As the St. Louis Cardinals minor league camp opened earlier in the month, the population of 152 initial players invited was split into four Groups. While it would be tempting and natural to conclude the four groups correspond to each of the organization’s full-season teams – Memphis, Springfield, Palm Beach and Quad Cities – that is not necessarily the case.
I am quite sure that since this list was prepared, there have already been players moved around, both because of performance as well as the net count of nine additional players reassigned from the major league club.
Still, this offers an interesting view of positional assignments and which pitchers are being prepared as starters (s) and which as relievers (r). The other classifications are first base (1b), infield (if) and outfield (of). The numeric prefix denotes the Group, one through four. Six players are out of action while rehabbing injuries.
For the full system listing, check out my Cardinals Roster Matrix. It is up-to-date in terms of a complete accounting of all players in the system, including the short-season clubs. I will next update the levels once the regular season rosters for the full-season clubs are set. That will be in about two weeks.
| Pitchers | Catchers | First base | Infield | Outfield | total | |
| Group 1 | 21 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 42 |
| Group 2 | 21 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 36 |
| Group 3 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 34 |
| Group 4 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 34 |
| Rehab | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| total | 83 | 14 | 8 | 21 | 26 | 152 |
| Pitchers | Pos/initial group | Position players | Pos/initial group |
| Additon, Nick | s2 | Arburr, Matt | 1b rehab |
| Bilardello, Davis | r2 | Bogany, Jarred | of4 |
| Bird, Ryan | s1 | Bolivar, Domnit | if3 |
| Blazek, Mike | s4 | Brown, Andrew | 1b1 |
| Bradford, Jared | s2 | Buck, Brian | of4 |
| Bravo, Jon | s rehab | Buckman, Brandon | 1b1 |
| Broderick, Brian | r2 | Cartie, Bryan | if2 |
| Brown, George | s3 | Castellanos, Alex | if4 |
| Buursma, Jason | r4 | Castillo, Yunior | if4 |
| Cardenas, Hector | s3 | Castro, Ivan | c4 |
| Carpenter, David | r3 | Cawley, Jack | c3 |
| Castillo, Richard | s2 | Chambers, Adron | of2 |
| Choi, Hyang-Nam | r1 | Cruz, Paul | of4 |
| Daley, Gary | r3 | Cruz, Tony | c1 |
| Daman, Wayne | r2 | Curtis, Jermaine | if3 |
| Degerman, Eddie | r2 | Cutler, Charles | c3 |
| Delgado, Ramon | r3 | DeJesus, Antone | of2 |
| Dew, Josh | r rehab | DeLaCruz, Roberto | if4 |
| Diapoules, Mark | s2 | Derba, Nick | c2 |
| Dickson, Brandon | s1 | Descalso, Daniel | if1 |
| Eager, Thomas | s2 | Edwards, Jon | of2 |
| Ferrera, Anthony | s4 | Espinoza, Roberto | c3 |
| Fick, Chuckie | r2 | Folli, Mike | if1 |
| Fiske, Justin | s1 | Freese, David | if1 |
| Flores, Miguel | s4 | Garcia, Isa | if1 |
| Fornataro, Eric | s3 | Garcia, Jose | if3 |
| Freeman, Samuel | r2 | Gomez, Edwin | of4 |
| Frevert, Matt | r4 | Hamilton, Mark | 1b1 |
| Furnish, Brad | r1 | Henley, Tyler | of1 |
| Garceau, Shaun | s1 | Hill, Steven | c1 |
| Gonzalez, Dylan | r3 | Ingram, D’Marcus | of3 |
| Gonzalez, Marco | r1 | Jones, Daryl | of1 |
| Gonzalez, Reynier | s4 | Kingrey, Charlie | of2 |
| Gorgen, Scott | s rehab | Knoedler, Justin | c1 |
| Gregerson, Luke | r1 | Kozma, Pete | if2 |
| Haltiwanger, Russ | r1 | Lara, Edgar | of4 |
| Hearne, Trey | r1 | Lilley, Brett | if4 |
| Hernandez, Elvis | r1 | Luna, Aaron | of2 |
| Herron, Tyler | s1 | Marmol, Oliver | if2 |
| Hester, Josh | s4 | Marti, Amaury | of1 |
| Hooker, Deryk | s4 | Martinez, Jairo | of4 |
| King, Blake | r2 | Martinez, Jose | if1 |
| Kopp, David | s2 | Mitchell, Travis | of3 |
| Kulik, Ryan | s2 | Morales, Osvaldo | 1b3 |
| Leach, Tyler | r4 | Moscatel, Kevin | c4 |
| Linares, Kristhiam | r1 | Murphy, Blake | c3 |
| Lugo, Rigoberto | r4 | Noland, Rickey | c4 |
| Lynn, Lance | s1 | Parejo, Frederick | of3 |
| Maekawa, Katsuhiko | r1 | Peterson, Shane | of2 |
| Maertz, Santo | r4 | Pham, Tommy | of2 |
| Maiques, Kenny | r2 | Rapoport, Jim | of1 |
| Maj, Jameson | s3 | Riportella, Beau | of3 |
| Mateo, Jose | r2 | Rivera, Francisco | 1b2 |
| Mayes, La Curtis | r4 | Robinson, Shane | of1 |
| McCormick, Mark | r rehab | Rodriguez, Ryde | of3 |
| McGregor, Scott | s3 | Rosa, Christian | c4 |
| Mikrut, Jon | r1 | Rowlett, Casey | if1 |
| Mulligan, Casey | r2 | Scruggs, Xavier | 1b3 |
| Mura, Kyle | s1 | Sedbrook, Colt | if2 |
| Nieto, Arquimedes | s3 | Shorey, Mark | of1 |
| Norrick, Tyler | r1 | Smith, Curt | 1b2 |
| Ostlund, Ian | r1 | Solano, Donovan | if1 |
| Parise, Pete | r2 | Swauger, Chris | of3 |
| Parisi, Mike | s rehab | Swinson, Michael | of4 |
| Peralta, Senger | r3 | Vasquez, Niko | if3 |
| Pichardo, Joel | r4 | Vasquez, Paul | c2 |
| Pitts, Zachary | r3 | Vera, Nick | if4 |
| Rada, Jose | s4 | Wallace, Brett | if1 |
| Reifer, Adam | r2 | Yarbrough, Brandon | c1 |
| Richardson, Dan | r4 | ||
| Rogers, Joe | s1 | ||
| Rondon, Jorge | r3 | ||
| Rosales, Andres | r3 | ||
| Samuel, Francisco | r1 | ||
| Sanchez, Eduardo | r2 | ||
| Santos, Randy | s4 | ||
| Siegrist, Kevin | s4 | ||
| Spade, Matt | r2 | ||
| Stambaugh, J.D. | r3 | ||
| Tapia, Angel | r3 | ||
| Thomas, Kevin | s4 | ||
| Veres, Adam | s3 | ||
| Zawacki, Brett | s3 |
I wonder what the “rehab” category implies. Did Bravo, Dew, and Arburr have surgery in the off-season? If their season were to start today, would they begin on the DL?
1. I think you have Paul and tony Cruz reversed as far as level and position.
2. Is Luna still in the OF? Are these pretty accurate as to how the player will be used?
3. Furnish is listed as a reliever and Fiske as a starter (both LH’s)
4. Angel Tapia was very successful last year as a starter, young for his age at Batavia but is now listed as a reliever.
5. In general most players (except those going to AAA) are actually at 1 level above where they probably will play – I assume the thinking is that they place the player at the highest level he seems capable of competing but realize most players won’t meet that potential level and will drop back a level.
6. given #5, surprised to see Lynn at L1 – he may be targeted for Springfield then. Surprised to A.Castallanos at L4. Veras and Lilley also seem old and experienced for L4.
7. Not that it is really relevant to this thread but I expect the Cardinals to go with a tandem rotation at PB to start the season.
Castellanos played at a low level of collgeiate competition, explaining his L4 assignment. Vera and Lilley signed as college seniors, hence their ages. They are Level 4 because low round draft picks, just hoping to get their foot in the door at Quad Cities.
Jumbo, I will see what more I can learn about the injuries. I talked with Scott Gorgen today and he thinks he may miss just one regular season start. Throwing without problem. I suspect decision will be PB vs. QC (see CC’s point number 7).
CC,
1. Fixed. Thanks,
2. Luna wasn’t in the lineup today, but I will find out the plan.
3. Yes, that is what is on the sheet.
4. Yes, but don’t take this to the bank. Changes could be made.
5. That and the fact that the core of the Memphis team is still in the MLB clubhouse.
6. Yes, scuttlebutt is that Lynn is competing for Springfield.
7. I imagine so. Too many bodies not to tandem.
I do not see listed the young catcher Luis De La Cruz – simple oversight or is he not in camp.
vegasjim, welcome! I had mentioned on Scout.com last week that Luis De La Cruz went home after suffering a fractured rib in camp.