A local connection is scheduled to be part of the St. Louis Cardinal Caravan stop in Rolla Saturday, Jan. 17.

   Weather permitting, the 2026 Cardinal Caravan is slated to come to the Rolla High School Field House Saturday.

   There will be five Cardinal Caravans stops in six states this year. Cardinal Caravan No. 2 is slated to stop in Rolla at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

   Caravan No. 2 is to also be in Springfield, Mo. Friday, Jan. 16 then drive to Joplin Saturday, Jan. 17 before coming up I-44 to Rolla later Jan. 17 for its final stop of the day.

   Current Cardinal players advertised to be part of the Rolla Caravan stop are starting centerfielder Victor Scott II, the team’s No. 1 minor league prospect J.J. Wetherholt, infielder Jose Fermin, pitcher Kyle Leahy and minor league catcher Leonardo Bernal. The Cardinal Alumni player scheduled to attend is former outfielder Kerry Robinson. The emcees are slated to be Mike Claiborne and Ricky Horton.

   Scott is the first cousin of Will Marshall, of Rolla, whose kids were standout athletes at St. James High School. One of the fastest players in baseball, Scott won the starting centerfield job with the Cardinals as a rookie in 2025 and was considered one of the game’s top defenders at the position. He also was among baseball’s leaders in stolen bases with 34, while hitting five homers, 15 doubles and driving in 37 runs.

   Wetherholt is one of baseball’s top overall prospects as an infielder and is expected to crack the Cardinals’ lineup this season. In a poll of Major League executives, Wetherholt was the favorite to win the 2026 National League Rookie of the Year Award. The seventh overall pick by St. Louis in the first round of the 2024 Amateur Draft, Wetherholt batted .304 with 19 homers, 79 RBI, 33 doubles, a .487 slugging percentage and .905 OPS in his brief minor league stint with the organization.

   Leahy ended up as one of the Cardinals’ top bullpen arms last season and is scheduled to be in the running for a possible spot in the starting rotation this spring. Last season the 6-5, 225-pound right-hander finished with a 4-2 record and 3.07 ERA over 88 innings pitched, recording 18 holds out of the bullpen.

   Fermin will be looking to earn a utility role with the Cardinals as an infielder/outfielder after hitting .283 with the squad in limited action in 2025.

   Bernal is one of the Cardinals’ top minor league prospects as part of the organization’s loaded catching position. A switch-hitter, Bernal (6-0, 245) hit .247 with 13 homers, 70 RBI and 13 stolen bases last season at AA Springfield. During his minor league career he has been a .251 hitter with 39 homers, 229 RBI and 28 stolen bases.

   Fans will be introduced to the Cardinal contingent and there will be a Q&A session. Fans age 15-younger can collect one autograph from each current and former player at the Caravan stop.
Adults age 16 or older will receive a voucher for two tickets to a 2026 Cardinals game.
Radio Station KTTR/KZNN is the sponsor for the Cardinal Caravan Rolla stop.