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Three Up, Three Down Through St. Louis Cardinals’ First Week of Spring Training

By Patrick Karraker

Feb 18, 2016; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Seung Hwan Oh (26) runs past media before taking to the practice field at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 18, 2016; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Seung Hwan Oh (26) runs past media before taking to the practice field at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /
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St. Louis Cardinals Aledmys Diaz
Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

UP: Aledmys Diaz, SS

Since Jhonny Peralta’s going to miss the next 2-3 months following thumb surgery, the Cardinals are going to need a shortstop to hold down the fort until their reigning All-Star is ready to return. That player is expected to be Jedd Gyorko, a utility infielder who played shortstop for the first time as a pro with the San Diego Padres last August, but considering Gyorko’s relative inexperience at the position, there’s a solid chance that the Cardinals will end up settling on someone else for the role before the spring is over.

The man who beats out Gyorko could very well be Aledmys Diaz, a 25-year-old Cuban prospect who hit .324/.389/.578 with 12 homers over his final 253 pro plate appearances in 2015. Diaz, a highly-regarded defensive shortstop, has gone 6-for-20 with two doubles over his first eight games this spring, and a 4-for-4 performance on Tuesday provided significant intrigue, especially in the immediate aftermath of Peralta’s injury.

Diaz still faces an uphill battle if he wants to win the Cardinals’ Opening Day shortstop job, but if he continues to look like a big-leaguer at the plate this spring, perhaps he can beat out Gyorko and earn a spot.

Next: Tyler Lyons

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