JUPITER, Fla. • The wheeling, waiving, and maneuvering the Cardinals did earlier this offseason to squeeze a few prospects onto the 40-man roster assured this year some of the young players expected to surprise or contribute would be coming to spring training.
This spring, as the Cardinals ready for their first official workout Wednesday, the list of non-roster invitees is a mix of promises (Francisco Pena), prospects (Dylan Carlson), and depth (Ryan Meisinger or Seth Elledge). The Cardinals signed Pena to be Yadier Molina’s backup this season, and once the 40-man roster allows some elasticity toward the end of spring he’ll be added for that role.