St. Louis Cardinals: 5 Minor Leaguers Who Will Make an Impact in 2012

The St. Louis Cardinals have too much talent on their 25-man roster. That’s a good problem for a baseball team to have.

Though the Opening Day roster is now official, there will be plenty of opportunities for minor league players to contribute to the big league club.

Injuries are inevitable, and the Cardinals are in a good position to deal with them.

Let’s take a look at five players who could see some significant time in the majors in 2012.

5. Matt Adams, 1B

Adams looked pretty good at the plate this spring. The young first baseman hit .278 with two home runs and eight RBI.

He could see some time in the majors if aging first baseman Lance Berkman suffers an injury this season.

4. Victor Marte, RP

Marte saved a couple games for the Cardinals this spring and looked pretty good doing it.

He’ll start this year at Memphis, but look for him to be called up and sent down by the Cardinals all season.

Bullpen arms are valuable, and in the dog days of summer, Marte could see some action.

3. Adron Chambers, OF

If Shane Robinson struggles this season, he and Chambers could end up trading places.

Chambers only got eight at-bats for St. Louis last season, but he did hit .375 and drove in four runs.

He also can run pretty well, amassing 22 steals in the minors last season.

If the Cardinals decide they need speed, Chambers is their guy.

2. Pete Kozma, 2B/SS

Daniel Descalso and Tyler Greene will be playing second base this year, at least until Skip Schumaker is healthy.

But if either of them struggles, a call could be made to bring Kozma up from Memphis.

Kozma is not a heavy hitter, but he’s solid defensively.

If the Cardinals need defensive help, he could be called up.

1. Eduardo Sanchez, RP

Sanchez was a dynamic reliever last season before he was sidelined by an injury.

He compiled five saves, 35 strikeouts and a 1.80 ERA in 30 innings pitched in 2011.

If he can stay healthy in 2012, he should play a prominent role in the Cardinals bullpen by the end of the season.