Church has an .825 OPS through 13 Grapefruit League games and has made a strong case to make St. Louis' Opening Day roster, Bill Ladson of MLB.com reports.
The 25-year-old entered camp with a fairly clear path to a roster spot, with Lars Nootbaar (heel) set to begin the season on the injured list, and Church has responded with a .290 batting average, one homer and one steal in 37 plate appearances. With the Cardinals committing to a rebuild this offseason, a strong start to the campaign could allow Church to retain a sizable role even after Nootbaar gets healthy.