Cordoba, 20, could be the most compelling of the group. At 20, he played this past season for the Appy League champions, Johnson City Cardinals. He went six-for-15 in the first round of the playoffs, and that punctuated a brilliant season that followed an MVP seasons in the 2015 Gulf Coast League. Cordoba hit .362/.427/.495 with a .922 OPS in 50 games for the JC-Cards. He did not hit a home run, but had more walks (21) and more stolen bases (22) than strikeouts (19).

Although the Panamanian infielder joined the Cardinals in June 2015, he’s eligible for the Rule 5 so early because he’s on his second contract.

A handful of the other players mentioned are in the Arizona Fall League. Lefty Corey Littrell, the Cardinals’ remaining spoil of the Craig/Lackey deal with Boston, has thrown four innings for a 0.00 ERA on the Glendale team in the AFL. He’s made two relief appearances and struck out one while allowing an unearned run. Rowan Wick, the repurposed catcher now speeding along as a reliever, has thrown two innings in the AFL and allowed two runs and four walks. Ryan Sherriff, a lefty who suddenly has more prominence with the injury to Zach Duke (elbow surgery), has thrown 1 2/3 innings and struck out three while allowing two runs on four hits and a walk.