Spring training is a time to defrost from the offseason in the Florida or Arizona sun and get right for the regular season.
Every player gets up to speed a bit differently, and yes, spring training stats don't technically matter, but a few Cardinals have really gotten off to a fast start in 2019.
Here are the five guys that have gotten off to the best start (at least in in-game action) in 2019.
5: Rangel Ravelo
If you've been turning off spring games once the starters come out, you're probably thinking ... who?
Ravelo has been all over St. Louis TV screens so far in spring training.
The 26-year-old first baseman has 37 at-bats, the most on the roster so far this spring.
He's making those at-bats count, too. So far he's hitting .351/.390/.514 and is leading the team in hits, doubles and RBI's.
Obviously, he's not going to break camp with the Cardinals, but Ravelo has always shown he can hit in the minors and might attract some attention from another club if he continues to swing a hot bat in spring.
4: Tyler O'Neill
O'Neill has probably made the most noise so far in Jupiter this spring training with his four home runs, most on the team.
Some fans on social media have already even started to anoint him as a starting outfielder for 2019.
O'Neill's power has been impressive, but the strikeouts are still a major problem.
He's struck out in 12 of his 34 grapefruit league at-bats through Wednesday.
But, if he continues to homer every eight-and-a-half at-bats, he's going to be tough to keep out of a lineup.
3: Jack Flaherty
The guy who's my dark horse pick to enter the NL Cy Young discussion in 2019 has been a strikeout machine so far in Grapefruit League play.
In 13 innings pitched, Jack Flaherty has 19 strikeouts.
He struck out seven Philadelphia Phillies in a row last week.
The guy is absolutely filthy and looks to be ready to build off an impressive 2018.
2: Paul Goldschmidt
So far, the new guy has lived up to his billing as a hitting machine.
Goldy is hitting .308/.438/.385 in Grapefruit League play through Wednesday.
We haven't yet seen his first homer as a Cardinal, but he does have two doubles to his name.
Just wait till he gets to mash at Busch Stadium.
1: Dakota Hudson
24-year-old Dakota Hudson is rapidly barreling his way to a spot in the starting rotation in 2019.
In 10 2/3 innings Hudson has registered a 2.53 ERA and allowed just eight hits.
Opposing batters are hitting just .200 against him so far this spring.
Before his start on Wednesday against the Marlins, he had yet to issue a free pass this spring as well(he did walk three batters against Miami).
Hudson looks to be up against John Gant, Austin Gomber and Daniel Ponce de Leon for a spot in the Cardinals' rotation to start the season, and so far has out-pitched them all.
Honorable mentions: Jordan Hicks, Tyler Webb, Chris Beck, Yairo Munoz, Randy Arozarena and Andrew Knizner.
