ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - At least 67 players will head to Jupiter, Florida in February as part of Major League camp for the Cardinals as the team have announced Wednesday that 27 players will be invited to Spring Training as non-roster invitees, in additions to the players to the 40-man roster.
Among the 27 non-roster invitees include at least eight prospects who are in the Cardinals Top 30 Prospects on MLB Pipeline. Some of the notable players include pitchers Tink Hence, Gordon Graceffo, 2023 Cardinals Minor-league Pitcher of the Year Max Rajcic, outfielder Victor Scott II and catcher Leonardo Bernal.
Two players who acquired in trade at the trade deadline - infielder Thomas Saggese and right-handed pitcher Tekiah Roby- will also be invited to Spring Training. Those two will join fellow trade deadline pickups pitchers Adam Kloffenstein, Sem Robberse, John King and Drew Rom in Major League Camp. The latter four are all apart of the 40-man roster, with all four still have options remaining.
Pitcher Packy Naughton and Wilking Rodriguez will be the only players among the 27-non roster invitees at the moment to have Major League experience. Naughton has been a depth bullpen for the Cardinals the past two seasons, pitching 37 innings for the major league club since he was claimed off waivers by the team just before the start of the 2022 season. Naughton missed a majority of the 2023 season to injury, only pitching 5 innings. He would undergo season-ending surgery to repair a flexor-tendon in his left elbow in June. Naughton was removed from the 40-man after the season and sent outright to Triple-A Memphis.
Rodriguez was claimed by the Cardinals in the 2022 Rule 5 draft from the New York Yankees, but did not pitch for the team last season due to a right shoulder injury. Rodriguez was removed from 40-man in after the season and originally choosing to test free agency after the removal, but resigned with the Cardinals eight days after his removal from the 40-man. Rodriguez did make his MLB debut back in 2014, pitching two innings for the Kansas City Royals.
Pitchers and Catchers are set to report by Tuesday, Feb. 13 with the first workout being Feb. 14. Positions players will have to report by Sunday, Feb. 18 by the latest.
The Cardinals first Spring Training games will be on Saturday, Feb. 24, with a split squad set to play a traditional Spring Training game against the Miami Marlins at the shared-Roger Dean Stadium, while the other split squad will head to Port St. Lucie to play the New York Mets at Clover Park. Both games will be set to be played at 12 p.m. Central Time.
