The St. Louis Cardinals made their first cuts of the spring on Monday, reassigning seven pitchers and three catchers to minor league camp. Not coincidentally, all minor league pitchers and catchers reported to camp on Monday.
None of the players reassigned are on the club’s 40-man roster. Five of the six right-handed pitchers are prospects: Mitchell Boggs, Adam Ottavino, P.J. Walters, Tyler Herron and Stuart Pomeranz. Walters was the organization’s 2007 Minor League Pitcher of the Year.
Fellow right-hander Dewon Brazelton came into camp on a minor league deal, but has been slowed by injury. The lone left-hander among the group is Jaime Garcia, our number three prospect in the system.
Three catchers were also sent to the minor league complex on Monday. They are David Carpenter, Nick Derba and Brandon Yarbrough. The three were with the major league club to help handle the additional catching workload.
Several of the seven hurlers are still scheduled to be called upon to rejoin the Major League club to get an inning or two on the mound in spring training games later this week. In fact, Boggs pitched Monday, allowing five baserunners and one earned run in two innings against Washington.
After the moves on Monday, 19 of the 29 Cardinals non-roster invitees (NRIs) remain in major league camp, along with the 39 players currently on the 40-man roster.
Perhaps as notable as which moves were made are those which were not. Notable non-roster pitching prospects still in Major League camp are 2007 draftee Clayton Mortensen and “closer of the future” Chris Perez.
Remaining NRIs (“Prospects” below are simply those with no previous MLB experience.)
Brian Walton can be reached via email at brwalton@earthlink.net.
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