Colby Rasmus, OF, 2009
It was somewhat expected that Rasmus, the Cardinals’ first-round pick in 2005, would make the Opening Day roster in 2009. Since the then-22-year-old did not yet need to be added to the 40-man roster in order to be protected from the Rule 5 Draft, though, the Cardinals brought him to camp that spring and allowed him to fight for a job. While Rasmus couldn’t dethroneChris Duncan,Rick Ankiel, orRyan Ludwickto make his way into the Opening Day starting outfield, he did perform well enough to crack the roster, hitting .280 with 10 extra-base hits in 82 spring at-bats.
Though Rasmus got sporadic starts during the season’s first month, an injury to Rick Ankiel in early May paved the way for him to earn the starting center field job, and he’d hold onto it until he was traded to Toronto in July of 2011.
Next: Joe Thurston
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