St. Louis Cardinals: Iván Herrera’s Determined Push to Stay Behind the Plate
Replacing a legend is never easy. And when that legend is Yadier Molina-a cornerstone of the Cardinals for nearly two decades, a field general, and a cultural touchstone-it’s more than just filling a spot in the lineup.
It’s about inheriting a legacy. That’s the challenge St.
Louis has been navigating ever since Molina hung up his gear.
Willson Contreras was the first to step into that void. He brought a strong bat and plenty of experience, but the transition didn’t go smoothly.
Within months, Contreras became a lightning rod for criticism-some of it internal-and the resulting instability eventually pushed him out from behind the plate. An arm injury later sealed the decision.
That opened the door, at least in theory, for Iván Herrera. But Herrera’s own opportunity came with its own set of challenges.
Over the 2024 and 2025 seasons, he allowed 70 stolen bases while throwing out just four runners. That’s a number that jumps off the page-and not in a good way.
Even in an era where stolen bases are trending up, that kind of ratio just isn’t sustainable for a team that prides itself on defensive fundamentals.
But Herrera isn’t backing down. After undergoing offseason elbow surgery to remove bone chips and loose bodies, the 23-year-old is betting on a healthier arm to help him reclaim his place behind the plate.
“I basically couldn’t straighten my elbow,” Herrera said. “It’s hard to throw that way. Once you lose an angle of 30 degrees in your arm, it’s so hard to throw the ball the right way.”
Now, with his arm back to full strength, Herrera is diving headfirst into what amounts to a make-or-break stretch. The Cardinals aren’t rushing to judgment.
This season-one that already has the feel of a transition year-gives them the flexibility to evaluate their internal options without the pressure of immediate contention. That’s good news for Herrera, who’s already proven he can swing the bat.
If he can show growth defensively, there’s a real path for him to stick.
Manager Oli Marmol made it clear: spring training isn’t going to be the final word.
“I think it’s hard to evaluate strictly in spring,” Marmol said. “When you think about what pitchers are doing in spring, they’re working on a specific pitch. You’re not game planning against a hitter.”
Translation: the real test comes when the games start to count. And the Cardinals are giving themselves options.
With room to carry three catchers on the Opening Day roster, Herrera won’t be alone in camp. Pedro Pagés and Jimmy Crooks are both in the mix, and if Crooks can hit enough to serve as a lefty DH option, he could carve out a role beyond just catching.
That depth gives St. Louis some breathing room. It also gives Herrera a chance to show that his offseason work-with catching coordinator Ethan Goforth leading the charge-is paying off.
“I talk to ‘GoGo’ every week,” Herrera said. “We’ve got some meetings, and then we talk about baseball stats and all of that … Now that I’m clean to throw, now’s when I start doing every part of receiving, blocking, every part of the game.”
Still, this is a crowded picture. Crooks is already viewed as a strong game-caller.
Pagés has earned the trust of the clubhouse. And behind them, prospects like Leonardo Bernal and Rainiel Rodríguez are rising fast.
The organization has no shortage of potential long-term answers at catcher.
That’s what makes this moment so important for Herrera. He’s not just trying to stay in the mix-he’s fighting to prove he belongs at the position he’s played his entire career.
The Cardinals have even dabbled with him in left field, but those experiments haven’t stuck. His focus remains squarely on catching.
And the front office is listening. President of baseball operations Chaim Bloom acknowledged during the winter meetings that catching is a demanding job-physically and mentally-and not every player is wired for it. But Herrera’s desire to take on that challenge matters.
“I work hard,” Herrera said. “I came through the minor leagues being a catcher, just watching Yadier Molina do it over and over. That’s something I want to try to achieve, because the standard to be a catcher on this team is really high.”
That standard is the shadow Herrera now lives in. But he’s not shrinking from it.
He’s leaning into it, fully aware of what it means to wear the gear in St. Louis.
The road ahead isn’t easy, and the competition is only getting tougher. But Herrera’s not asking for guarantees-just the chance to prove he can still be the guy behind the plate.