JUPITER, Fla. — As the deadline to protect Rule 5 eligible players approached this past offseason, Cardinals catcher Pedro Pages was at home in Miami when he received a call from Cardinals farm director Gary LaRocque and player development coordinator Antonio Mujica letting him know he was one step closer to reaching the major leagues.
“Huge. A lot of hard work got put in last offseason to lead into a good season I had last year,†Pages, 25, said of gaining 40-man roster status for the first time in his career. “The work is not done yet.â€
A sixth-round draftee in 2019, Pages debuted in professional baseball the summer he was picked by the Cardinals and reached Triple A in 2022. Seen as a defense-first catcher and rated by Baseball America as the top defensive catcher in the Cardinals’ farm system in 2023 and 2024, Pages hit .227 with a .693 OPS in 86 games between Triple A and Double A in 2022 before producing improved offensive numbers in the Arizona Fall League that year and in 2023 in the lead up to getting added to the Cardinals’ 40-man roster.
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As Double A Springfield’s opening-day starting catcher last season, Pages produced a .267 average, .805 OPS, 23 doubles, 16 home runs, 72 RBIs and 59 walks. All were career highs across any of the three full seasons in which he’s played.
“Me and my hitting coach back home, we put a lot of work in getting separation in my hands and just feeling grounded,†Pages, 25, explained. “That’s something I’m working on still this year: To stay more grounded. The more I work on it, the better I’m going to get at it. It helped a lot last year.â€
From behind the plate, Pages made strides with the help of Yankees catcher Jose Trevino. Pages and Trevino, the latter being an AL All-Star and Platinum Glove winner in 2022, share the same agent, Brian Grieper, and were put in contact by Grieper.
The two first worked together in the lead-up to the 2023 offseason. That was when Trevino helped Pages transition to catching from one knee — a process Pages began doing on his own in 2022 but didn’t “know the proper way of doing it, per se.†They spent four days working together in San Antonio, Texas, that winter and then another five this winter.
“He taught me a lot,†Pages said of Trevino.
Though he entered spring training as a member of the 40-man roster for the first time in his career, Pages is no stranger to big league camp. The Florida Atlantic University product and native of Venezuela was a non-roster invitee in each of his first four springs but didn’t see regular Grapefruit League action until last year.
In six games so far this spring, he has collected two hits and walked twice in 12 plate appearances while showing some noticeable strides off the field.
“Some really good improvements on how he’s approaching the day,†Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol recently said of Pages. “His preparation leading into camp is better. When we look at what he’s doing in the training room and in the weight room in order to stay healthy, there’s a plan there that he’s sticking to that’s been awesome to see his dedication to, especially compared to previous years. We saw that take shape in the second half of big league camp last year and stuck with (him). He’s maturing for sure.â€
Behind starter Willson Contreras and backup Ivan Herrera, Pages’ status on the 40-man roster provides catching depth as someone who could be called upon to contribute at the big-league level for the Cardinals.
Despite the feeling of being closer to the majors, Pages believes it doesn’t change his mindset this spring compared to previous years.
“At the end of the day, it’s still the same game,†he said. “I’m still trying to make the team. I want to make it to the big leagues. I’m going to keep working to do that. … Yeah, being on the 40, it’s all good and stuff, but at the end of the day, you got to keep working hard.â€
Pitching shuffle
Following a rain-canceled exhibition on Sunday, the Cardinals plan to have Steven Matz make his spring debut on Monday against the Nationals in West Palm Beach, Florida. Matz is scheduled to pitch an inning of relief after starter Sonny Gray comes out of the game. Matz will then be on turn to make a start on Saturday.
The Cardinals are set to have Miles Mikolas start on Tuesday. Kyle Gibson on Thursday after Wednesday’s off day, and Lance Lynn on Friday. Drew Rom, Sunday’s scheduled starter before rain came down in Jupiter, likely will make up for his innings on the back fields while relievers, such as closer Ryan Helsley, might have their appearances moved to Monday.
Extra Bases
Catcher Ivan Herrera has been nursing a left shoulder injury and could appear in a Grapefruit League game within the next two days. Herrera, 23, felt discomfort while taking swings in the batting cage on Friday, before he was set to play against the visiting Mets. The Cardinals rookie, who hasn’t played in a spring game since Feb. 26, took “full 100%†swings on Sunday and was said to be feeling no issues.
- Pitching prospect Tekoah Roby reportedly felt “really good†following a bullpen session on Saturday as he deals with a back injury that caused his Grapefruit League start scheduled for Feb. 26 to be moved.
Roby, 22, is set to throw a session of live batting practice in the coming days. If all goes well, Marmol said the plans are for the righty to make a spring game appearance at some point.