Bader will seemingly open the season as the starting center fielder as per manager Mike Shildt's comments following Sunday's intrasquad game, Ben Frederickson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
While the 26-year-old hasn't exactly lit it up with his bat during summer camp -- he's 4-for-15 with two strikeouts and one walk -- Bader will get his chance early to prove last season's lackluster .205/.314/.366 line was an outlier. Bader provided similarly sluggish results before spring training was suspended with a .229 average over 12 exhibitions; considering the promising Lane Thomas, and eventually, Dylan Carlson, will be looming behind him as competition, Bader may consequently have to produce early and often to keep a hold of an everyday spot.