JUPITER, Fla. • When first baseman and power prospect Xavier Scruggs arrived at Roger Dean Stadium for the start of his first big-league spring training, he saw the No. 83 jersey hanging at his assigned locker. That wasn't the number that mattered.

On the inside tag was the jersey's size — a 50.

He had to take it back.

The sizes on his uniform needed some updating because Scruggs had spent all offseason updating his size for this spring.

A slugger who bruised the Texas League for 29 home runs last season and has three consecutive 20-homer seasons going into this spring, Scruggs altered his nutrition and upped his workouts in order to slim down while not changing his strength. He had been considered for a spot on the 40-man roster this past winter, and the Cardinals elected instead to protect him from the minor-league portion of the Rule 5 draft by upgrading him to the Class AAA roster. If another team wanted him, they would have to keep him in the majors.

The consideration for the 40-man though did come with an invite to spring training, and Scruggs' turn for the Class AA Springfield club merited him a spot on Baseball America's Top 30.

That's because of power.