ST. LOUIS -- Though the Cardinals remain open to signing additional players to Major or Minor League deals in the coming weeks, the club is currently slated to open Spring Training next week with 64 players in big league camp.
Every player on the team's full 40-man roster earns an automatic invite. Additionally, the Cardinals offered another two dozen players the chance to join them. Some have a legitimate chance to compete for an Opening Day roster spot. Others were invited so they'd have an opportunity to garner valuable experience alongside those already earmarked for the Majors.
Here's a list of those non-roster participants:
Pitchers (11): RHP Chris Beck, LHP Hunter Cervenka, RHP Seth Elledge, RHP Mike Hauschild, RHP Connor Jones, LHP Evan Kruczynski, LHP Tommy Layne, RHP Ryan Meisinger, RHP Andrew Morales, RHP Williams Perez, RHP Jake Woodford
Catchers (8): Jose Godoy, Joe Hudson, Andrew Knizner, Jeremy Martinez, Brian O'Keefe, Dennis Ortega, Francisco Peña, Julio Rodriguez
Infielders (3): Tommy Edman, Rangel Ravelo, Max Schrock
Outfielders (2): Randy Arozarena, Dylan Carlson
That group includes seven players -- Knizner (No. 5), Arozarena (No. 6), Schrock (No. 11), Carlson (No. 12) Woodford (No. 18), Elledge (No. 22), Jones (No. 30) -- who currently rank on the organization's Top 30 prospect list, as compiled by MLB Pipeline.
Also included are six non-roster invitees who are new to the organization this season. Meisinger was acquired off waivers in December before being outrighted to Triple-A Memphis. Beck, Cervenka, Hauschild, Perez and Hudson each signed Minor League deals in November.
The team's only other Minor League signee was Pena, who returns as the favorite to back up catcher Yadier Molina for a second consecutive season.