JUPITER, Fla. — About a week before he stepped into the batter’s box Wednesday in a spring training start against the New York Mets, Cardinals catcher Pedro Pages adopted a new stance that has made him stand a “little taller†and with his hands a “little higher†when he’s up to bat.
The adjusted stance is part of a process that has come with help from Cardinals hitting coach Brant Brown, assistant hitting coach Brandon Allen and game-day planning coach Packy Elkins and began with the 26-year-old bringing his elbows in and closer to his body. After using Tuesday to take swings on the back fields to continue gaining timing with his changes, Pages’ in-game at-bats provided some satisfaction.
In a 2-0 loss to the Mets in Jupiter, Pages doubled to right-center field on a ball that jumped off his bat with a 104.1 mph exit velocity and lined out to center field on a ball that produced a 102.3 mph exit velocity, per Statcast. The 26-year-old lined out in his third at-bat, too.
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“It’s good to feel those at-bats,†Pages said. “(With) all the hard work we put in the cage and being able to get some type of result in the field is what you want. It makes you feel better about it. I have all the trust in what I’m doing right now.â€
Following a rookie year in which he led Cardinals catchers in games behind the plate with 66, Pages is in spring training competing against Ivan Herrera for the club’s starting catching duties. He and Herrera form the duo the Cardinals will lean on in 2025 now that Willson Contreras has shifted to first base.
Pages began 2024 as Class AAA Memphis’ starting catcher but was recalled to the majors in early May when Contreras fractured his left forearm, and he remained with the big league club through the end of the season. Pages batted .238 with seven home runs and a .657 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS). Rated as a defense-first catcher while coming up through the minors, Pages ranked in the 75th percentile and in the 67th percentile in framing, per Statcast. He threw out 14 of the 75 stolen base attempts against him.
“When you’re Pages and you slide into that spot, you have to be extremely prepared to get buy-in as quickly as he’s gotten,†Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said before Wednesday’s game. “Credit to him, he’s done exactly that. He’s continuing to work with (Brown) on the offensive side of things. I actually like where he’s at offensively and the types of swings he’s taking (and) the approach he’s bringing in every day. It’s been good.â€
Against the Mets, Pages’ double to begin the sixth inning gave the Cardinals their first base runner of the game and accounted for one of their two hits on the afternoon. The double gave Pages his fourth hit in 20 at-bats (a .200 average) in the Grapefruit League.
Pages caught all nine innings, including the five innings logged by starter Miles Mikolas, who allowed one run.
Having gone from the catcher in spring training in line to start in Class AAA to being one of two contenders for the starting job in the majors, Pages feels last year’s run in the majors helped him progress in game planning with the major-league pitching staff. It also showed him where he needs to make strides for consistency at the plate.
The changes he’s made with the help of Cardinals coaches to create more space with his swing and “simplify†how he loads to the ball provide a start.
“I think it’s getting better,†Pages said. “I went up to the back fields yesterday and got some more at-bats. I think by doing that, just getting more reps, more timing with it, I think it’s going to work out in the long run. I’m happy with it right now.â€
Walker continues baseball activities
Right fielder Jordan Walker continued baseball activity Wednesday by taking fly balls off the bats of his teammates during batting practice on a backfield, going through a running progression and mimicking baserunning as he continues to work through a left knee injury. There is no set timetable for Walker’s return to game action. Marmol said the coming days will help to assess the 22-year-old’s status.
Walker has not appeared in a game since exiting early from a road game March 4 against the Washington Nationals when he jammed his knee as he stepped on a sprinkler cover while tracking down a fly ball.
Extra bases
Infielder JJ Wetherholt, the Cardinals’ top prospect, was reassigned to minor league camp. Wetherholt, 22, began his first spring training as a non-roster invitee to Cardinals camp.
The former seventh overall pick appeared in 10 Grapefruit League games before his reassignment. He collected two hits in 20 at-bats, stole three bases, and drew six walks. One of his two hits was a home run, which came in his first Grapefruit League debut on Feb. 23.
He stuck exclusively to shortstop when playing the field.
- Right-handed pitching prospect Tekoah Roby was optioned to minor league camp after throwing two scoreless innings and striking out four batters vs. the Mets. Roby, 22, collected 10 strikeouts and allowed three runs in nine innings in the Grapefruit League.
- The Cardinals plan to start prospect Michael McGreevy on Friday against the Mets in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Andre Pallante is listed as the Cardinals’ probable Saturday starter against the Blue Jays at Roger Dean Stadium.
