After missing most of last season with ankle injuries, Oscar Taveras isn’t quite ready to make his major league debut. The St. Louis Cardinals have sent the outfield uber-prospect to their minor league camp, indicating that he is likely to begin the season in Triple-A with the Memphis Redbirds, or perhaps even on the Triple-A disabled list. He has had some soreness in his ankle, and in his hamstring during the spring.
Big things are expected of the 21-year-old outfielder. Last year he was limited to just 46 minor league games due to the ankle injury. He hit .301/.341/.462 with five home runs.
2012 was a monster season for Taveras. He hit .321/.380/.572 with 23 home runs and 10 steals in 124 games with the Cardinals double-A affiliate in Springfield.
Taveras was said to be battling Matt Adams for a spot in the Cardinals starting lineup, with the winner helping to decide where Allen Craig would play this year. With Adams now expected to be the Cardinals starting first baseman, Craig will likely play one of the corner outfield spots. Matt Holiday should be the other corner outfielder with Peter Bourjas in center field. Jon Jay will likely be the Cardinals fourth outfielder to start the season.
Taveras still could make an impact in St. Louis this season. Calling him up after May 1st would give the Cardinals an extra season with him under team control before free agency, as the Angels did with Mike Trout in 2012, and the Dodgers did with Yasiel Puig last year.
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