JUPITER, Fla. – The Cardinals are starting to shape their roster with opening day less than a month away.
On Sunday, the Cardinals reassigned seven players to minor-league camp, trimming the big-league camp to 56 players.
The seven players included in the move are pitchers Daniel Poncedeleon and Jordan Schafer, who were some of the more interesting stories heading into camp.
Poncedeleon's return to game action this spring marked his first professional appearance since taking a line drive off the head in May of last year. He had to undergo emergency brain surgery after the incident and was hoping to prove he is a big-league talent even after the time off.
He allowed five runs in three innings spread out over three games.
Jordan Schafer, who made his major-league debut as a speedy outfielder in 2009, was trying to prove his worth as a versatile relief arm that could also be used as a pinch runner or emergency outfielder. In two appearances, the lefthanded thrower only managed to record two outs while allowing six hits, three walks and seven earned runs.
Others reassigned in the move are pitchers Hector Mendoza and Jake Woodford, catchers Jeremy Martinez and Dennis Ortega and infielder Max Schrock.