Former Cardinals Around the League

Now that we are 2 days into the season, let’s look at some former Cardinals and see where they are. First are a list of all former Cardinals and farmhands that made MLB rosters.

Updated 4/06/2016: Sam Freeman was traded from the Rangers to the Brewers.

Arizona: Shelby Miller, RHP; David Peralta, OF.
Boston: Joe Kelly, RHP.
Chicago (N): Jason Heyward, OF; John Lackey, RHP.
Colorado: Dan Descalso, 2B; Jason Motte, RHP; Adam Ottavino, RHP; Mark Reynolds, 1B.
Houston: Luke Gregerson, RHP; Pat Neshek, RHP; Colby Rasmus, OF.
Los Angeles (A): Albert Pujols, 1B; Fernando Salas, RHP.
Miami: Edwin Jackson, RHP; Chris Narveson, LHP.
Milwaukee: Michael Blazek, RHP; Blaine Boyer, RHP; Sam Freeman, LHP; Colin Walsh, 2B.
New York (A): Carlos Beltran, OF.
Oakland: John Axford, RHP; Coco Crisp, OF; Rich Hill, LHP; Marc Rzepczynski, LHP.
Philadelphia: Peter Bourjos, OF.
Pittsburgh: David Freese, 3B.
San Diego: Jonathan Edwards, RHP; Jon Jay, OF; Luis Perdomo, RHP; Carlos Villanueva, RHP; Brett Wallace, 1B.
Seattle: Steve Cishek, RHP.
Tampa Bay: Dana Eveland, LHP.
Washington: Matt Belisle, RHP.

Now here are some players that didn’t make Major League rosters or have been cut out of spring training.

Kyle Barraclough, RHP – Barraclough was the minor leaguer the Cardinals traded for Cishek. He’s on the Marlins 40-man roster, but was optioned to Triple A.

Gary Brown, OF – Brown was at Memphis for about a week to start last season; when he was designated for assignment by the Cardinals last season, the Angels claimed him off waivers. He was released by Angels at the end of camp this year.

Joey Butler, OF – Butler saw a little action with the Cardinals a few years ago before heading to Japan. When he came back to the states in 2015, he looked like a breakout candidate for the Rays. After the season, he was non-tenderd and signed by the Indians. At the end of camp, he was optioned to Triple A.

Juan Caballero, RHP – Caballero was a minor league Rule V draftee by the Marlins this past December, but was released from their system at the end of camp.

Maikel Cleto, RHP – Remember Cleto? He was the guy we got for Brendan Ryan, big pitcher, threw hard? He’s spent the last couple of seasons bouncing between the Majors and Triple A for the White Sox. He was released at the end of spring training, as his tenure with the Sox was overall pretty uneventful.

David Carpenter, RHP – The Cardinals traded Carpenter a few years ago for Pedro Feliz (another blast from the past). Carpenter saw times with a few different teams before this spring. He started spring training by being released by Braves; he then signed with the Rays and was released again at the end of camp.

Randy Choate, LHP – The Cardinal’s LOOGY for the last 3 years didn’t have an active off-season; he ended up signing a minor league deal with the Blue Jays during camp, trying to latch on to their bullpen. He didn’t make it and was released at the end of camp.

Nick Greenwood, LHP – The last evidence of the Cardinal’s side of the Ludwick/Westbrook trade left after the off-season to sign with the Cubs; he was released before the end of camp.

Tyrell Jenkins, RHP – Jenkins, the Braves’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year, was invited to camp and didn’t look too bad for the team; they didn’t have a rotation spot for him yet, so he was sent to AAA.

Dan Johnson, RHP – Johnson saw a brief callup with the Cardinals last season, but spent most of the season manning first base for Memphis. He signed in the off-season with the Rays as a knuckleball pitcher; he didn’t make the team and ended up being released at the end of camp.

Dixon Llorens, RHP – Llorens, a low minors reliever, was released by Cards a few weeks ago; he was depth and was passed over by others in the system. He ended up catching on with the Angels, who don’t have a deep system and could use the depth.

Scott McGregor, RHP – McGregor topped out at Memphis before being released by the Cardinals; he was able to latch on with the Nationals, where he pitched for their Triple A team. He was released at the end of spring training.

Edward Mujica, RHP – Mujica was a good reliever for the Cardinals, but struggled since he left; his Boston stint wasn’t pretty good and his time in Oakland was unremarkable. This off-season, he signed a minor league deal with the Phillies, but didn’t make the team out of camp; he was subsentquently released and re-signed to a minor league deal with the team.

Mike O’Neill, OF – O’Neill was once on the Cardinals’ 40-man roster and looked like a potential OBP machine in the making. O’Neill ended up getting DFAed by the team and was available in the minor league phase of Rule V this past winter; he was selected in the AAA phase by the Cubs. They released him last week, as they have plenty of outfield depth in their system.

Jhonny Polanco, RHP – Polanco is similar to O’Neill; he was selected in the minor league Rule V by Boston, but was released at the end of spring training.

James Ramsey, OF – Ramsey was a polarizing figure a few years ago; he was traded to the Indians for Justin Masterson. That trade was pretty much a bust for the Cardinals (outside of Masterson teaching Shelby Miller a sinker). Ramsey has seen a lot of Triple A time since the trade; 2016 is starting the same with with him being sent there again; he was designated for assignment earlier this week and could be joining another team soon.

Adam Reifer, RHP – Reifer was a hard throwing prospect that couldn’t harness his stuff. He’s bounced around a little bit, but signed a minor league deal with the Rays this winter. Rather than hanging on to him as depth, the Rays released him at the end of camp.

Shane Robinson, OF – After surprising everyone by making the Twins last season as a minor league free agent/non-roster invitee, Sugar Shane couldn’t pull a repeat with Cleveland; the Indians released him towards the end of spring training. Unlike most listed here, Robinson was quickly signed to a minor league deal by the Angels.

Skip Schumaker, OF – The former fan-favorite ended his stint in Cincinnati last season and signed on with the Padres to a minor league deal. It didn’t look like he was going to make the club, so Schumaker announced his retirement.

Last week, the Cardinals released the following players:
Alex DeLeon, 1B; Ronnierd Garcia, 3B; Derek Gibson, OF; Jake Gronsky, 2B; Nick Lomascolo, LHP; Kenny Peoples-Walls, OF.

2 weeks ago, the Cardinals released the following players:
Kevin Alexander, RHP; Dixon Llorens, RHP; Lee Stoppelman, LHP; Bret Wiley, 2B.

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