Oscar Taveras (right hamstring tightness) remains out of the lineup. St. Louis parked Peter Bourjos for one week with a minor hamstring cramp, so Taveras is probably still a few days away from returning to game action. The precocious talent doesn't have a great chance of cracking the Opening Day roster, but he'll be up at some point in 2014.

Oscar Taveras had a double in three at-bats Friday in his spring debut. Taveras had a bit of a misplay in right field, in which a double got over his head. There's a good chance it would have been a hit regardless, but Taveras didn't play it right from the start. Other than that, the day was a positive. He didn't seem particularly limited by his surgically repaired ankle.

Oscar Taveras (ankle) is making his Grapefruit League debut Friday. He's playing right field and batting eighth versus the Mets in one of the Cardinals' split-squad games. Taveras has been squeamish about testing out his surgically-repaired right ankle in camp, but he went through intensive baserunning drills Thursday with no issues and is ready to give it a go. The top prospect hasn't helped his chances at winning a roster spot with a late start, but he was probably destined for Triple-A to begin the year, anyway.

Oscar Taveras (ankle) did intensive baserunning, sliding, and stopping drills Thursday in camp. Taveras told Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he felt "much better" than the first time he did a baserunning workout. He's still being eased into action as he continues his recovery from last year's ankle surgery. The top outfield prospect should soon be ready for Grapefruit League games.

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said there's still no spring debut date set for Oscar Taveras. The Cardinals want to get Taveras into games, but the club first wants him to stop favoring his surgically repaired ankle. "He's anxious to get going, and that's exactly how we want him to be," Matheny said. "He's done a lot of work to get to the point where he is right now. In his mind, he's not favoring it. So it's a tough conversation. We're trying to do what's best for him. And what's best for our club, too, is to have a player who is completely ready to go before he goes out there and starts learning bad habits or makes himself more susceptible to an injury." Taveras is taking the team trip to Fort Myers, Fla., on Thursday, so his debut could be any day now.

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said Monday that Oscar Taveras (ankle) is "close to being able to take off." "But it's smart that we hold on till he's not favoring the weak side," added the Cardinals skipper. Taveras is still on his way back from ankle surgery and has yet to appear in a Grapefruit League game this spring. It's looking doubtful at this point that the 21-year-old outfield prospect is able to crack the Opening Day roster.

Oscar Taveras (ankle) is not yet cleared to play in Grapefruit League games. Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said that Taveras is running at about 80 percent, "and 80 percent isn't good enough." The top prospect has slowly ramped up his running since the beginning of spring training, but the Cards don't want to push him too fast too soon. Taveras is competing for an Opening Day roster spot but will most likely start the year at Triple-A as he tries to catch up after what was essentially a lost 2013 season.

Oscar Taveras (ankle) is expected to ramp up the intensity of his workouts on Monday in Cardinals camp. The Cardinals have been easing their top hitting prospect into drills this spring to allow his surgically-repaired ankle extra time to heal. Taveras should be 100 percent by the start of the 2014 regular season and has an outside shot an Opening Day roster spot. The 21-year-old is a .320/.377/.518 career hitter in the minors with a power swing that has been described as "violent."

Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said Thursday that Oscar Taveras (ankle) is "100 percent cleared" for baseball activity. Mozeliak did add that club will still restrict Taveras' running as he works his way back from ankle surgery, but it sounds like the top prospect could go all out if need be. "From a running standpoint, we just want to be smart and patient," Mozeliak said. "You will see him pushing himself, but you may see some of the range-type drills in the outfield, some of his might be shortened. We don't open tomorrow, so there's no reason to push him as if we were." Taveras doesn't have a clear path to playing time at the moment but could still force his way onto the Opening Day roster with a big spring.

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny was encouraged after watching Oscar Taveras (ankle) do some running Wednesday. One of the top hitting prospects in the minors, Taveras was limited to just 47 games in the minors last season due to an ankle injury which eventually required surgery. However, all indications are that he'll enter spring training at 100 percent. The Cardinals have a lot of moving parts, but Taveras could hit his way on to the Opening Day roster in the spring. Fantasy owners would be wise to keep an eye on him.