No doubt you’ve heard it said that the Cardinals have gone through quite a few outfielders in recent years. That puts it mildly. The organization is now awaiting the readiness of top prospect Dylan Carlson, with hopes that he’ll not only blossom into a star but bring some long-term stability.
Churning through players isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Every deal is an opportunity, of course. But it’s quite remarkable how much turnover the Cards have had over the past five seasons. Teams play around 1400 innings a year … over seven thousand frames have been played in that span by the St. Louis team, but no single outfielder has come close to appearing in half of them.
Here’s a log of the players who have come and gone (or who remain on hand). They’re ordered by the number of innings played in the outfield, with all statistical accumulations provided for only the seasons in question (2015-19).
Dexter Fowler (2017-19)
- Originally acquired: Signed five-year, $82.5MM free agent contract
- Output: 2,720 1/3 total OF innings; .233/.335/.410 (97 OPS+)
- Outcome: Still on roster
Stephen Piscotty (2015-17)
- Originally acquired: 2012 1st round draft pick
- Output: 2,588 2/3 total OF innings; .268/.346/.438 (109 OPS+)
- Signed six-year, $33.5MM extension
- Outcome: Traded to Athletics for Yairo Munoz, Max Schrock
Tommy Pham (2015-18)
- Originally acquired: 2006 16th round draft pick
- Output: 2,535 2/3 total OF innings; .271/.365/.463 (121 OPS+)
- Outcome: Traded with international bonus money to Rays for Justin Williams, Genesis Cabrera, Roel Ramirez
Randal Grichuk (2015-17)
- Originally acquired: Acquired with Peter Bourjos from Angels for David Freese, Fernando Salas
- Output: 2,529 total OF innings; .249/.297/.488 (107 OPS+)
- Outcome: Traded to Blue Jays for Dominic Leone, Conner Greene
Marcell Ozuna (2018-19)
- Originally acquired: Acquired from Marlins for Sandy Alcantara, Magneuris Sierra, Zac Gallen, Daniel Castano
- Output: 2,395 1/3 total OF innings; .262/.327/.451 (106 OPS+)
- Outcome: Declined qualifying offer; Signed with Braves as free agent
Harrison Bader (2017-19)
- Originally acquired: 2015 3rd round draft pick
- Output: 2,013 total OF innings; .236/.320/.393 (90 OPS+)
- Outcome: Still on roster
Jason Heyward (2015)
- Originally acquired: Acquired with Jordan Walden from Braves for Shelby Miller, Tyrell Jenkins
- Output: 1,268 1/3 total OF innings; .293/.359/.439 (117 OPS+)
- Outcome: Declined qualifying offer; signed with Cubs as free agent
Jose Martinez (2016-19)
- Originally acquired: Acquired from Royals for cash considerations
- Output: 1,199 1/3 total OF innings; .298/.363/.458 (119 OPS+)
- Outcome: Traded with Randy Arozarena and comp balance pick to Rays for Matthew Liberatore, Edgardo Rodriguez, comp balance pick
Matt Holliday (2015-16)
- Originally acquired: Acquired from Athletics for Brett Wallace, Clayton Mortensen and Shane Peterson; subsequently signed seven-year, $120MM free agent contract
- Output: 1,139 1/3 total OF innings; .259/.350/.442 (113 OPS+)
- Outcome: Signed with Yankees as free agent
Brandon Moss (2015-16)
- Originally acquired: Acquired from Indians for Rob Kaminsky
- Output: 586 2/3 total OF innings; .231/.311/.466 (106 OPS+)
- Outcome: Signed with Royals as free agent
Tyler O’Neill (2018-19)
- Originally acquired: Acquired from Mariners for Marco Gonzales
- Output: 552 1/3 total OF innings; .258/.307/.454 (101 OPS+)
- Outcome: Still on roster
Jon Jay (2015)
- Originally acquired: 2006 2nd round draft pick
- Output: 496 2/3 total OF innings; .210/.306/.257 (56 OPS+)
- Outcome: Traded to Padres for Jedd Gyorko and cash
Peter Bourjos (2015)
- Originally acquired: Acquired with Randal Grichuk from Angels for David Freese, Fernando Salas
- Output: 476 2/3 total OF innings; .200/.290/.333 (70 OPS+)
- Outcome: Claimed by Phillies
Jeremy Hazelbaker (2016) –
- Originally acquired: Signed to minor-league deal as free agent
- Output: 402 1/3 total OF innings; .235/.295/.480 (104 OPS+)
- Outcome: Claimed by Diamondbacks
Yairo Munoz (2018-19)
- 212 total OF innings
- Released
Magneuris Sierra (2017)
- 137 1/3 total OF innings
- Traded to Marlins with Sandy Alcantara, Zac Gallen, Daniel Castano for Marcell Ozuna
Kolten Wong (2016)
- 106 total OF innings
- Still on roster (primarily INF)
Tommy Edman (2019)
- 82 2/3 total OF innings
- Still on roster (primarily INF)
Lane Thomas (2019)
- 81 2/3 total OF innings
- Still on roster
Randy Arozarena (2019)
- 43 2/3 total OF innings
- Traded with Jose Martinez and comp balance pick to Rays for Matthew Liberatore, Edgardo Rodriguez, comp balance pick
Mark Reynolds (2015)
- 42 total OF innings
- Departed via free agency
Matt Adams (2017)
- 34 1/3 total OF innings
- Traded to Braves for Juan Yepez
Adolis Garcia (2018)
- 30 1/3 total OF innings
- Traded to Rangers for cash considerations
Others receiving OF playing time:
- Aledmys Diaz (2017) – 9 innings; since traded
- Pete Kozma (2015) – 7 innings; since departed via free agency
- Drew Robinson (2019) – 5 1/3 innings; since released
- Jedd Gyorko (2017) – 2 innings; since traded
You put Randy Arozarena in the Marcell Ozuna trade instead of Magnerius Sierra.
Thanks … there are just so many I got confused!
Jeff, this piece rules. Always had a gut feeling the Cardinals had no internal plan (outside of Fowler) on long-term outfield situation and these trades really shine a light on that fact.
Or it’s indicative of their endless ability to develop lower round talent into above average major league contributors and coveted trade pieces. Pham was great, Heyward was great, Grichuk has been pretty solid on a rate basis, Ozuna was solid with no impact on future prospects, etc.
That’s right or they never would have signed Fowler and there outfield would be Mercado, Arozarena, Carlson, with some combination of Bader, Oneil and Thomas as subs. Guess it really stuck in there sides that the Cubs signed Heyward and Lackey. That was the only motivation to sign Fowler.
It all started with the unexpected death of Oscar Tavares. Sadly, that’s when they signed a 1 yr deal with Heyward and then we’re butt hurt when he chose to play in Chicago causing a chain reaction of signing a cub free agent and over paying for an average at best center fielder Dexter Fowler.
Why is Fowler still starting? The starting outfield should be O’Neill, Bader, and Carlson. Lane Thomas as the 4th outfielder.
100% the money and praying he will do something, anything
Harrison Bader should be utility backup only.
Not with that defense.
If he’s a 90 wRC+ hitter, he’s easily deserving to start
Bourjos Jr.
He’s clearly a better hitter than Bourjos who had a lifetime 84 wRC+
So you are basing 3 years of Bader to 8 years of Bourjos. Here’s a thought. Compare Bourjos’ first 3 years to Bader’s first 3 years. Bourjos was actually better. Enough said. And Bourjos got injured with HBP to his wrist. Stunted his career growth.
Bourjos had one good 400 PA run and never regained that offense. Bader has better plate discipline and hit tool. Bader got supremely unlucky against LHP last year regarding BABIP in those situations. He had an .886 OPS against then in 2018. His defense is beyond peak Bourjos, which is saying something. He should be the CF starter.
Bourjos pushed Trout to LF. That’s all you need to know. He was nominated for GG just like HB. Bourjos had 2 wrist injuries and surgery after a 5 WAR season. Then hip injuries hurt him. Bourjos was behind the 8 ball 18 months into his career due to injuries. People in STL don’t know a thing outside their area code. Learn something before you type. Bader is a hot dogging, camera hound. Bourjos was modest, professional and knew his limitations.
Aaaaaand here’s the Cards hating troll. Knew he’d show.
I know that the Kansas City Chiefs won the super bowl last year, and that sneaky Pete was much better as an Angel than he was a Cardinal. Kinda like Adam Kennedy but not like Albert Pujols or Jim Edmonds who were much better as Cardinals than Angels. Don’t be so quick to throw everyone from a certain area into a box and slap a label on it.
Tin_buck…Lock is nothing but a troll and acts tough hiding behind his computer…don’t feed the trolls
He is clearly better then Bourjos ever was both defensively and offensively he has a much higher ceiling. That is in my mind a terrible comparison and whenever I hear it I discredit anything else that person then says.
Yep- agree Cuban solution
Drew Robinson is no longer with the cardinals. He was released
Whoops, thanks.
About the only good end result is the trade for Liberatore….and that’s yet to be seen.
And Genesis
Matt Holiday was acquired by trade with the Oakland Athletics in 2009
We got nothing for Pham who should be starting for us
yeah ironically Pham is probably the best or at least most consistent OF of the bunch (well Ozuna and Heyward might be better but losing them was a matter of bigger $ than the rest of the players — Fowler excluded) and yet the Cardinals still sent him packing. I wonder if, in hindsight – given the massive amount of OF turnover they’ve had — if they’d have preferred to keep Pham and have traded someone else of the group. Not that Pham is a superstar or anything — but if he were still on the roster he would at least be providing consistent production as someone who could be relied upon moreso than a lot of the other “journeyman” types
You have to let trads develop…we traded for minor league players…if Cabrera keeps it up he will alone will be worth that trade…but honestly the other two look like they might be decent themselves
The Cardinals produce a lot of ML ready OFers but as of yet all are high floor-low ceiling guys. They also way overvalue their Prospects and often have 40 man roster problems forcing them to jetison talent for less than value. One name not on this list is Oscar Mercado, the starting CF in Cleveland. He got caught in the logjam and was sent to CLE for nothing. Jose Adolis Garcia, who led the Cardinal organization in HR and RBI in 2019, was sold to TEX after being removed from the 40 man.
Neither are better than what the Cards currently have. Garcia played full time in an incredibly friendly offensive environment and barely cracked a .300 OBP and Mercado is slightly better offensively and slightly worse defensively than Bader. He wouldn’t make a difference.
The only truly missed player is Pham, and he’s not here for other reasons.
I think you’re dead wrong on Mercado. He’s a drastic improvement.
Mercado had a 95 wRC+ last year in his supposed break out year, Bader has a lifetime 92 and is dramatically better defensively. I’d rather have Bader than Mercado.
95 wRC+ with plus defense from a CF is all-star caliber, what are you on about? Mercado was way better than Bader was last year. Bader was pretty good in 2018, but Mercado is a much safer bet going forward after 2019.
wRC+ is a made up, subjective stat.
I guess you’re smarter than all the paid analysts in the MLB analytic departments. Congratulations.
That’s what people say when they don’t know what wRC+ is
Brilliant GM work….not!
The suit is blacknot
Brilliant comment troll…Not!
Missing Colby Rasmus!!
Hey Jeff, I like the article idea! Your Jon Jay stats aren’t correct though, he started for several years and was a much better hitter than that.
Oops, just saw the date restrictions, my bad!
Jon Jay was horrible.
This comment about John Jay shows how little you know about the cardinals..but it figures you don’t know a lot out of your area code…
Coming from the guy who can’t correctly spell his name. Jay was horrible overrated. It’s as simple as that.
Lol nobody rated him that high..he was an underdog his whole career and he proved a lot of people wrong…including trolls like yourself…it’s called autocorrect…and I won my first grade spelling contest so chew on that
Nobody but STL media and dorks like you rated him as anything. That was my point. You all thought he was the next coming of McGee or Flood. The guy was a one slap mule.
Lol that is so not true…wow! Now you are just making stuff up…I agree the fans loved Jon Jay but that was because he kept surprising us with his play…your bias is unbelievable because no one compared him or thought he would be McGee or Flood…he was good at getting on base and had key hits who played good defense for the cardinals…a good player
Jay was a great player his first five years with the cardinals who usually hit around .300 and got on base with over a .350 obp…great leadoff hitter…and he also was great defensively as the numbers will show…his sixth year, and like you mentioned above with Bourjos…he had a wrist injury and went downhill although he still got on base at a high rate…Jon Jay with the cardinals was a good player but a troll like you wouldn’t know that
Happy birthday Magneuris Sierra!
I know it’s 2015-2020, but the trickle started with
Oscar Taveras. That’s when the dominos began to fall.
Some of these guys is the reason Charlie Tilson was traded.
Never should’ve traded Pham. They probably could’ve got some much needed major league pitching if they dangled Bader/O’Neill/Mercado instead of trading a big league regular for prospects.
Pham’s mouth got him into trouble in St. Louis.. His mouth is the reason why he is not in Tampa either.
Pujols if you going in past that still active,
To conclude, the Cardinals front office doesn’t think outfielders are real. Good to know.
That Ozuna for that trade package isn’t going to age well at all. Cardinals way overpaid for 278 games of 4.5 bWAR. Yikes.
D-Backs will get the last laugh though. same as how trading Luis Castillo for Casey McGhee isnt as bad given the team he was traded to dealt him twice.
Sierra isn’t even a AAA player. We have about 10 options currently rostered that would project better than Alcantra in the rotation. Zac Gallen is the only one that kinda hurts, because he looks to be a solid back of the rotation piece, but again, they’ve got a crap load of those and needed his bat at the time. Also get a supplemental pick from QO.
Cardinal past outfielders…Jim Edmonds, Willie McGee, Reggie Saunders, Matt Holiday, Brian Jordan, Larry Walker, Lance Berkman, Ray Lankford, George Hendricks, Bake McBride and Mr. Lou Brock
Mozalik’s outfield…. Dexter Fowler, Bader and anyone else …that’s a playoff team (not)
Cardinal past outfielders…Jim Edmonds, Willie McGee, Reggie Saunders, Matt Holiday, Brian Jordan, Larry Walker, Lance Berkman, Ray Lankford, George Hendricks, Bake McBride and Mr. Lou Brock
Mozalik’s outfield…. Dexter Fowler, Bader and anyone else …that’s a playoff team
Pham is literally a walking injury case with a degenerative eye condition that has the potential to end his career at any n moment. That’s why he spent a decade+ in the minors and why he’s already into his 30s. I would’ve preferred to keep him and just run through arbitration, but he wasn’t in the long term plans regardless because of those reasons. Cabrera looks to at least be a late inning relief hammer from the left side, but he’s also got #3 starter upside. Justin Williams destroyed AAA last year, but is probably a 4th OF. Roel Ramirez actually has legit late inning relief potential too, as he’s got a similar wide mix of pitches to Ponce De Leon. We got fair value and then he bounced back. Not really that big a deal.
Well said holidayfever
The missing piece in the outfield and the lineup these last several years is Oscar Taveras. Not sure he was ever going to be a superstar but gotta think he would have made a big difference.
Pretty sure Holliday was longer in STL than that.
The article is only considering 2015-present.