The Cardinals’ catching picture may not be something Oliver Marmol feels like he can answer anymore.
Marmol met with reporters over the weekend and talked through the club’s playing-time outlook for the offseason. He said Leo Bernal and Nathan Church had already locked down the starting catcher and center field jobs, and he also described third base as “wide open”. But when the conversation turned to the broader situation behind the plate, Marmol drew a line.
“That’s a Chaim question.”
The answer is telling, especially this late in the year, and it leaves plenty to wonder about where the Cardinals are headed at catcher.
One name that hangs over the whole discussion is Ivan Herrera. In the middle of last season, Herrera was taken out of the catching rotation, before the club later said he would return behind the plate in 2026. That move was tied in part to his physical condition and his ongoing development at the position, but it also reflected a lack of trust in his work behind the plate.
Somebody - whether that was Chaim Bloom, Marmol, or both - clearly wanted another look at Herrera catching. The upside was obvious: if he could keep hitting at the level he showed before 2026 and handle catcher at even an average level, he’d be an extremely valuable player. But Herrera’s defense behind the plate still came with major warning signs, and his offense slipped significantly as well.
That opens the door to a lot of possible outcomes. Bernal’s debut was loud.
Jimmy Crooks still has real promise. Rainiel Rodriguez isn’t far off, either.
Suddenly, there’s a crowded picture forming, and the Cardinals could make some real changes.
Herrera’s role could shift. Crooks could be available in a trade.
Pedro Pages could reclaim a bigger job, get moved, or stay on as a third catcher. And then there’s the question of how close the Cardinals think Rodriguez really is.
There’s a case for just about every path. Herrera did get better defensively, and another offseason could help him further with his arm and his feel for the position. At the same time, he has already shown he can be a strong offensive player, so it’s hard to simply walk away from the idea of him producing that way at catcher.
Crooks remains a legitimate prospect, even if he hasn’t yet settled in at the big-league level. He’s too talented to dismiss outright, though the right trade offer would obviously be worth considering.
And then there’s the 19-year-old catcher in Double-A, the one putting up historic offensive numbers this season and who could be ready to debut for St. Louis in less than 12 months. That looming presence only makes the whole thing more complicated.
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Cardinals Are Starting To Feel Better About That Brendan Donovan Trade
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Peetes strong stretch has been highlighted by a five-hit game in the Texas League Championship Series, the kind of performance that can quickly change how a trade is remembered around a front office. Donovan, meanwhile, has been limited to 39 games for the Mariners this season because of injuries, which only adds to the sense that the Cardinals may have found more long-term value than they first appeared to be giving up. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Enter Offseason With 3 Roster Calls That Could Get Ruthless
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Nolan Gorman, Jos Pags and Ryan Stanek are among the names being mentioned as possible departures as the front office weighs performance against long-term fit. For a club trying to move forward without getting stuck in the middle, those are the kinds of decisions that can turn an ordinary winter into a ruthless one, with Bloom forced to decide which pieces still belong in the next version of the Cardinals and which ones do not. [Read more 🡒]
Ivan Herrera's Cardinals Future Suddenly Looks Far Less Certain
Ivan Herrera entered the season with a chance to settle in as part of the Cardinals long-term catching picture, but the year has not exactly gone as planned. He has stayed healthy and continued to get regular playing time in St. Louis, yet the offense has slipped enough to make the situation feel less secure than it did a few months ago.
Leonardo Bernals arrival only adds to the pressure, especially after the rookie has flashed enough at the plate to make him look like a real candidate to take over behind the dish by 2027. Add in the progress of minor league prospects Rainiel Rodriguez and Jesus Baez, and Herreras path no longer looks as clear as it once did. The Cardinals still have time to sort it out, but the competition for catching roles is starting to look very real. [Read more 🡒]