The St. Louis Cardinals are still trying to navigate the final spots on their roster as they navigate a roster rebuild.

If things go well for the Cardinals, they'll be able to put together the foundation of a roster that will eventually return to contention.

St. Louis will likely tinker with the roster throughout the season trying to find the best combination of young players, veteran players and bench contributors.

One player this spring has made a very good case to make the Cardinals' Opening Day roster.

Nelson Velazquez, who signed a minor league contract with St. Louis with a non-roster invite to spring training attached Jan. 26, has made an impact in Grapefruit League competition this spring.

Velazquez has slashed .333/.438/.704 with a 1.142 OPS in 10 games and has hit a double and three home runs with five RBIs. He's struck out just twice in 32 plate appearances.

The 27-year-old outfielder hit a homer in a second-consecutive game in the Cardinals' 3-1 win against the New York Mets on Thursday.

Victor Scott II and Jordan Walker are all but locked up as St. Louis' Opening Day center fielder and right fielder, respectively. However, the Cardinals are still looking to find an answer in left field.

Incumbent starter Lars Nootbaar will miss a portion of the season due to offseason double-heel surgery. St. Louis has specifically been looking for a right-handed hitter to fulfill the role.

The Cardinals have looked internally to for the right-handed outfielder and have tried out usual infielders Jose Fermin and Thomas Saggese in the role.

Saggese hasn't played the outfield since he was in little league and is currently away from the team competing for Italy in the World Baseball Classic. 

Currently, FanGraphs projects Nathan Church to be the team's starting left fielder come Opening Day.

Church hits left-handed, which still leaves an opening for Velazquez to make the team on the bench as a platoon option in right field.

Church, Fermin and Saggese are all under pre-arbitration, meaning St. Louis won't lose be wasting a significant financial investment in having Velazquez as the right-handed platoon option over Fermin and Saggese.

Due to Fermin and Saggese's experience in the infielder, the Cardinals could also be able to keep one of the two on the bench as utility players while having Velazquez exclusively as a bench/backup outfielder.

Velazquez has 194 games of major league experience across three seasons from 2022-24.

The former international signing last played with the Kansas City Royals in '24. He slashed .200/.274/.366 with a .640 OPS in 64 games and hit eight doubles, a triple and eight home runs with 27 RBIs.

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