photo: Michael McGreevy (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
Instead of adding prospects for the final month, the St. Louis Cardinals are among MLB teams who will likely use the two extra roster spots for veterans returning from the injured list. Brian Walton longs for the days of greater September roster flexibility.
A number of the changes made as Major League Baseball took control of the minor leagues have been a disappointment to prospect watchers.
A major casualty was the traditional September expansion of rosters from the in-season maximum of 25 to anyone on the 40-man roster. This long-established vehicle enabled teams to get a better look at a group of younger players during the final month with an eye toward the future.
I always anticipated my annual predictions article in which I tried to guess which players and how many of them the St. Louis Cardinals would call up for the final month.
Now, roster expansion has become as boring as the 2024 season.
At the time the owners agreed to the Players Association’s request for a 26th active player during the season to continue beyond the unique COVID circumstances of 2020, the September roster maximum was slashed from the theoretical 40 to a hard limit of 28.
I don’t think the timing was coincidental. I highly suspect this was a financial tradeoff using the money saved by sharply reducing multiple September roster additions to pay the additional five months of salary to the new 26th man.
Other weak arguments in support of the 40-to-28 cut were offered such as the risk of lengthening games by having more pitchers available (since addressed by the three-batter rule), using inexperienced players in games that affect pennant races (that is baseball) and having too many players physically in the dugout (really?).
True, no team ever called up so many players they were anywhere near 40, but a club could still add four to six players or more to fill gaps and give the youngsters experience.
And for a team that has essentially waved the white flag, as have the 2024 Cardinals, seeing young hopefuls play might give disinterested fans a reason to watch games again. Maybe there will be more mistakes, but maybe there will be some much-needed excitement generated, too.
Yes, Jordan Walker is back as is Luken Baker and Ivan Herrera, all of whom exhausted their prospect eligibility some time ago, back in 2023. And the only current hitting prospect on the roster, Victor Scott, may or may not remain with St. Louis when Michael Siani is activated. But that is it.
The list of prospect pitchers currently with St. Louis numbers just one, reliever Riley O’Brien.
The losers are those players good enough and experienced enough to be on the 40-man but have not yet earned their way into the top 26, then 28. They are hoping and waiting for a chance to show they are ready for MLB.
Current examples who seem worthy of a look include starting pitchers Michael McGreevy (who has been pitching very well of late for Memphis), Gordon Graceffo and Sem Robberse. As exciting as it might be to see the breakout performer in the system this season, Quinn Mathews, the lefty who has made just one start for Memphis isn’t quite ready yet.
Standout position players not yet on the 40-man but who also might have previously received a September look include infielder Thomas Saggese and outfielder Matt Koperniak. The latter is second in the International League in hits and is third in batting average (.308). And if Nolan Gorman gets his game turned around in Triple-A, the second baseman might have been back, too.
Late July additions Tommy Pham and Shawn Armstrong are already gone. That is a start, but those moves haven’t made enough room for youngsters.
The additional two spots on the St. Louis 28-man expanded roster are likely earmarked for current rehabbers Siani and Steven Matz. As such, no prospects are likely to be added, now or later in the month of September (unless injuries strike).
This doesn’t even count Lance Lynn. When the veteran right-hander returns, which could also be soon, someone else among the top 28 will either need to go on the injured list or be sent down to Memphis.
This isn’t the first year since the changes that the Cardinals have used September roster expansion to bring back injured veteran players. When in a playoff race, it made sense, but I especially don’t like it now.
I grudgingly accept that their current flexibility is limited by their roster construction. But I will always miss the fresh faces in September. That is doubly so when the remaining days on the 2024 schedule should increasingly be focused on 2025 and beyond.
Being totally honest, as this difficult season winds down, I’d much rather see McGreevy, a pitcher with upside, working on the Busch Stadium mound than known quantities Matz and Lynn.
This is why I no longer have any excitement over September roster expansion.
Now Available – 2024 Cardinals Prospect Guide
The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its seventh year. It includes 282 pages of in-depth commentary about more than 60 of the best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including in-depth scouting reports, 2023 recap, extensive draft and international histories and more.
Special half-price off deal for paid subscribers. Order your PDF or printed book copy today.
Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation
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 on X/Twitter.
© 2024 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.