The 2025 Opening Day roster for the St. Louis Cardinals featured 17 of 25 of the same faces from last season’s Opening Day. Two more of those players, Sonny Gray and Lars Nootbaar, were on the team to start 2024, but began the season on the IL. That’s the most returning players in baseball. According to MLB.com, the Cardinals have the lowest roster turnover rate in baseball this season at just 10.3 percent change. The organization is adamant that despite the similarities, their goal this season is still a reset and focus on youth.
Cardinals Have Little Roster Turnover from Last Season
Same Look, Different Approach
While the Cardinals had little turnover to their roster, there are enough key differences to believe they are still focused on a reset. One of the signs of a major shift is in the payroll. The Cardinals trimmed nearly $45 million from their payroll from last year.
Within the similar faces, though, are shifts in positions. Willson Contreras is no longer the club’s catcher; he will play first base and serve as DH. That allows young catchers Ivan Herrera and Pedro Pages to get MLB time. Alec Burleson will not play in the outfield much this season, giving room for players like Jordan Walker, Victor Scott II, and Michael Siani to get playing time.
Matthew Liberatore earned a spot in the starting rotation to start the season, breaking out of his bullpen role from last season. Andre Pallante will continue his role in the starting rotation after earning a spot filling in for an injured Steven Matz last season. The Cardinals only made one MLB free agency signing this offseason, adding Phil Maton to their bullpen.
“Obviously we did not have a very active offseason,” Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak told reporters on Opening Day. “When you think about the changes, we made it’s really about creating opportunity for these young players. Creating that runway and seeing what they can do. If they take advantage of it and we see some things that create their success, then it’s going to be a good story, especially for this organization.”
A Fresh Chance for Young Talent
Several of the position players who were on the Opening Day roster in 2024 didn’t stay with the club the full season. Walker and Scott II were both in Triple-A by early June. Nolan Gorman finished the season in Triple-A. Mozeliak was insistent that those players will get a longer leash this season.
Scott II was the Cardinals’ Opening Day center fielder in 2024 after earning the spot with several outfield injuries in spring training. He skipped Triple-A, earning the MLB opportunity. He was sent down after less than a month. This season, there were no injuries that led to Scott II’s opportunity.
“He really did earn his way onto this team, and that was great to see. Hopefully he can build from that,” Mozeliak said. “I do think he is in a much different spot than he was a year ago. I think his confidence and what he did this offseason really positioned himself to take this next step.”
Victor Scott II takes a visit to the @Cardinals bullpen for his first homer of the year! pic.twitter.com/8MXzwfNQd4
— MLB (@MLB) March 30, 2025
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Walker was also sent down after less than a month last season. He spent most of the season in Triple-A. The Cardinals still view the 22-year-old as a long-term answer in the outfield. However, Mozeliak said they want to see some consistency from him this season.
“When you think about being a major league player, lots of people get opportunities to be major league players. But it’s can they sustain it? Can they continue it?” Mozeliak said.
Gorman appears to be the odd man out as far as young players go. It’s still not clear where his playing time will come from. With Nolan Arenado returning, he won’t get much time at third base. With the outfielders the Cardinals want to give time to, it puts Brendan Donovan in the infield at second base most days. Contreras and Burleson will be splitting time at first base and DH. Mozeliak said they are still trying to figure out the balance of getting Groman at-bats.
Aging Rotation, With Some Young Flare
Three of the five pitchers in the rotation to start the season are over 30 years old. When the Cardinals eventually go to a six-man rotation as they have promised, that will turn into four of the six with Matz. Pallante and Liberatore will remain in the rotation, according to Mozeliak. Pallante is no surprise after his strong 2024 campaign. Liberatore, who has had success in the bullpen, was more of a surprise. However, Mozeliak said the club sees him as a starter, and this is no tryout.
“The reality is he’s a talent, and he has a chance to be an upper-rotation type of pitcher moving forward,” Mozeliak said. “Holding him back another year didn’t make sense.”
Organizationally, the starting rotation appears to be where the most “old versus young” conflict is. There are players starting the year in Triple-A who appear to be ready for a chance at the Cardinals rotation. Michael McGreevy is the most notable name on that list after a strong end to the 2024 season with the big league club and a very good spring. The Cardinals’ top two pitching prospects are also on the cusp of being ready for MLB time. Quinn Matthews and Tink Hence appear to have the talent to get their shot in St. Louis, but are behind what seems to be seven starters, including McGreevy.
The next step in the reset the Cardinals have promised may be trying to move some of their starters mid-season. Matz is an obvious trade candidate. Mikolas has a chance to be moved too, and the Cardinals appear to be evaluating whether they want to keep Erick Fedde or trade him. If the Cardinals want to get more young arms into the rotation, some of those pitchers may need to be moved.
Photo Credit: © Tim Vizer-Imagn Images
The post Resetting Cardinals Have Least Roster Turnover in MLB appeared first on Last Word On Baseball.