ST. LOUIS – If there’s one position that hasn’t had much stability for the St. Louis Cardinals in recent history, it’s probably shortstop. Aside from a five-year stretch with Paul DeJong, the Cardinals have started 11 shortstops in 12 Opening Day lineups dating back to 2007.

And in a matter of weeks, it seems like one more new name will join that list. Masyn Winn is gearing up for his first full big-league season after a cup of coffee at the MLB level last year.

As the Cardinals’ 40-man roster stands now, Winn is truly the only option whose primary position of development is shortstop. At 21 years old, he brings an exciting dynamic to the Cardinals lineup. Contact and speed were his specialties in the minors, but Winn also showed occasional power, stout defense, and a rocket arm as a prospect.

Liberatore, Thompson earn first spring starts as Cardinals mull rotation plans

Winn’s steady rise through the minors and perhaps lack of other true shortstop options line him up for a starting role. That said, he feels it’s a job he has to earn this spring after a tough first stint with St. Louis last year, which ended with a .172 batting average over 122 at bats.

“I want to go out there and compete for a spot,” said Winn during the Cardinals’ Winter Warm-Up event last month. “I’ve never felt entitled for anything. I don’t want to be given a spot. I want to go out there and earn it.”

What that process looks like as spring training games begin Saturday remains to be determined. St. Louis Post-Dispatch Cardinals beat writer Derrick Goold reports that Winn dealt with tightness over the last few days that prevented him from participating in batting practice, though he didn’t have many limitations in other drills.

The setback, though minor in nature, raises attention to one big discussion point that hasn’t been often or thoroughly addressed. Who takes on shortstop if Winn needs rest or misses significant time due to injury?

The Cardinals have internal options, but the short answer is, it’s complicated. There’s not much of an established back up plan at this point, and the Cardinals would need to get creative to find production offensively and defensively at shortstop if it doesn’t come from Winn.

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Cardinals (Seasonal)

Here’s a closer look at some potential Plan B candidates…

Tommy Edman

If not for certain circumstances heading into this season, Edman at shortstop would make plenty of sense. He started there on Opening Day last year and has even been nominated for super-utility Gold Glove awards for his work between shortstop and second base.

Unlike last year, there are a few obstacles that make Edman’s opportunities at shortstop uncertain. He impressed the Cardinals so much during an emergency run in centerfield last year to the point he’s currently projected to start there. Additionally, Edman is coming off of offseason wrist surgery and could reportedly miss more time for recovery than initially expected. Given both factors, St. Louis would likely not want to rush him back into shortstop.

Brendan Donovan

Another super-utility man, Donovan has embraced action at six positions at the MLB level. However, his experience at shortstop is fairly limited (seven games) compared to other positions. He profiles better as a second baseman and is just returning from a season-ending elbow strain that led to surgery in August.

Donovan doesn’t appear to have any limitations this spring, but putting him into arguably the most demanding defensive infield position out of surgery isn’t necessarily a formula for success.

José Fermín

Fermín fits the natural build of a shortstop a little closer than Edman and Donovan, but he only has 21 games of MLB experience and eight with St. Louis last year. He could potentially make the big-league roster as a bench infielder, but expecting him to start when he’s only played more than 100 games in the minor leagues one time over seven seasons is admittedly risky.

Thomas Saggese

Acquired in the Jordan Montgomery trade last year, Saggese enjoyed a monster season offensively last year with a .318 batting average, 25 home runs and 107 RBI at the Double-A level between St. Louis and Texas affiliates. Getting up to speed at the big-league level will inevitably take some time. How the Cardinals want to develop Saggese defensively is also a bit of a mystery.

Cardinals manager Oli Marmol indicated that second base seems to be the gameplan for Saggese to get reps early this spring, but he could also see opportunities at shortstop or third base. Saggese currently isn’t included on the 40-man roster and will likely start the season with Triple-A Memphis unless he has a big spring surge.

Also worth noting…

One potential shortstop depth piece the Cardinals could have considered, though there was no indication they ever seriously were, is former AL batting champion Tim Anderson. He signed a one-year deal with the Miami Marlins after a tough 2023 season with the Chicago White Sox.

Other free-agent options, depending on what St. Louis values in a potential Plan B shortstop, include Nick Ahmed and Elvis Andrus, though the overall production for both has dipped with age.

Marmol seems confident in Winn and other potential avenues for shortstop heading into spring games this weekend. He recently told The Athletic’s Katie Woo that this spring is “not just [about] performance from a numbers standpoint” but also “taking steps in the right direction offensively.”

Winn and Saggese have also spent time working with Cardinals Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith this spring on fielding and other game preparations.

The Cardinals begin their spring training schedule with split-squad action Saturday between Jupiter and Port St. Lucie. Opening Day is set for March 28 in Los Angeles.

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