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JUPITER, Fla. — The presumptive opening day starter for the Cardinals when they host the Minnesota Twins at Busch Stadium in three weeks, Sonny Gray will emerge from the back fields of spring to make his Grapefruit League debut Wednesday at CACTI Park.

Among the last of the players in camp yet to appear in an exhibition game, Gray will do so slightly ahead of the other starters in their first game.

Gray started his rotation of games with a simulated one on a backfield. That allowed him to control the situations, dictate the count, face the same hitters multiple times, and also complete 10 outs, or the equivalent of 3 1/3 innings.

He requested an additional out in the third inning to reach a pitch count.

"You try to make it as game-like as possible," Gray told the Post-Dispatch while walking back to the clubhouse for a post-game cool down and arm care.  "That’s more in the process of everything leading up. I wanted a start like this to work my way into the actual games."

The second time through the rotation, starters have been going three or four innings and then sometimes finishing their pitch count goals in the bullpen. Both Michael McGreevy and Matthew Liberatore did that Tuesday when they pitched three innings each against the Nationals at CACTI Park.

Here is the lineup that will back Gray at CACTI vs. Astros:

1. Michael Siani, CF

2. Alec Burleson, 1B

3. Ivan Herrera, C

4. Nolan Gorman, 2B

5. Luken Baker, DH

6. JJ Wetherholt, SS

7. Thomas Saggese, 3B

8. Jose Fermin, LF

9. Ryan Vilade, RF

Starting pitcher: Sonny Gray, RHP.

Also listed to appear, innings permitted: LHP John King, LHP JoJo Romero, RHP Michael Gomez, RHP Andre Granillo, RHP Ryan Loutos, RHP Roddery Munoz, RHP Chris Roycroft.

The use of the right-handers in the game will be something to watch as all of them are vying for one of the few remaining spots in the bullpen. Roycroft has draw praise from manager Oliver Marmol, and the Cardinals believe that a shift in focus to relief will harness Munoz's quiver of power pitches in a way that starting did not. They like his upside as a reliever.

All of that could be academic if the Cardinals decide to pivot and lean into the talks they've had (and had recently) with free-agent relievers still available, as noted in Wednesday morning's Post-Dispatch.

RAJCIC REASSIGNED

Ahead of Wednesday's road trip to West Palm Beach, Florida, the Cardinals reassigned pitcher Max Rajcic to minor-league camp. The right-hander is two years removed from being the club's pitcher of the year within the organization.

The big-league camp has 57 players still in it.

Check back throughout the day here at StlToday for ongoing coverage of the Cardinals at spring training and details from Gray's start at CACTI.