St. Louis Cardinals Invite 22 Non-Roster Players to Major League Spring Training

The St. Louis Cardinals invited 22 players to attend major-league spring training alongside the players on the 40-man roster.
In a sign that spring training is right around the corner, the St. Louis Cardinals announced the names of 22 players who will attend 2016 major-league camp as non-roster invitees on Wednesday. Righthanded pitchers Selfredo Garcia, Juan Gonzalez, Jeremy Hefner, Deck McGuire, Trey Nielsen, Daniel Poncedeleon, Robby Rowland, J.C. Sulbaran, Tyler Waldron, and Luke Weaver, lefties Austin Gomber and Corey Littrell, catchers Steve Bean, Luis Cruz, Eric Fryer, Carson Kelly, and Alberto Rosario, infielders Jonathan Rodriguez, David Washington, Jacob Wilson, and Patrick Wisdom, and outfielder Jeremy Hazelbaker.
All but Gonzalez, Hefner, McGuire, Sulbaran, and Fryer spent last season in the Cardinals system. Weaver, the Cardinals’ first pick in 2014, is the only player among the bunch ranked as a Top 10 prospect in the Cards’ system, with MLB.com ranking the 22-year-old eighth in the organization.
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In an interesting development–perhaps one that reflects the molasses-like pace of MLB free agent movement this offseason–there are only two players with previous big-league experience on the non-roster list. This could very well change before spring training begins as the free agent market continues to take shape, but for now the only two players with major-league time are Fryer, a former Minnesota Twin and Pittsburgh Pirate who’s currently in line to back up Brayan Pena in the majors if Yadier Molina‘s hand injury continues to act up, and Hefner, who’s looking to make a comeback in 2016. The former New York Met missed all of 2015 after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery in 14 months.
There’s little debate that the biggest omission from the spring training roster is starting pitcher Alex Reyes, the organization’s top prospect. The 21-year-old was suspended 50 games this past fall after testing positive for marijuana, and he has 40 games left on the suspension after his remaining Arizona Fall League games counted toward the ban. Reyes would not be prevented from participating in spring training games, but the Cardinals clearly want to make a statement and show that they’re truly punishing the prospect for his wrongdoings. They’re apparently willing to sacrifice any experience with the big-league club that Reyes could have picked up during the spring, which means he likely won’t be on track for a call-up until August or September at the earliest.
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It’s also worth noting that the Cardinals’ non-roster invite list has little significance other than determining who arrives on which date and who gets a spot in the big-league clubhouse. Due to the Cardinals’ extensive travel schedule while playing in Florida, they end up utilizing plenty of players from minor-league camp during the course of the spring.