Cardinals Little-Known Slugger Already is Someone to Watch in Camp

The St. Louis Cardinals have an intriguing slugger on their hands in Spring Training.

Apr 7, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals outfielder Nelson Velázquez (17) fist bumps Kansas City Royals first base coach Damon Hollins (39) during the fifth inning after a hit against the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals need to figure out how to add a bit more pop to the middle of the order.

With Nolan Arenado and Willson Contreras exiting, the Cardinals lost a lot of power in the middle of the order. Over the course of the offseason, a lot was said about how the club needs to add another right-hander to make up for the losses of Arenado and Contreras. There are options available, like Tommy Pham or Randal Grichuk, but the club did quietly bring in someone who can solve the issue.

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St. Louis signed 27-year-old slugger Nelson Velázquez to a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training towards the end of January. Velázquez may not be a big-name player, but he has big-time power. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch pointed out that he is the only member of the Cardinals' big league camp to hit more than 20 homers in professional baseball in 2025.

The Cardinals have an intriguing slugger to watch

Apr 17, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Kansas City Royals outfielder Nelson Velázquez (17) celebrates in the dugout after scoring on a RBI single by second baseman Adam Frazier (26) during game one of a double header against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Melissa Tamez-Imagn Images | Melissa Tamez-Imagn Images

"The only member of the Cardinals’ big league camp to hit more than 20 home runs in professional baseball this past season, Velazquez actually launched 30 in the minors and then went and slugged four more during winter ball," Goold wrote. "The former Cubs outfielder, who once stood beside Albert Pujols to get a photo together in 2022, spent parts of the past season at Class AAA for Kansas City and Pittsburgh. Sandwiched in between, he rediscovered his game with 15 home runs in 49 games for Oaxaca in the Mexican League.

"As a minor-league free agent, he was looking for a team that gave him an opportunity and found the Cardinals, who were looking for a right-handed hitter with some potential pop."

That's wild, and also shows how much things have changed. But Velázquez is someone who can help if he puts together a good camp. He had 17 homers in 2023 in the majors with the Chicago Cubs and Kansas City Royals in just 53 games. Maybe the club already has the right-handed outfielder that it needs.

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