Despite not adding any starting pitchers this past offseason, the St. Louis Cardinals are still fortunate to have a wealth of depth within the organization.
One of those pieces is top pitching prospect Matthew Liberatore.
St. Louis acquired him from the Tampa Bay Rays in the Randy Arozarena deal, which looked to be a pretty one-sided deal at the time.
However, the Cardinals may be rewarded soon.
Liberatore made the start Tuesday against the Washington Nationals and fired two scoreless innings, retiring all six batters he faced.
He’ll look to have a strong spring and hopefully earn a spot on the Opening Day roster.
#STLCards LHP Matthew Liberatore is hoping to use a stellar Spring Training to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster. The lefty retired all six batters he faced in Tuesday’s win. Steve Dorsey has the story. https://t.co/ctUBgWNqcT
— John Denton (@JohnDenton555) March 1, 2023
This is an encouraging sign for the Cardinals.
They did not add any pitching depth this past offseason, save for Andrew Suarez, who was signed to a minor-league deal.
But with Liberatore in the system, things are looking pretty good.
The left-hander was sharp in his spring debut and gave the Cardinals a glimpse of what he could do if given the opportunity to pitch at the Major League level again.
He made his MLB debut last season alongside his childhood friend Nolan Gorman and showed flashes of brilliance.
With Adam Wainwright retiring at the end of the season, a spot could be open next year for Liberatore.
He could also claim a spot in the bullpen if he has a strong spring.
St. Louis is fortunate to have such depth within the organization, and the young left-hander could end up being a key pitcher for the team.
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