23-year old lefty swinging 1B Matt Adams came into this season as the Cardinals’ #9 prospect according to Baseball America and he has been showing why in AAA-ball this year. Adams has played in 12 games in AAA-ball so far this year and he is 19 for 46 (.413 avg, 1.145 OPS) with 7 runs scored, 3 homers, 7 RBIs and 1 stolen base. He has now played in 311 games in his first four years in the minors and he is 389 of 1,218 (.319 avg, .925 OPS) with 189 runs scored, 67 homers, 248 RBIs and 6 stolen bases. I have a feeling that Adams is going to force his way into St. Louis at some point in 2012.

The Cardinals have 9 rookies that could help them at some point in 2012. Here’s a look at them:

Shelby Miller: 21-year old righty starting pitcher Shelby Miller comes into this season as the Cardinals’ #1 prospect according to Baseball America. Miller pitched in 25 games (all starts) in A+AA-ball last year and he was 11-6 with a 2.77 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. He has now pitched in 51 games (all starts) in his first three years in the minors and he is 18-11 with a 3.17 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Miller could help the Cardinals at some point in 2012, if they need a starting pitcher.

Lance Lynn: 25-year old righty starter/reliever Lance Lynn comes into this season as the Cardinals’ #7 prospect according to Baseball America. Lynn pitched in 18 games (2 starts) for the Cardinals last year and he was 1-1 with a 3.12 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. Lynn also pitched in 12 games (all starts) in AAA-ball last year and he was 7-3 with a 3.84 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. He has now pitched in 77 games (72 starts) in his first four years in the minors and he is 32-18 with a 3.69 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. Lynn is going to start the season in the Cardinals’ starting rotation in place of an injured Chris Carpenter.

Eduardo Sanchez: 23-year old righty reliever Eduardo Sanchez comes into this season as the Cardinals’ #8 prospect according to Baseball America. Sanchez pitched in 26 games (0 starts) for the Cardinals last year before going down to injury and he was 3-1 with 5 saves, a 1.80 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. He also pitched in 5 games (0 starts) in AA+AAA-ball last year and he was 1-1 with a 2.45 ERA and a 0.68 WHIP. Sanchez has now pitched in 177 games (7 starts) last year in his first six years in the minors and he is 12-8 with 36 saves, a 3.17 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. Sanchez should be a big time asset in the pen for the Cardinals in 2012.

Matt Adams: 23-year old lefty swinging 1B Matt Adams comes into this season as the Cardinals’ #9 prospect according to Baseball America. Adams played in 115 games in AA-ball last year and he was 139 of 463 (.300 avg, .923 OPS) with 80 runs scored, 32 homers and 101 RBIs. He has now played in 299 games in his first three years in the minors and he is 370 of 1,172 (.316 avg, .917 OPS) with 182 runs scored, 64 homers, 241 RBIs and 5 stolen bases. If something happens to Lance Berkman, Adams could get his first shot at the show.

Matt Carpenter: 26-year old lefty swinging 3B Matt Carpenter comes into this season as the Cardinals’ #12 prospect according to Baseball America. He played in 7 games for the Cardinals last year and he was 1 for 15 (.067 avg, .396 OPS). He also played in 130 games in AAA-ball last year and he was 130 of 434 (.300 avg, .880 OPS) with 61 runs scored, 12 homers, 70 RBIs and 5 stolen bases. Carpenter has now played in 333 games in his first three years in the minors and he is 354 of 1,180 (.300 avg, .859 OPS) with 187 runs scored, 27 homers, 161 RBIs and 19 stolen bases. If David Freese gets hurt again in 2012, Carpenter could get his big shot at the show.

Maikel Cleto: 22-year old righty starter/reliever Maikel Cleto comes into this season as the Cardinals’ #14 prospect according to Baseball America. Cleto pitched in 3 games (0 starts) for the Cardinals last year and he was 0-0 with a 12.46 ERA and a 2.54 WHIP. He also pitched in 25 games (24 starts) in A+AA+AAA-ball last year and he was 8-6 with a 3.81 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. Cleto has now pitched in 94 games (80 starts) in his first five years in the minors and he is 18-33 with 1 save, a 4.75 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP.

Adron Chambers: 25-year old lefty swinging outfielder Adron Chambers comes into this season as the Cardinals’ #19 prospect according to Baseball America. Chambers played in 18 games for the Cardinals last year and he was 3 for 8 (.375 avg, 1.000 OPS) with 2 runs scored, 0 homers and 4 RBIs. He also played in 128 games in AAA-ball last year and he was 118 of 426 (.277 avg, .783 OPS) with 73 runs scored, 10 homers, 44 RBIs and 22 stolen bases. Chambers has now played in 493 games in his first five years in the minors and he is 447 of 1,642 (.272 avg, .752 OPS) with 274 runs scored, 20 homers, 160 RBIs and 76 stolen bases. Chambers could make it to the Cards as a backup outfielder in 2012 at some point.

Tony Cruz: 25-year old righty swinging catcher Tony Cruz comes into this season as the Cardinals’ #20 prospect according to Baseball America. Cruz played in 38 games for the Cardinals last year and he was 17 of 65 (.262 avg, .672 OPS) with 8 runs scored, 0 homers and 6 RBIs. He also played in 45 games in AAA-ball last year and he was 39 of 149 (.262 avg, .704 OPS) with 13 runs scored, 4 homers and 25 RBIs. Cruz has now played in 400 games in his first five years in the minors and he is 403 of 1,516 (.266 avg, .733 OPS) with 185 runs scored, 37 homers, 221 RBIs and 9 stolen bases. Cruz will back up Yadier Molina behind the plate in 2012.

Brandon Dickson: 27-year old righty starter/reliever Brandon Dickson comes into this season as the Cardinals’ #22 prospect according to Baseball America. Dickson pitched in 4 games (1 start) for the Cardinals last year and he was 0-0 with a 3.24 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. He also pitched in 26 games (25 starts) in AAA-ball last year and he was 8-9 with a 3.95 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. Dickson has now pitched in 151 games (118 starts) in his first six years in the minors and he is 49-44 with a 3.75 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. I could see Dickson helping out the Cardinals at some point in 2012 as either a starter or a long reliever.

The Cardinals will be without 22-year old righty reliever/starter Jordan Swagerty for the entire 2012 season as he needs Tommy John Surgery. Swagerty pitched in 36 games (12 starts) in A+AA-ball last year for the Cardinals and he was 5-3 with a 1.83 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP. Swagerty only gave up 68 hits while whiffing 89 batters in his first 93 2/3 innings as a professional pitcher last year. He also only walked 23 batters which shows what kind of command and stuff he has. Swagerty came into this season as the Cardinals’ #10 prospect according to Baseball America, so here’s to hoping that he gets even better as a pitcher when he returns to action.

23-year old lefty swinging catcher Cody Stanley gets suspended for 50 games for violating the minor league drug prevention and treatment program. Stanley comes into this season as the Cardinals’ #24 prospect according to Baseball America. Stanley played in 101 games in A-ball last year and he was 100 of 379 (.264 avg, .742 OPS) with 54 runs scored, 11 homers, 66 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. Stanley has now played in 156 games in his first two years in the minors and he is 168 of 592 (.284 avg, .793 OPS) with 89 runs scored, 17 homers, 107 RBIs and 12 stolen bases. This will likely set Stanley’s development back at least 1 year.

The Cardinals have released 30-year old righty reliever Blaine Boyer. Boyer pitched in 7 games (all starts) in A+AAA-ball for the Cardinals this year and he was 1-3 with a 10.12 ERA and a 1.95 WHIP. He has pitched in 18 games (7 starts) overall in the minors this year and he is 1-3 with a 10.90 ERA and a 2.16 WHIP. This is absolutely no loss for the Cardinals moving forward.