photo: Jordan Walker, Masyn Winn and Tink Hence (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
Update 1/20/23
Make that 23 non-roster invitees!
We have signed C Tres Barrera to a minor league contract for 2023 with a non-roster invite to Spring Training.
Barrera, 28, has appeared in 51 career games with Washington since making his MLB debut in 2019. He has been assigned uniform no. 63. pic.twitter.com/632UOtshPQ
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) January 20, 2023
… and here is no. 24…
We have signed LHP Andrew Suárez to a minor league contract for 2023 with a non-roster invite to Spring Training.
Suárez, 30, pitched in 56 games with San Francisco from 2018-20 and was named a KBO (Korea) All-Star in 2021. He has been assigned uniform no. 31. pic.twitter.com/OokEPsYjwG
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) January 27, 2023
St. Louis Cardinals release
The St. Louis Cardinals announced their non-roster invitees to 2023 Spring Training camp today. Highlighting the list of 22 non-roster players to report to Jupiter the second week of February will include current and former Cardinals draft picks, including several top prospects.
First round draft picks Jordan Walker (2020) and Michael McGreevy (2021) join second round selections Luken Baker (2018), Tink Hence (2020) and Masyn Winn (2020). Hence, Walker and Winn represent the youngest players in the group of invitees at 20-years old.
Thirteen of the players were former St. Louis Cardinals draft picks including infielder Kramer Robertson and outfielder Óscar Mercado, who are returning to the Cardinals after playing with other organizations.
Below is a positional list of players:
PITCHERS (8): Gordon Graceffo (RHP), Tink Hence (RHP), Kyle Leahy (RHP), Ryan Loutos (RHP), Michael McGreevy (RHP), Tommy Parsons (RHP), Dalton Roach (RHP), Kodi Whitley (RHP);
CATCHERS (6): José Alvarez, Aaron Antonini, Jimmy Crooks II, Pedro Pages, Nick Raposo, Wade Stauss;
INFIELDERS (6): Luken Baker, Taylor Motter, Juniel Querecuto, Jeremy Rivas, Kramer Robertson, Masyn Winn;
OUTFIELDERS (2): Óscar Mercado, Jordan Walker.
Cardinals pitchers and catchers will hold their first practice at the Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium complex on February 15 with position player’s first practice on February 20. Players competing in the World Baseball Classic will begin reporting to Jupiter on February 13.
Brian Walton’s take
The list includes 10 of The Cardinal Nation’s Top 50 prospects for 2023, headlined by the Top 5.
- Jordan Walker 1
- Masyn Winn 2
- Tink Hence 3
- Gordon Graceffo 4
- Michael McGreevy 5
- Jimmy Crooks 22
- Pedro Pages 33
- Luken Baker 34
- Jeremy Rivas 38
- Ryan Loutos 40
And prospects no. 6 through 9 are already on the 40-man roster:
- Alec Burleson 6
- Ivan Herrera 7
- Matthew Liberatore 8
- Zack Thompson 9
Also of note is the unusual addition of two Low-A players in pitcher Tink Hence and shortstop Jeremy Rivas. While neither has a chance of making the team this spring, the invitations themselves tell us how highly the organization thinks of them.
In terms of long shots, keep your eye on center fielder Oscar Mercado. In his remarks at Winter Warm-Up, manager Oscar Marmol was highly complimentary about the defensive skills of the former Cardinals prospect. One could argue the team as currently constructed does not have a true center fielder.
For more
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.
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