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If the Cards carry 13 position players, that means with the DH in effect there will be 4 guys on the bench each game. If the Cards build the roster in a conventional fashion, that means there will be 2 catchers, 6 infielders, and 5 outfielders. 12 of those slots are probably already set with Contreras, Herrera, Goldy, Arenado, Winn, Gorman, Donovan, Walker, Nootbaar, Edman, Carlson, and Burleson. If you slot Burleson as an outfielder, then the open slot is a 6th infielder. Since Saggese is probably at least a few playing months away, the candidates are Prieto, Young, and Kennedy. Here are their minor league slash lines for 2023 –
Prieto – .323/.367/.466/.813
Young – .310/.417/.557/.995
Kennedy – .308/.432/.455/.887Prieto’s 24, Kennedy 25, and Young 28. Kennedy and Young both had cups of coffee at the major league level last season. Young hammered 21 home runs in only 376 plate appearance at AAA.
Does anyone know their defensive capabilities? Any overall thoughts on these 3?
I think having two IF/OF super subs, one of whom is not going to be employed covering a position, gives Mo the flexibility to not stick to a strick traditional roster layout. I don’t know what will happen, but I just don’t think a certain breakout is a lock.
All 3 seem to be talented ball players. Prieto is especially intriguing to me because he bats from the left side and has
only a 9.6% strike out rate. That would give you 2 right handed bats and 2 left handed bats off the bench, recognizing that bench bats aren’t as important as they used to be because of the DH. Still…..
Prieto also has experience playing 3 IF positions – 2B, SS, and 3B.Fermin, Young, and Kennedy have 40 man spots so they would have the advantage over Prieto unless he has a monster spring.
Young is not a middle infielder and what few games he played there back in 2017 were at second, which is already well covered. Prieto did not impress with Memphis and seems to need more time. Also as mentioned, he is not on the roster. So others already on the roster should get a chance before him.
That leaves Fermin and Kennedy. Kennedy has never played SS which is the greatest need. By process of elimination, Fermin may be the last man standing.
Compare Fermin to the other candidates.
In 2023 (across 3 minor league levels) he slashed – .214/.333/.427/.761
Why is he even on the 40 man?
Because this isn’t fantasy baseball. Both offense and defense matter.
Of course, they could still sign a veteran infielder with SS experience on a low dollar deal. It wouldn’t surprise me.
they could still sign a veteran infielder with SS experience on a low dollar deal
FA or trade. It seems like the kind of thing that happens during ST.
Gorman
Donovan
Winn
Edman
Saggese
Prieto
Young
Kennedy
Fermin
DunnDon’t we have enough middle infielders? A number of whom can play SS in a pinch?
They have a ton of second basemen. But I suggest you check and see how many of those have EVER played SS, let alone have credible experience there. And just because a second baseman played a few games there in the minors doesn’t make him a viable MLB SS. Organizations play prospects at the most valuable positions they can handle. For example, Nick Dunn has played a total of four innings at SS in five years as a pro. OPS is nice, but SS is the most important position on the infield and most difficult to play.
If they are committed to Edman in CF, they may need more at SS than Winn. I get why Fermin doesn’t impress, but they don’t have many other clear bench options.
Winn, Edman, and Fermin are our only realistic SS options as the roster is currently constructed. Paul DeJong signed with the White Sox for $1.75M and that deal would have actually made sense for the Cardinals but the front office correctly determied that a reunion didn’t make sense based on his history here but I am sure there are many other veteran backup SS types who could be had on the cheap.
Masyn Winn could make this discussion a moot point if he hits well enough but that is TBD. But even then they will need a backup SS. Are they going to shuttle Edman back and forth? I am sure that is the plan but I think we all recognize that we need more defensive stability instead of the constant moving people around.
GC, how about adding some supporting information to try to help others understand where you are coming from? It is hard to take the one line posts seriously.
gscottar, I agree with you but I will ask at WWU next weekend what the backup SS plan is. After the decline in defense, I am less sure their plan is for multiple guys to be moving around and specifically for Edman to be backup SS. But I will see what they say. Of course, even if their real plan is to add a bargain guy later, they aren’t going to say it.
Mo likely doesn’t block Winn with Jorge Mateo, but Nicky Lopez and Santiago Espinal should be targets. Both have 2 seasons control and 2.7mil arb salaries.
Most of this was already said. Prieto did not impress with Memphis and didn’t get a call late in the year when Lopez and Querecuto were promoted ahead of him. He certainly has a chance in the spring assuming he gets an non-roster camp invitation, but the lack of a roster spot works against him. He would have to play really well to force his way in. Not impossible, but not all that likely either, IMO. I think Winn will get a lot of innings this spring, leaving less time to sort out his reserve.
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