Leone recorded his third save of the Grapefruit League slate in Sunday's 4-3 win over the Nationals, working around a walk to deliver a scoreless ninth inning.
While Luke Gregerson (oblique) has been on the shelf for most of the spring, Leone seems to have emerged as the top candidate to open the season as the Cardinals' closer in the event Gregerson remains unavailable. Though he lacks the experience that Gregerson and Bud Norris have in the ninth inning, Leone, who works in the mid-90s and has done a good job of limiting walks and home runs during his four seasons in the big leagues, compares favorably from a skills standpoint. If Leone continues his strong form the rest of the spring, it's not difficult to imagine him being named closer even if Gregerson makes a full recovery by Opening Day.