St. Louis Cardinals Position Players: Should They Stay or Should They Go
Updated: 3 days ago
My overall assessment of the St. Louis Cardinals is that the rebuild is on the right track. This season proved a roster full of blood-and-guts type players, and the organization's minor league system seems ripe to add more talent. Herewith is a look at the major league roster position players. Pitchers are forthcoming.
Infield
Alec Burleson 1B – Burly developed in a manner that makes a fan comfortable his production is for real. It has been a slow but steady ascent for him. Cardinal Nation has watched Burly get better with each passing season. A prime example is his OPS+, which moved steadily upwards each full season he has played. Beginning in 2023, his OPS+ has been: 87, 105, 127 and 131. He is also a very good fielder.
Blaze Jordan 3B - Surprisingly good on defense; looks like a hitter. Jordan will be in the conversation for a starting third base job in 2027.
Nolan Gorman 3B-2B – On the opposite side of Blaze Jordan, there lies Nolan Gorman. In other words, he has to go. Too many strikeouts, okay, too many outs of all kinds that don’t warrant the meager production he provides.
JJ Wetherholt SS – Excellent rookie season. He falls into the has to prove it wasn’t a fluke category.
Masyn Winn SS: He has had a hard time avoiding injuries. Be it the nagging type that can be played through or ones that put a player on the IL. Winn won’t be the leader or star the team wants him to be if this keeps up. Further, the front office should think hard about a long-term contract for Winn because of the issues he has playing healthy. Fantastic defensive player; his offense is lagging.
Thomas Saggese Inf: Will he hit in some capacity close to his minor league stats? Seems to be solid on defense. Career backup infielder is a good job to have.
César Prieto Inf: Jury is still out.
Catcher
Iván Herrera C-DH: A down season for Herrera offensively doesn’t worry me. I believe he is the real deal as a hitter; Herrera’s time at catcher needs to be minimized to no more than once a week. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports Herrera will be in trade discussions.
Jimmy Crooks C: He is a keeper. His sixty-seven games in the majors have not been good offensively. Crooks has been good, for a rookie, on defense. He has performed very well on both sides of the ball in the minors. Based on that fact, the jury is still out on him. There is still time to see if his minor league production translates to pro ball. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports Crooks will be in trade discussions.
Leo Bernal C – In his limited time with the big club, Bernal looks like the real deal. He does need to get better on defense, blocking balls, and his throws on stolen bases tend to veer too far towards the right of the bag, if one is looking from home plate. President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom has mentioned Bernal could see time at 3B. He is playing in the Dominican this winter, on Albert Pujols’ team. Bernal intends to spend a good deal of time at first base and designated hitter during winter ball
Pedro Pagés C – Pagés could be the odd man out as the Cardinals are loaded with quality at catcher. He is a pro ball player on the defensive side and has a place in the major leagues. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports Pagés will be in trade discussions.
Outfield
Bryan Torres OF-2B: I like his style of play. I see a Tommy Edman comparison as legitimate.
Everson Pereira OF; Performed well in limited action with St. Louis. Interesting player to follow in Spring Training.
Jordan Walker RF: 2026 was the year that Walker broke out and played to the billing he was given whilst in the minors. He became a 20-20 guy with a career-high OPS+ of 124. His range in right field isn’t very good, but his arm is one of the best. Walker falls into the has to prove it wasn’t a fluke category. I believe we will see similar success in the years ahead.
José Fermín OF-INF: One-hundred percent a fan. Excellent backup-spot starter.
Joshua Báez OF – If he can hit .230-.240 and be among the league leaders in home runs, he has my vote as a regular outfield presence. Higher minds than mine say his defense is coming.
Nathan Church OF- Solid defender; there is room for improvement offensively. Probably better as a fourth outfielder than a starter.
Victor Scott II OF – He is running a close second to Nolan Gorman on the highway out of The Lou. He gets one more season to prove he can play. Scott is going to Driveline Baseball this off-season to become a better hitter. It would be a good idea if he learned how to bunt. I love his intensity.
Charles I. Guarria is an author, blogger, reporter and former streaming host based in the state of Florida, USA, covering any topic, anywhere in the world. His career began in 2009. Mr. Guarria is a three-time winner of Emerald Group Publishing’s Highly Commended Award and is available for hire to write, research, or beta-read.
Please support this blog by buying me a tea. Thank you!
All likes, comments, and shares are welcome!
Photos: Jay Anthony, Don't recall
~30~
Comments