Predicting the Memphis Redbirds’ Opening Day Roster
Mar 11, 2015; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Tommy Pham (60) dives back into first base ahead of the tag from Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) during a spring training baseball game at Champion Stadium. The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Atlanta Braves 6-2. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Outfielders (5): Ty Kelly, Tommy Pham, Stephen Piscotty, Rafael Ortega, Mike O’Neill
With Oscar Taveras having passed away, Randal Grichuk having matriculated to the major leagues, James Ramsey having been traded to the Cleveland Indians and depth guys like Shane Robinson and Joey Butler having moved on to new organizations, the Cardinals’ outfield depth is much less established than it was a year ago at this time.
If Pham, who has been dealing with a strained left quad, is healthy by Opening Day, he should be the Redbirds’ primary center fielder. That’s assuming, of course, that Peter Bourjos makes the Cardinals’ big-league roster despite having had a horrid spring after underperforming in a bench role during 2014.
Piscotty will likely be the key cog offensively for the Redbirds, entering the dreaded second straight Triple-A campaign after .288/.355/.406 with nine homers and 69 RBI in his first season at Memphis in 2014.
Beyond those two, there will likely be a high level of rotation in the Memphis outfield. Natural infielders such as Kelly, Jacob Wilson, and Xavier Scruggs have gained experience in the outfield during spring training, and each of them could see time there with Memphis as they attempt to increase their versatility in the hopes of preparing for a big-league bench role.
Ortega and O’Neill, two 40-man roster castoffs who are now filling more “organizational player”-like roles, should get some work off the bench for Memphis, though both will be primary candidates to be shuttled between Memphis and the Double-A Springfield squad that they both played for a year ago.