Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals 26-Year-Old Arguably Has Been Biggest Surprise In Camp

The Cardinals have been had a fun few weeks in Spring Training
Patrick McAvoy|
Jul 12, 2020; St. Louis, Missouri, United States; A view of empty seats as the St. Louis Cardinals play a simulated game at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Jul 12, 2020; St. Louis, Missouri, United States; A view of empty seats as the St. Louis Cardinals play a simulated game at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

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St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals have had a fun few weeks in Spring Training.

Opening Day is quickly approaching and frankly, it has just been nice to have real baseball to follow. It's not exactly the same as the regular season, but it has been better than nothing. The Cardinals had a long and quiet offseason and we've been able to see them back on the field.

We've obviously seen some of the team's biggest stars, like Nolan Arenado and Willson Contreras. We've seen some of the team's top prospects in action, like JJ Wetherholt. We've also seen some guys who didn't have much expectation or buzz heading into camp surprise and impress.

To this point in Spring Training, 26-year-old utility man Jose Barrero likely has been the team's most surprising player. He signed a minor league deal with the Cardinals in November and hasn't had any buzz at all.

While this is the case, he's appeared in 14 games and has slashed .286/.375/.619 with two home runs, seven RBIs, three walks, two stolen bases, one double, and four runs scored. He's not a lock for the big league roster by any means, but he has looked pretty good so far in Cardinals camp.

Barrero has appeared in big league action in four seasons as a member of the Cincinnati Reds from 2020 through 2023. He isn't a big-league player by any means, but he has shown throughout Spring Training that he could be a depth piece for the Cardinals.

More MLB: Former Cardinals Starter Named Potential Option For Orioles

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Patrick McAvoy
PATRICK MCAVOY

Patrick McAvoy's experiences include local and national sports coverage at the New England Sports Network with a focus on baseball and basketball. Outside of journalism, Patrick also is pursuing an MBA at Brandeis University. After quickly rising as one of the most productive writers on the site, he expanded his reach to write for Baseball Essential, a national baseball site in Sports Illustrated Media Group. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu

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