The St. Louis Cardinals made their intentions clear this offseason: it’s time to reset.
With a bloated payroll and a need to reinvigorate the farm system, the front office didn’t waste time making bold moves. Veterans Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras, and Nolan Arenado-three high-priced players with limited long-term upside for a retooling club-are all gone, each traded in a rapid-fire sequence across three consecutive months.
The return? Two top-10 organizational prospects-lefty Brandon Clarke and righty Yhoiker Fajardo-plus a significant reduction in payroll heading into a financially uncertain 2026. With a murky TV rights situation and whispers of a potential 2027 lockout, the Cardinals are positioning themselves to be leaner, younger, and more flexible.
But while the headlines have focused on the big-name departures, there’s another asset St. Louis has quietly stockpiled: catching depth. And with the free agent market for catchers thinning out, that depth is becoming more valuable by the day.
Right now, the Cardinals are carrying four catchers on their 40-man roster: Ivan Herrera, Pedro Pages, Jimmy Crooks, and Yohel Pozo. That’s a rare number for any team, and it suggests the front office is keeping its options open-either to see who rises to the top or to use that surplus in a trade.
And the depth doesn’t stop there. Leonardo Bernal, the club’s No. 4 prospect, is knocking on the door at Triple-A Memphis. Bernal’s defense is already drawing attention-he won a minor-league Gold Glove last season-and his bat is coming along nicely too, with a .726 OPS and 13 homers in Double-A Springfield.
Then there’s Rainiel Rodriguez, ranked No. 3 in the system by MLB Pipeline. Just 19 years old, Rodriguez made a meteoric rise through three levels in 2025, finishing the year in High-A.
His offensive numbers were eye-popping: a .276/.399/.555 slash line, good for a .954 OPS, with 20 home runs and 22 doubles. He’s not just a name to watch-he’s a name that could headline a trade package.
Behind those two, Ryan Campos and Sammy Hernandez offer even more depth. It’s a pipeline most organizations would envy, and it gives St. Louis a rare kind of leverage in a market that’s suddenly short on supply.
In the past two days alone, we’ve seen J.T. Realmuto re-sign with the Phillies and Victor Caratini land a two-year, $14 million deal with the Twins.
That’s two clubs that were actively shopping for catching help-and now they're off the board. But several teams still have a need behind the plate.
The Astros are reportedly still looking for a veteran to either back up or split time with Cesar Salazar. The Rays are rolling with Nick Fortes, who brings solid defensive tools but struggled at the plate with just a .644 OPS last year. The Brewers could use a backup option, and the Rangers-after non-tendering Jonah Heim-are also in the market for a catcher.
This is where the Cardinals could make their next move. A young, controllable catcher like Bernal or Crooks could bring back a starting pitcher with upside.
Pedro Pages might not headline a deal on his own, but he could easily net a middle reliever or a depth piece. And if St.
Louis wants to package a catcher with a major-league player-say, Lars Nootbaar or JoJo Romero-they might be able to pry loose a legitimate arm or a top-100 prospect.
The hot stove is heating up, and Chaim Bloom has already shown he’s not afraid to make bold, calculated moves. With the catching market thinning and several teams still searching, the Cardinals are in a prime position to deal from strength.
Don’t be surprised if their next big trade comes from behind the plate.