The Cardinals’ first three draft picks of 2022, Cooper Hjerpe, Brycen Mautz and Pete Hansen, are still ranked but are not trending upward, however.

For more

As always, our top prospect lists and associated analysis articles from each of the last 19 years can be accessed via “PROSPECT RANKINGS” permanently displayed on the red menu bar on the left side of The Cardinal Nation homepage, just underneath the site logo.

To reference our entire list of Top 50 Cardinals prospects for 2025 and read about each individual player, see the article below.

50 Days, 50 Nights, 50 St. Louis Cardinals Prospects for 2025


Next up

In upcoming articles in this series, we dig into the top prospects by level of play and their expected MLB debuts as well as taking a different look at the Top 50 – based on potential only. Also coming are the players who just missed the personal Top 50s of Brian Walton and Blake Newberry, plus their 2025 deep sleeper picks.

As always, join the daily discussion about each article at The Cardinal Nation’s message boards.


Now Available – 2025 Cardinals Prospect Guide

The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its eighth year. It includes 256 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of all-new player scouting reports. Order your PDF or printed book copy today!

All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!

Order TCN’s 2025 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide


Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation

2025 Top St. Louis Cardinals Prospects – 2024 Picks and Pans


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If you enjoyed this article, please consider joining The Cardinal Nation to receive the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.

Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com. Follow Brian and The Cardinal Nation on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.

© 2025 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Gary Kendall Named 2024 Cardinals George Kissell Award Winner

photo: Travis Honeyman, Gary Kendall, Bernard Gilkey (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Gary Kendall has managed at all levels of the minor leagues, but he especially enjoys the challenge presented at Class-A, where teaching remains an important part of the job. The 61-year-old often notes the three phases of each season in terms of roster makeup.

Gary Kendall (BRian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The initial team coming out of spring training evolves frequently as players are promoted upward due to needs at any of the four levels above. Their replacements are usually far less experienced players from rookie ball. Then, in July, the roster to close the season receives a major influx of recent college draftees, mostly hitters.

During 2024, this meant Kendall managed 59 different players with Palm Beach. The Cardinals never missed a step on the way to winning both halves of the regular season and the Florida State League Championship in dominating and record-breaking fashion.

I don’t need to repeat all his accomplishments as The Cardinal Nation previously named Kendall as our system-wide Manager of the Year.

TCN’s 2024 Cardinals Minor League Manager of the Year

On the first evening of Minor League Spring Training Camp, the Cardinals announced Kendall as the recipient of the 2024 George Kissell Award for player development excellence. He is the 30th winner of the honors since 1995 and second Palm Beach manager ever selected.

Bravo to Mr. Kendall!

The George Kissell Award

George Kissell

The Kissell Award is the top recognition any member of the player development organization could receive and remains an annual reminder of the importance of George Kissell to generations of Cardinals.

Through his teaching, Kissell essentially wrote the book that was later labeled “The Cardinal Way” as a player, manager and teaching leader of the organization from 1940 until he passed away in the fall of 2008 due to injuries suffered in an automobile accident.

The Cardinals recognized Kissell’s importance long before his untimely passing, first establishing the Award in 1995 to recognize a member of the organizational staff for excellence in player development. In the most appropriate nod, Kissell himself received the first Award.

The winner is chosen through voting by the Cardinals minor league field staff, with the peer recognition making it especially meaningful.

More about George

Among Kissell’s many other honors is a plaque outside the Cardinals Jupiter clubhouse highlighting his numerous accomplishments as well as the naming of the team’s minor league quad in his honor.

The inscription on the plaque says it all.

“Every player in the Cardinal organization since 1940 has had contact with George Kissell and they all have been better for it. One of the most respected people in the game of baseball at any level, George has worked in all areas of the Cardinals’ baseball operations. He was a scout, minor league manager, major league coach, and, as senior field coordinator for player development, he has coordinated the team’s minor league affiliates.

“Well known for his emphasis on fundamentals, George taught several generations of Redbirds how to play baseball. In recognition of his teaching excellence and personal example, the George Kissell Award is presented annually to the Cardinals outstanding player development staff person.

“George Kissell is one of the true foundations of the Cardinals tradition.”

Though Kissell was not eligible in the fan voting for Modern Era players to the Cardinals Hall of Fame, he was chosen as an “owner’s selection” and entered the Hall in 2015.

In ongoing honor of his teaching impact of generations of players, the Cardinals dedicated their four primary minor league fields in Jupiter as the George Kissell Quad.

George Kissell Quad (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

George Kissell Award winners

Two-time Kissell Award honorees include Steve Turco, Chris Maloney and Mark DeJohn, none of whom remain in the organization.

Turco is now retired but was a long-time manager and scout. Maloney was formerly St. Louis’ third-base coach and DeJohn retired five years ago as the organization’s minor league field coordinator.

Six members of the current Cardinals staff are prior Kissell Award winners, down by one from last year due to the retirement of 20xx honoree Gary LaRocque.

The six are Fundamentals Coordinator Jose Oquendo, Pitching Analyst Tim Leveque, St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol, Cardinals first base coach Stubby Clapp, Cards third base coach Ron “Pop” Warner and 2023 winner, Minor League Equipment Coordinator Dave Vonderhaar.

Kissell winners
2024 Gary Kendall PB manager 2009 Chris Maloney Memphis manager
2023 Dave Vonderhaar Minors Equip. Mgr. 2008 Mark DeJohn Batavia manager
2022 Jose Oquendo Fundamentals Coord 2007 Dan Radison Minors hitting instr.
2021 Tim Leveque Pitching Analyst 2006 Chris Maloney Springfield manager
Robert Butler Dir of Performance 2005 Ron “Pop” Warner Palm Beach mgr.
2020 no season 2004 Blaise Ilsley Tenn. pitching coach
2019 Tony Ferreira Player Dev. mgr. 2003 Mark DeJohn Tenn. manager
2018 Gary LaRocque Player Dev. director 2002 Danny Sheaffer Peoria manager
2017 Stubby Clapp Memphis manager 2001 Dyar Miller Mem. pitching coach
2016 Steve Turco Gulf Coast Lg. mgr. 2000 Gaylen Pitts Memphis manager
2015 Randy Niemann PB pitching coach 1999 Mark Riggins Minors pitching coord.
2014 Derrick May Minors hitting coord. 1998 Joe Pettini Minors field coord.
2013 Oliver Marmol State College mgr. 1997 Mark O’Neal Mem. athletic trainer
2012 Bryan Eversgerd Sgf. pitching coach 1996 Bo Milliken Minors pitching instr.
2011 Steve Turco Gulf Coast Lg. mgr. 1995 George Kissell Senior field coord.
2010 Mike Shildt Johnson City mgr.
Bold: currently in org.

Now Available – 2025 Cardinals Prospect Guide

The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its eighth year. It includes 256 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of all-new player scouting reports. Order and download the PDF today or order your printed book copy to ship the next business day.

All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!

Order TCN’s 2025 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide


Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation

Deep Dive into 2025 Cardinals Minors Spring Camp Roster


Not yet a member?

Subscribe to The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.

Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com. Follow Brian and The Cardinal Nation on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.

© 2025 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

St. Louis Cardinals Organization Roster Matrix – 2025 Spring Training

NOTE: As of 3/28/25, this version of the roster matrix is no longer current. It reflects changes during 2025 spring training. It should now be considered a historical reference document. For the current roster matrix for the 2025 regular season, click here.



This newest Roster Matrix covers the St. Louis Cardinals and the entire minor league system, including the MLB club and their four full-season affiliates plus two rookie level teams – during 2025 spring training.

As a reminder, the previous matrix outlined all organizational transactions during the 2024-2025 off-season.

A refresher

If you are new to The Cardinal Nation and not familiar with the Cardinals organization roster matrix, here is quick summary:

As 2025 spring camps opened, the St. Louis Cardinals had 236 players under contract from top to bottom, including a full 40-man roster. The 40-man members are called out in bold.

The matrix places each of the 236 at his assigned level in the system as well as by position.

This version is a bit different from prior ones, however. There are three major groupings. 67 players began in St. Louis’ camp. They are listed first and oriented by the levels at which they finished 2024. The 27 spring camp non-roster invitees are denoted by (NRI).

The next group is the 134 players who began in Minor League Camp. They, too, are listed by their 2024 team. This includes 14 new arrivals from the Dominican Republic academy. As a result, some team rosters are split into those in big league camp and those who are not.

The final grouping of the three are the 35 players remaining in the Dominican.

The matrix is updated whenever transactions occur.

Nowhere else will you find this current and comprehensive single-page view of the entire Cardinals organization plus a decade of history.

(Do not be concerned about the order of the players’ names within position. It has no relative significance.)

Looking ahead and back

Now that you’ve found this page once, remember one of three ways to get back here. Bookmark the page, type “Roster Matrix” in the dark blue search box at the upper right (click on the magnifying glass icon) or use the menu at the left of the page: “ROSTERS/PLAYERS/MOVES” > “TRANSACTIONS/ROSTER MATRIX”.

While you are using that menu, note TCN’s full rosters and player pages for every level and every player in the Cardinals system. These rosters remain in sync with the Roster Matrix and carry biographical information on all players.

St. Louis Cardinals
Memphis Redbirds
Springfield Cardinals
Peoria Chiefs
Palm Beach Cardinals
Florida Complex League Cardinals
Dominican Summer League Cardinals

For details behind prior years’ rosters and transactions (back to 2009), check out the earlier versions of the Cardinals organization Roster Matrix, via the following link.

Link to previous matrices

Transactions

2/28: New matrix. Organization total: 236 players. 40-man roster full. MLB Camp 40 plus 27 NRI. Minors Camp 134 players.

3/1: NRI OF Chase Davis reassigned to minors camp.  MLB Camp 40 plus 26 NRI. Minors Camp 135 players.

3/2: 8 Cuts from StL Camp. RHP Bailey Horn optioned to Mem.
Ps Ian Bedell, Alex Cornwell, Cooper Hjerpe, Quinn Mathews,
Edwin Nuñez, C’s Sammy Hernandez, Carlos Linárez
reassigned to Minors camp. MLB Camp 39 plus 19 NRI. Minors Camp 143 players.

3/5: NRI RHS Max Rajcic reassigned to minors camp. MLB Camp 39 plus 18 NRI. Minors Camp 144 players.

3/7: RHS Tink Hence, RHS Sem Robberse, RHR Matt Svanson optioned to minors camp. MLB Camp 36 plus 18 NRI. Minors Camp 147 players.

3/9: NRIs C Jimmy Crooks, C Leonard Bernal, SS Jeremy Rivas, 2B Bryan Torres reassigned to minors camp. C Yohel Pozo added to St. Louis camp as an NRI. MLB Camp 36 plus 15 NRI. Minors Camp 150 players.

3/12: NRI LHP Oddanier Mosqueda, SS JJ Wetherholt re-assigned to minor league camp. MLB Camp 36 plus 13 NRI. Minors Camp 152 players.

3/12: RHS Tekoah Roby optioned to the minors. MLB Camp 35 plus 13 NRI. Minors Camp 153 players.

3/13: FA RHR Phil Maton signed. Mem LHP Bailey Horn DFAed. New organization total: 237 players. 40-man roster full. MLB Camp 36 plus 13 NRI. Minors Camp 153 players.

3/13: DFAed LHP Bailey Horn contract sold to Det. RHPs Gordon Graceffo, Ryan Loutos optioned to the minors. MLB Camp 34 plus 13 NRI. Minors Camp 154 players. New organization total: 236 players. 40-man roster full.

3/14: RHP Roddery Munoz optioned to Minors Camp. MLB Camp 33 plus 13 NRI. Minors Camp 155 players.

3/7 (retro): International LHP Hendrick Cana signed to minors
contract, assigned to DSL. New organization total: 237 players.

3/15: RHR Riley O’Brien optioned to Minors Camp.
MLB Camp 32 plus 13 NRI. Minors Camp 156 players.

3/x: LHP Drew Rom reassigned to the minor leagues
MLB Camp 32 plus 12 NRI. Minors Camp 157 players.

3/16: IF Michael Helman, IF Thomas Saggese, OF Matt
Koperniak optioned to minors. 10 NRIs reassigned to minors:
Ps Michael Gomez, Andre Granillo; Cs Gavin Collins, Wade Stauss,
Chance Sisco and Yohel Pozo; IFs Cesar Prieto and RJ Yeager;
OFs Nathan Church and Ryan Vilade. MLB Camp 29 plus 2 NRI. Minors Camp 170 players.

3/18: NRI RHR Nick Anderson reassigned to minors camp. MLB Camp 29 plus 1 NRI. Minors Camp 171 players.

3/19: Mem C Chance Sisco, 1B Chandler Redmond released.
Minors camp 169 players. New organization total: 235 players.

3/23: RHS Michael McGreevy, IF Jose Fermin optioned to Mem.
NRI IF Jose Barrero reassigned to minors camp. LHP Zack Thompson to 15-day IL (effective 3/24). MLB camp 26 players. Minors camp: 172 players.

3/26: RHP Sean Harney acquired from NYM, assigned to Spr.
OFs Chris Rotondo (Spr) and Kade Kretzschmar (Peo) released.
1Bs William Sullivan (FCL) and Ross Friedrick (PB) released.
2B Adari Grant (FCL) released. New organization total: 231 players. Minors camp: 170 players.

The St. Louis Cardinals Organization Roster Matrix (effective 3/26/25)

STL Camp (26)
St. Louis (26+1) 40-man (40)
SP RP C 1B 2B SS 3B OF
Gray Matz (L) I Herrera W Contreras Donovan Winn Arenado Nootbaar
Fedde Helsley Pages  L Baker Gorman Scott
Pallante Romero (L) Burleson  Walker
Mikolas John King (L) Siani
Liberatore (L) Maton
Fernandez 
Roycroft
Leahy
Z Thompson (L 15 IL)
Memphis (0)
SP RP C 1B 2B SS 3B OF
Springfield (0)
SP RP C 1B 2B SS 3B OF
Palm Beach (0)
SP RP C 1B 2B SS 3B OF
Minors Camp (173)
Memphis (31)
SP RP C 1B 2B SS 3B OF
Bedell (NRI) Naughton (L) Collins  (NRI) Saggese (opt) Barrero (NRI) R Mendoza Antico
Mathews (L NRI) Raquet (L) Pozo (NRI) Prieto  (NRI) Koperniak (opt)
Robberse (opt) V Santos Stauss  (NRI) Fermin (opt) Helman (opt)
Graceffo (opt) Weiss Vilade (NRI)
Munoz (opt) Kaminsky (L)
Rom (L NRI) Taylor
McGreevy (opt) Loutos (opt)
Mosqueda (L NRI)
O’Brien (opt)
M Gomez (NRI)
Granillo (NRI)
N Anderson (NRI)
Springfield (28)
SP RP C 1B 2B SS 3B OF
Cornwell (L NRI) Marrero Linarez (NRI) Yeager (NRI) Harris Moore Buchberger Lloyd
Hjerpe (L NRI) N Heredia (L) S Hernandez (NRI) Torres (NRI) J Rivas (NRI) Mendlinger Church (NRI)
Rajcic (NRI) Shreve Crooks (NRI) C Davis (NRI)
Hence (opt) L Taveras Bernal (NRI)
Roby (opt) Mills
Ralston
E Nunez (NRI)
Svanson (opt)
Harney
Peoria (28)
SP RP C 1B 2B SS 3B OF
Saladin Arias Tarlow Richardson Villarroel Curialle Moquete
Paniagua D Rodriguez Adkison Paige Salazar Levenson
Hansen (L) Hayes Ugueto
Rincon Berrios Jobert
Mautz (L) Bradt Cho
Henderson (L) Jacobson Kretzschmar
A Gonzalez
J Ramirez
Day
Palm Beach (28)
SP RP C 1B 2B SS 3B OF
Savacool Gastelum Caraballo Kross A Encarnacion Gazdar McGee Jo Cordoba
Lin Cuenca Ma Hernandez Martin J Suarez
Davila Sparks Campos Wetherholt (NRI) Jo Baez
G Salas Willis Madron
Sequera Watson (L) Petrutz
Showalter
Kublick
Clemente
Carpenter
FL Complex (40)
P (returning) P (returning) C 1B 2B SS 3B OF
Menes M Martinez C Lopez Y Guerrero R Cabrera
Odle Fabian Loaiza Mejia Y Ramos
Love B Lopez LA Rodriguez Pino
Winquest Cuello Honeyman
Jos King A Holiday
Ynfante
(1st year 2024) (from 2023 DSL) (1st year 2024) (from 2023 DSL) (from 2023 DSL)
Harrison Severino Ra Rodriguez A Batista Ortiz Y Pena
Worley Y Herrera (L)
B Holiday Oliver
B Davis (L) Y Batista (L)
Dutkanych Galvez
Findlay (L)
Burns
Brodersen (from 2024 DSL)
B Thompson K Ramirez
Rice (L)
2024 DSL in FL (14)
P P C 1B 2B SS 3B OF
Mack (L) A Bolivar Asprilla B Taveras Junco D Rojas Arthur
G Vargas Moran Padilla Almonte
Reyes J Hernandez Velasquez
DSL (35+1)
P (2022/prior) P (1st year 2023) C 1B 2B SS 3B OF
Paulino
E Carrera
R Lopez
P (first year 2024) G  Martinez
Correa Ja Baez
Franco X Cruz
Chinchilla K Perez (SL)
J Garcia
Ry Rodriguez (first year 2024) (first year 2024) (first year 2024) (first year 2024)
Zulueta JP Cabrera Saez Lebron Amoroso
Guribe Lucena
P (first year 2025) (first year 2025) (first year 2025) (first year 2025) (first year 2025) (first year 2025) (first year 2025)
Olivero Chaparro J Perez Dos Santos Cordero Hunter
JE Cabrera Rujano B Rodriguez Mi Hernandez Y Pena
JC Garcia Portolatin Strop
D Gomez Valdez
Cana

Codes
(NRI): non-roster invitee to MLB camp
(NRI): non-roster invitee to MLB camp reassigned to minor league camp
(opt): 40-man player optioned to minor league camp
(DFA): designated for assignment
(TI): temporarily inactive list
(PL): paternity leave
(RL): restricted list
(L): left-handed pitcher
bold: on the Cardinals’ 40-man roster
(#+#): for teams, the number of active players on the roster plus number of inactive/not under contract (IL+TI+PL+RL) players


For more information

Join The Cardinal Nation and check out my in-depth analysis of the Camp roster, exclusively for subscribers.

Also catch my daily photos and commentary from the back fields of Jupiter, offering more depth on the Cardinals minor leagues than any other media source!



Now Available – 2025 Cardinals Prospect Guide

The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its eighth year. It includes 256 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of all-new player scouting reports. Order and download the PDF today or order your printed book copy to ship the next business day.

All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!

Order TCN’s 2025 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide


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Deep Dive into 2025 Cardinals Minors Spring Camp Roster


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Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com. Follow Brian and The Cardinal Nation on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.

© 2025 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Cardinals Invite 134 to 2025 Minor League Spring Training Camp

photo: New arrivals in minor league camp (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

St. Louis Cardinals 2025 Minor League Camp, the first under new leadership including Chaim Bloom and Rob Cerfolio, opened on Thursday, February 27 with 134 players. This includes the 53 players carrying over from the now-completed STEP Camp plus 81 new arrivals in Jupiter, Florida.

As a clarification, the 134 is over and above the 67 players (40 40-man players plus 27 non-roster invitees) currently with St. Louis. Of course, as the Cardinals narrow their spring roster down to the 26 who will open the regular season in the majors, the remainder of approximately 41 players will join Minor League Camp over the next month.

The 134 opening in Minor League Camp includes every player who is assigned to a US-based roster (and not already with St. Louis) plus 13 new arrivals from the Dominican Summer League.

Those familiar with The Cardinal Nation’s always free Roster Matrix will recognize the format that follows. I presented the names this way because it is easier to consume than lists of 134 names by position group. (However, if you want a position view, just go vertical on the columns in the table.)

It is also how I cross-checked my rosters with the organization’s. This way, I can certify that everyone is accounted for. In other words, there have been no recent unreported releases or signings.

As a refresher, names are listed on the roster/level at which they ended 2024. It is no reflection of where these players may open the 2025 regular season. Also, the sequence of names within a position on a given roster is random. Read no significance into it!

Memphis (10)
SP RP C 1B 2B SS 3B OF
Naughton (L) Pozo Redmond R Mendoza Antico
Raquet (L)
V Santos
Weiss
Kaminsky (L)
Taylor
Springfield (12)
SP RP C 1B 2B SS 3B OF
Marrero Harris Moore Buchberger Lloyd
N Heredia (L) Mendlinger Rotondo
Shreve
L Taveras
Mills
Ralston
Peoria (28)
SP RP C 1B 2B SS 3B OF
Saladin Arias Tarlow Richardson Villarroel Curialle Moquete
Paniagua D Rodriguez Adkison Paige Salazar Levenson
Hansen (L) Hayes Ugueto
Rincon Berrios Jobert
Mautz (L) Bradt Cho
Henderson (L) Jacobson Kretzschmar
A Gonzalez
J Ramirez
Day
Palm Beach (28)
SP RP C 1B 2B SS 3B OF
Savacool Gastelum Caraballo Friedrick A Encarnacion Martin McGee Jo Cordoba
Lin Cuenca Ma Hernandez Kross Gazdar J Suarez
Davila Sparks Campos Jo Baez
G Salas Willis Madron
Sequera Watson (L) Petrutz
Showalter
Kublick
Clemente
Carpenter
FL Complex (42)
P (2023 or earlier) P (2023 or earlier) C 1B 2B SS 3B OF
Menes M Martinez C Lopez Sullivan Y Guerrero R Cabrera
Odle Fabian Loaiza Mejia Y Ramos
Love B Lopez LA Rodriguez Grant Pino
Winquest Cuello Honeyman
Jos King A Holiday
Ynfante
(1st year 2024) (from 2023 DSL) (1st year 2024 – from DSL) (from 2023 DSL) (DNP 2024) (from 2023 DSL)
Harrison Severino Ra Rodriguez A Batista Ortiz Y Pena
Worley Y Herrera (L)
B Holiday Oliver
B Davis (L) Y Batista (L)
Dutkanych Galvez
Findlay (L)
Burns
Brodersen (from 2024 DSL)
B Thompson K Ramirez
Rice (L)
DSL (14)
P P C 1B 2B SS 3B OF
Mack (L) A Bolivar Asprilla B Taveras Junco D Rojas Arthur
G Vargas Moran Padilla Almonte
Reyes J Hernandez Velasquez

Here is the one-page view for those with excellent eyesight (and if you  want uniform numbers)!

Minors ST roster 2025


For more information

Join The Cardinal Nation and check out my in-depth analysis of the Camp roster, exclusively for subscribers.

Also catch my daily photos and commentary from the back fields of Jupiter, offering more depth on the Cardinals minor leagues than any other media source!


Now Available – 2025 Cardinals Prospect Guide

The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its eighth year. It includes 256 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of all-new player scouting reports. Order and download the PDF today or order your printed book copy to ship the next business day.

All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!

Order TCN’s 2025 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide


Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation

Deep Dive into 2025 Cardinals Minors Spring Camp Roster

Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com. Follow Brian and The Cardinal Nation on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.

© 2025 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.