The Cardinals may have finished with just 77 wins in 2026, but this winter doesn’t look like a full-scale teardown. Most of the position-player picture is already taking shape. The one spot still drawing the most attention is third base, and it’s easy to see why.
That job is still up for grabs, and the Cardinals have a few different ways they could attack it. MLB.com’s Will Leitch laid out five possibilities on Thursday: Nolan Gorman, Blaze Jordan, Thomas Saggese, Jesus Baez or an outside addition.
For now, though, the internal debate seems to center on Jordan and Saggese, with Baez viewed as the best long-term play but not a realistic Opening Day candidate for 2027. Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom has already stressed the need to avoid rushing him, and Baez hasn’t played above Double-A yet.
Jordan gets the nod here because of what he showed in his first taste of the majors. The 23-year-old made an immediate impression as a rookie in 2026, hitting .247/.276/.382 with a .658 OPS in 58 games.
He added three home runs, 28 RBIs, eight doubles and four triples before his season was cut short. With a full offseason to prepare, the expectation is that he should be even better in 2027, especially once the power he displayed in the minors starts showing up more consistently at the big-league level.
Saggese remains an interesting alternative because of his versatility and upside. The Cardinals believe he could grow into a Brendan Donovan or Tommy Edman type of player, someone who can help all over the field. But in this moment, Jordan looks like the cleaner fit for the hot corner.
Then there’s Gorman, whose name keeps coming back into the conversation because the Cardinals have kept giving him chances there. The issue is that the results haven’t moved in the right direction.
In 2023, he hit 27 home runs and looked like a possible long-term answer in the infield. Since then, his power has dipped every season, and his batting average has hovered around .200.
In 2026, it fell to .184. If the Cardinals are still prioritizing development, putting Gorman back at third would feel like a step backward.
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Victor Scott II Suddenly Faces A Real Cardinals Roster Crossroads
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Now the Cardinals have moved Nathan Church into the starting center field job, which only sharpens the pressure on Scotts path forward. For a player whose speed and defense still give him a chance to matter, the bigger question is whether there will be enough offensive growth to keep him in the clubs plans as 2027 gets closer. [Read more 🡒]
Alec Burleson Just Validated A Cardinals Gamble At First Base
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For the Cardinals, the appeal goes beyond the trophy race. Burlesons production held up whether he was hitting at home or on the road, and that kind of consistency is exactly what makes a lineup piece feel dependable rather than merely hot. With the finalists now in the mix, St. Louis has a clearer sense that the first base gamble did more than fill a vacancy - it may have uncovered a long-term answer. [Read more 🡒]
Jordan Walker Just Gave Cardinals Fans A Reason To Believe Again
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What made the season even more intriguing for St. Louis was how much better Walker looked away from Busch Stadium, where his power numbers jumped to another level. He led National League outfielders in slugging percentage, home runs and RBIs on the road, a split that says as much about his growth as it does about the next challenge facing the Cardinals. If this version of Walker holds, the organization may finally have a cornerstone bat to build around. [Read more 🡒]