Which 5 St. Louis Cardinals Non-Roster Invitees Have the Best Chance to Play in the Majors in 2015?

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

1. Stephen Piscotty, OF

It was somewhat surprising that Stephen Piscotty didn’t see any major-league time in 2014, so with him now having basically proved all that he can in the minor leagues, it would be a big surprise if the Cards’ top prospect didn’t get an opportunity in the big leagues at some point in 2015.

Since the Cardinals filled their right field vacancy with Jason Heyward and found a righthanded bench bat in Mark Reynolds this offseason, Piscotty’s chances to make the Opening Day roster are slim to none. But as the team is affected by injuries or needs to get some role players jumpstarted in Triple-A, Piscotty may be the first position player who is called upon from Memphis to fill a vacancy.
As the season wears on, the Cardinals may want to have Piscotty around to give off days to Matt Holliday, who needs to have his playing time managed more efficiently now that he’s 35 years old, and Heyward, who rarely makes it through a season without being affected by injuries  at some point or another. That playing time will give Piscotty the experience necessary to be ready to step into a full-time role, which could happen as soon as 2016 if Heyward leaves as a free agent after this season.

Next: Cardinals Announce Non-Roster Invitees for 2015 Spring Training