St. Louis Cardinals Send Four More Players to Minor-League Camp
After trimming down their pitching staff on Saturday, the St. Louis Cardinals followed suit on Monday with their position player corps, as infielder Aledmys Diaz and catcher Cody Stanley were optioned to Triple-A Memphis, while outfielder Rafael Ortega and catcher Travis Tartamella were reassigned to minor league camp. There are now 38 players left in major-league spring training.
The 24-year-old Diaz, a Cuban defector who was signed to a four-year, $8 million-dollar deal last spring, is a bit of an enigma at the moment. At the time the Cardinals signed him, there was a prevailing belief that Jhonny Peralta would not stick at shortstop for the duration of his four-year contract with the Cards, which would open up the starting shortstop position for Diaz as soon as he was big-league ready.
More from St. Louis Cardinals
- St. Louis Cardinals: Randal Grichuk to begin Double-A rehab stint
- John Brebbia deserves a shot as the St. Louis Cardinals’ closer
- St. Louis Cardinals place Randal Grichuk on DL, recall José Martínez
- St. Louis Cardinals release RHP Corey Baker from organization
- St. Louis Cardinals activate Kolten Wong and Kevin Siegrist from DL, option Luke Weaver and Alex Mejia to Triple-A
After Peralta had one of the best defensive seasons of his career in 2014 and established himself as one of the better shortstops in the major leagues, there are questions surrounding what will become of Diaz. He didn’t do much to impress this spring, going 2-for-8 with no extra-base hits in six games, and he’s still behind guys like
Pete Kozma,
Dean Anna, and likely fellow prospect
Jacob Wilsonon the middle infield depth chart. After hitting .273/.324/.441 with five homers and 24 RBI in 47 games split between High-A Palm Beach and Double-A Springfield last season, Diaz will need a more impressive showing at Triple-A this season in order to garner consideration for a big-league call-up.
The 26-year-old Stanley could be the Cardinals’ third option at catcher behind
Yadier Molinaand
Tony Cruzthis season, although the fact that 29-year-old career minor-leaguer
Ed Easleyhas now survived longer in big-league camp than Stanley did probably signifies that Easley will get a greater share of the work in Triple-A to start the year.
More from Arch Authority
- St. Louis Cardinals: Randal Grichuk to begin Double-A rehab stint
- John Brebbia deserves a shot as the St. Louis Cardinals’ closer
- St. Louis Cardinals place Randal Grichuk on DL, recall José Martínez
- St. Louis Cardinals release RHP Corey Baker from organization
- St. Louis Cardinals activate Kolten Wong and Kevin Siegrist from DL, option Luke Weaver and Alex Mejia to Triple-A
Ortega, who was outrighted off the Cardinals’ 40-man roster last season, has a ways to go to get back in consideration for a big-league call-up. He may be helped if the Cardinals choose to move
Peter Bourjosbefore opening day, but he’ll still have to pass up several other guys who have moved ahead of him on the depth chart, including
Tommy Phamand
Charlie Tilson. Ortega didn’t help his cause by hitting .091 this spring.
The 27-year-old Tartamella has acted as an “organizational catcher” through his six years in the Cardinals system, meaning that he moves around to different minor-league clubs as necessary and catches bullpens or fills roster vacancies in the short term. He figures to see time at Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis this season.