Excitement has been all around at Cardinals camp, with superstar Nolan Arenado and a renewed sense of championship aspirations in tow. St. Louis waited to make its big offseason moves until the last weeks, but after the Cardinals did, they stole the winter.

Arenado has done nothing but fit in with his new squad, with Adam Wainwright saying how he can’t believe the third baseman hasn’t been a Cardinal for 10 years already based on fit alone.

But Arenado isn’t the only head-turner at Cards camp, with Wainwright pitching like he’s about to turn 30 in August, not 40. Other fringe roster candidates have opened eyes and reaffirmed the type of excitement the club already carried down to Florida with Arenado in the fold.

There have been road bumps, with numerous injuries to date -- especially to the rotation -- but this year more than ever, the Cardinals preach confidence in their depth.

With all this in mind, here’s a rundown of storylines at Cards camp, who’s impressed and which questions may still need to be answered before Opening Day on Thursday:

Best development: The bullpen is airtight. Jordan Hicks is back. Alex Reyes has been assigned to the ’pen. Andrew Miller and Giovanny Gallegos remain stalwarts. The Cardinals have always been confident in their bullpen, and that excitement may never be more pronounced than this spring. This is the best development, but it’s not a development the Cardinals are necessarily surprised by. They’ve long believed in their bullpen, and the returns of this spring simply reaffirm that belief.

Even below the power arms, Kodi Whitley hasn’t allowed a run in four appearances, striking out six across as many innings, Tyler Webb looks as sharp as ever and Ryan Helsley is primed for a larger role. Who closes is to be determined, but the Cards don’t lack options of high-quality arms.

Unfortunate events: The injury bug bites hard. Two mainstays on the Cardinals’ active roster will be missing to start the year. Center fielder Harrison Bader (right flexor tendon strain) will be sidelined for about a month after receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection Wednesday. Bader was 3-for-28 in spring, and the center-field role will be primarily filled by top prospect Dylan Carlson.

Right-hander Miles Mikolas will also be out for the beginning of the season after experiencing shoulder soreness. Mikolas missed the entirety of the 2020 season after surgery to repair the flexor tendon in his right arm, and his return date is still unclear. He’s set to throw one bullpen session before camp ends but not face live batters before he gets to the alternate training site to start the year. The good news is that Kwang Hyun Kim (back stiffness) appears in line to make his first start.

Player who opened eyes: Bader’s injury has likely secured John Nogowski's place on the Cards’ Opening Day roster, and he was giving the Cardinals a hard decision to make before the roster squeeze eased up. Nogowski leads the Cards this spring in RBIs, is tied for the lead in homers and ranks toward the top -- if not No. 1 -- in several other offensive categories. A 28-year-old rookie, Nogowski is best suited at first base, but he’s trying to make himself more valuable by playing the outfield, as well. Bader’s eventual return may complicate Nogowski’s spot on the bench, but he’s continued to open the eyes of many in his fifth year in the organization.

Wow moment: You come at Yadier Molina, you best not miss. That’s what the Astros’ Jose Siri learned one fateful afternoon against the Cardinals. In the seventh inning, Molina tried to throw behind Siri at first base, but when Houston’s youngster slid in safely and wagged his finger at Molina, the catcher dared him to steal second. “Go ahead, try me,” Molina seemed to say.

Siri did. And this time, he did not get into the bag safely.

In case you missed it: No Cardinals player has worn No. 57 since reliever Darryl Kile died in his hotel room before a 2002 game against the Cubs. This spring, that number has been entrusted to left-hander Zack Thompson, the club’s No. 5 prospect, who it believes will be an appropriate torchbearer for Kile’s legacy.

“It's obvious DK had a huge impact on St. Louis,” Thompson said. “I feel honored that they picked me to wear it.”