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STL • DH
3 days ago
Velázquez, who hit .212/.286/.433 with 31 homers in 615 plate appearances for the Cubs and Royals from 2022-24, bounced around all over the place last year. The Royals released him from their Triple-A roster in May, at which point he went to Mexico and hit .357/.444/.658 in 49 games. That earned him a minor league contract from the Pirates, and he hit .284/.349/.554 in 18 games at the end of the year for Triple-A Indianapolis. Since then, he’s spent time in both the Dominican and Puerto Rican Winter Leagues. He should have some chance of making the Cardinals as a right-handed platoon option in the outfield corners and at DH, assuming the team doesn’t bring in a veteran option for that role.
STL • C
8 days ago
We’re kind of confused by this, as Molina was already named a special assistant to the president of baseball operations for the Cardinals after the 2023 season. But apparently that arrangement quietly ended at some point. It’s back on now with Chaim Bloom having replaced John Mozeliak as the leader of the Cardinals’ front office. The 43-year-old Molina has made no secret of his desire to manage in the bigs someday. He will be at the helm for Team Puerto Rico in the WBC.
STL • Pitcher • #44
8 days ago
At the Cardinals’ Winter Warm-Up, Graceffo mentioned that he will be moving to the bullpen full-time and has been focusing on being more intentional with his attack plan since he no longer needs to plan for five or more innings of work. One of those changes has been adding a kick-change that will help make him less fastball-dominant. It will be interesting to see how the new role and pitch impact his success. Graceffo is just 25 years old and the Cardinals don’t have many established starting options, so there’s a chance he could pitch himself back into the rotation.
Source: STL Pinch Hits
STL • Infielder • #33
11 days ago
While this report doesn’t completely rule out the Royals making a splash on the trade market, it doesn’t sound promising that anything is actually going to happen. Both Duran and Donovan have been generating plenty of buzz on the trade front and it sounds like the Royals just won’t have the right pieces in place to get a deal done.
Source: Ken Rosenthal
STL •
16 days ago
Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom told reporters the deal is now official. The hard-throwing 34-year-old middle reliever fortifies St. Louis’ bullpen after recording an underwhelming 5.30 ERA — 4.40 FIP — 1.57 WHIP and 58/32 K/BB ratio across 56 innings for the Mets last year. He’s been a durable innings-eater, making 55 appearances or more in each of the past five seasons, and has some experience in high-leverage spots. He isn’t a threat to close with the Cardinals but it wouldn’t be shocking if he wound up vulturing the occasional save from Riley O’Brien or JoJo Romero.
STL • Outfielder • #33
16 days ago
There are multiple pathways to a starting role for Wetherholt next season in the wake of Nolan Arenado being dealt to the Diamondbacks and with Brendan Donovan continuing to surface in trade rumors. The 23-year-old top prospect batted .306/.421/.510 with 17 homers and 23 steals in 109 games in the upper minors last season and could fit at either third base or second if St. Louis is willing to start his service-time clock and let him compete for NL Rookie of the Year honors. Wetherholt projects as an immediate five-category fantasy contributor with a chance to break camp as the Cardinals’ top-of-the-order table-setter. Nolan Gorman is the leading internal candidate to take over at third base, if Wetherholt opens the year back at Triple-A Memphis, though his persistent struggles against left-handed pitching remain an obstacle to everyday at-bats.
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
STL • 2B
16 days ago
Martinez was the Diamondbacks’ 8th round pick in this last draft. He posted a 5.47 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and 110/33 K/BB ratio in 77 1/3 innings at Arizona State. He’s a tall pitcher with a deceptive delivery and a big upper-90s fastball. While his ratios were not great in college, he has a true four-pitch mix and the frame to hold up to a long MLB season, so this is a solid gamble for the Cardinals, who are desperate for young starting pitching.
STL • Infielder • #28
16 days ago
Maybe the D-backs really don’t think Jordan Lawlar can play. It won’t require much talent to bring in Arenado; it’s mostly just a matter of how much of the contract they’d have to absorb. If something gets done, then there’s a good chance Lawlar will return to Triple-A. The Cardinals would be clearing room for top prospect J.J. Wetherholt, but they’d probably start off the season with Nolan Gorman or Thomas Saggese at third base.
Source: Katie Woo
STL •
19 days ago
Zimmerman made one ill-fated, late-season spot start for the playoff-bound Brewers and was tagged for six runs — five earned — over six innings by the Padres before being cut loose by the club. The 30-year-old southpaw put together a solid 4.19 FIP across 138 innings of work over 28 appearances at the Triple-A level last year. He’ll presumably have a chance to compete for a roster spot with the Cardinals in spring training.
STL • Infielder • #16
21 days ago
The flaw of arbitration is that you can be a pretty terrible player otherwise, but if you hit homers, you’ll get paid. Gorman, who was eligible for arbitration, was decent enough in 2023, but he’s hit .204/.284/.385 with a 36% strikeout rate and bad defense in 218 games the last two years. He’ll probably get another long look this season, assuming that the Cardinals trade Nolan Arenado and/or Brendan Donovan, but José Fermín and Thomas Saggese both project as better players at this point and top prospect JJ Wetherholt could crash the party soon.
Source: Katie Woo
STL • Infielder • #33
21 days ago
Donovan made $2.85 million last season in his first year of arbitration. With two years to go before free agency, he’s been a hot topic in trade rumors, though the Cardinals still could keep him around as their primary second baseman.
Source: Derrick Goold
STL • Infielder • #41
21 days ago
Burleson was arbitration eligible for the first time after hitting .290/.343/.459 with 18 homers in 546 plate appearances last season. He’s expected to be the Cardinals’ starting first baseman with the Willson Contreras trade opening up that spot, and while his power ceiling doesn’t seem all that high, he should continue to hit for a nice average while striking out less than 15 percent of the time.
Source: Katie Woo
STL • Pitcher • #59
21 days ago
Romero gets a $1.9 million raise while coming off his best season; he had a 2.07 ERA in a career-high 61 innings for the Cardinals. This is his final year before free agency, so he’s a trade candidate on a rebuilding club.
Source: Derrick Goold
STL • Pitcher • #53
21 days ago
Pallante was a Super Two player last year, so that’s inflating his salary a little here in his second year of arbitration. The 27-year-old went 6-15 with a 5.31 ERA in 31 starts last season, making him quite the question mark going forward. He’ll definitely open up in the middle of a weak Cardinals rotation, but he could be pushed if prospects start panning out.
Source: Robert Murray
STL • Pitcher • #52
21 days ago
Liberatore qualified for arbitration as a Super Two player. The 26-year-old came in at 8-12 with a 4.21 ERA in his first full season as a starter last year, and the Cardinals should be happy if he’s about as effective this year. He needs to up his 19% strikeout rate if he going to fare much better.
STL • Outfielder • #21
21 days ago
Nootbaar, who is in his second year of arbitration, gets a $2.4 million raise after hitting .234/.325/.361 in 135 games last season. Coming off surgery on both ankles, he’s currently considered questionable for Opening Day. He’ll probably be a full-time outfielder this summer, but he could sit against left-handers while being eased back in initially.
Source: Robert Murray
STL • Pitcher • #61
23 days ago
The Cardinals claimed Kent off waivers from the Guardians on December 5th, but will now have to waive him to make room for another former Guardians reliever, Justin Bruihl, who they traded for on Tuesday. Kent had a 2.84 ERA in Triple-A in 2025 and should find a home somewhere.
Source: Derrick Goold
STL • Pitcher • #58
23 days ago
The Guardians acquired Bruihl from the Blue Jays on December 17th and then designated him for assignment three days later. The left-hander has a 4.72 ERA in 89 2/3 major league innings.
Source: Derrick Goold
STL • Infielder • #41
about 1 month ago
Burleson figures to move to the cold corner full-time next season after the Cardinals shipped Willson Contreras to the Red Sox earlier this week. The 27-year-old hit .279/.328/.439 with 39 homers, 147 RBI and 14 steals in 291 games over the past two seasons. He’s a decent bet to reach the 20-homer plateau with double-digit steals and a respectable batting average. That makes him a borderline mixed-league starter at first base, especially in deeper formats, heading into drafts next spring.
Source: John Denton
STL • Infielder • #33
about 1 month ago
The two teams — Chaim Bloom’s former club and his current club — have already swung a decade’s worth of deals in the last five months, with the Red Sox acquiring Steven Matz at the deadline and Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras in separate trades in the offseason. The Athletic recently placed the Giants and Mariners as the frontrunners for Donovan. The Red Sox and Rays are among the teams that have also sought Ketel Marte for second base, but while Marte is the better player, Donovan has a more varied market because of his ability to play several spots. The Red Sox would probably put Donovan at second, but having him at third and Marcelo Mayer at second might make more sense for them.
Source: The Athletic
STL • Infielder • #33
about 1 month ago
The two teams — Chaim Bloom’s former club and his current club — have already swung a decade’s worth of deals in the last five months, with the Red Sox acquiring Steven Matz at the deadline and Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras in separate trades in the offseason. The Athletic recently placed the Giants and Mariners as the frontrunners for Donovan. The Red Sox and Rays are among the teams that have also sought Ketel Marte for second base, but while Marte is the better player, Donovan has a more varied market because of his ability to play several spots. The Red Sox would probably put Donovan at second, but having him at third and Marcelo Mayer at second might make more sense for them.
Source: The Athletic
STL • Outfielder • #18
about 1 month ago
Jordan Walker seemed like the biggest beneficiary of last night’s trade, and it still might work out that way, but it could hinge on whether this right-handed bat is someone who would start or someone who would fill in for Lars Nootbaar and/or Victor Scott II against lefties. Austin Hays and Chas McCormick are a couple of guys who could be in the Cardinals’ price range. Tommy Pham, too, but his second stint in the organization didn’t go so well.
Source: John Denton
STL • Pitcher • #73
about 1 month ago
As a 25-year-old rookie, Dobbins had a solid 4.13 ERA in 11 starts and two relief appearances for the Red Sox before tearing his ACL while going to cover first base in July. If he’s not ready for the start of 2026, he shouldn’t be far behind, and he’ll definitely get a look in the rotation at some point. While his ceiling seems limited, Dobbins has the varied arsenal, above average command and solid groundball rate of a No. 4 starter. Contreras’s exit leaves a big hole in the St. Louis lineup, but the Cardinals are rebuilding anyway and now there’s another 600 plate appearances freed up for Jordan Walker, Nolan Gorman and Thomas Saggese. Or maybe they’ll want to give Iván Herrera a look at first, which would open the door for catcher Jimmy Crooks to play a significant role.
STL •
about 1 month ago
Aita, a 22-year-old righty, had a 3.98 ERA and a 99/30 K/BB in 115 1/3 innings between Low-A and High-A in 2025. MLB Pipeline did not include him in their most recent update of Boston’s top 30 prospects.
STL •
about 1 month ago
The former Braves prospect moved to the bullpen midway through the 2024 season and has pitched there for the last two years with the White Sox and Athletics. The results have not been great with Shuster combining for a 6.94 ERA, 1.80 WHIP, and 28/14 K/BB ratio in 35 innings at Triple-A last year.
STL • Infielder • #40
about 1 month ago
The Cardinals will get righties Hunter Dobbins, Yhoiker Fajardo and Blake Aita and will send Boston $8 million, according to Passan. Contreras, who is owed $41.5 million for the next two years or, if his option is picked up, $54 million for the next three, will apparently be waiving his no-trade clause to take over as Boston’s first baseman. That means Triston Casas could open up in Triple-A if healthy, though if he impresses in the spring, there’s also the chance the Red Sox could go with him and Contreras splitting time between first and DH. The Cardinals figure to install Alec Burleson at first, which would open an outfield spot back up for Jordan Walker alongside Lars Nootbarr and Victor Scott II. Contreras hit .257/.344/.447 with 20 homers in 135 games last season in his first year since giving up catching.
Source: Jeff Passan
STL • 1B
about 1 month ago
Koperniak was designated for assignment on Wednesday to free up a spot on the Cardinals’ 40-man roster for Dustin May. He’ll remain on the big league side of camp in spring training where he’ll compete for a spot on the Opening Day roster. Koperniak hit .246/.317/.382 with 14 long balls and 65 RBI in 536 plate appearances at Triple-A Memphis in 2025.
STL • Pitcher • #59
about 1 month ago
The 29-year-old left-hander is set to hit free agency following the 2026 season and it seems like a question of when, rather than if, he’ll be traded. The Yankees and Mariners have also expressed interest in his services this offseason. While Romero functioned as the Cardinals’ closer down the stretch in 2025, it’s more likely that he’ll wind up working in a setup role wherever he winds up for the 2026 season.
Source: Derrick Goold
STL • 1B
about 1 month ago
Koperniak gets removed from the 40-man roster to make room for Dustin May. The 27-year-old will hit the waiver wire, and a team that believes he can provide some outfield help in 2026 could put in a claim.
STL •
about 1 month ago
The mutual option is for $20 million, and contains a $500,000 buyout. May will get a chance to pitch in the middle of the St. Louis rotation after forging a 4.98 ERA and 123/56 K/BB in his 25 appearances and 132 1/3 innings with the Dodgers and Red Sox in 2025.