The St. Louis Cardinals have made a pivotal roster decision ahead of Opening Day, opting to include infielder José Fermín as part of their 26-man squad. Fermín will assume a utility bench role, providing contact-hitting and defensive versatility across the infield.
“José Fermín has made the #STLCards Opening Day roster, per sources. He’ll serve as the back-up utility role/a contact bat off the bench. The Cardinals hope to finalize their 26-man roster before they break camp on Sunday.” via Katie Woo on X, formerly Twitter.
Fermín’s inclusion may come as a surprise to some, given his underwhelming major league numbers to date. In 66 career MLB games spanning the 2023 and 2024 seasons, the 25-year-old has hit just .189 with a .504 OPS and negative WAR. However, the Cardinals are clearly betting on his red-hot spring and elite bat-to-ball skills to provide depth behind starters like Brendan Donovan, Nolan Arenado, and Masyn Winn.
This spring, Fermín has impressed at the plate, slashing .282 with an .843 OPS, including a home run, five doubles, and nine RBIs in 17 Grapefruit League games. His emergence as a viable bench option gave him the edge over fellow infielder José Barrero, who was also vying for a reserve role.
The Cardinals are close to finalizing their roster ahead of Opening Day
Manager Oliver Marmol has emphasized the importance of players who can consistently make contact, and that’s exactly what Fermín has brought to the table. “You have a guy that just doesn’t swing and miss, and that’s his superpower — he finds a way to get the bat on the ball,” Marmol said. “There’s a lot of value in not swinging and missing, and he’s taken advantage of his opportunities.”
That ability to control the strike zone may trace all the way back to Fermín’s childhood. Growing up in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, his father would toss corn kernels for him to hit with a sawed-off broomstick. That hand-eye coordination drill became a daily ritual and helped forge the elite contact skills that now define Fermín’s offensive game.
“I was 7 years old when we started, and we’d do it every day,” Fermín said. “It was just a way to get in practice and it was a routine that worked for me.”
Fermín’s unique story and recent performance make him one of the more compelling bench pieces on the Cardinals roster. His positional versatility — he can play second, third, shortstop, and even the outfield — adds a layer of flexibility for Marmol, especially in late-game situations.
With the Cardinals aiming to finalize their Opening Day roster before breaking camp Sunday, Fermín’s inclusion represents a bet on upside, adaptability, and a skillset increasingly rare in today’s game: elite contact. For Fermín, making the roster is more than a personal milestone — it’s a fulfillment of a journey started with a broomstick and a handful of corn.
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