The Cardinals have had a quiet offseason, with minor league infielder Jose Fermín being their only outside acquisition to date. That’s certain to change in the coming days and weeks, as St. Louis will undoubtedly bring in a catcher. They could look to the rotation and perhaps to the middle infield or corner outfield markets as well, although they have a number of position players on a typically deep St. Louis roster.
Entering the offseason, there was a fair bit of speculation the Cards could partake in the loaded free agent shortstop class. There’s not much indication they’ve dived deeply into that market, although Jon Morosi of MLB.com tweeted this afternoon they’ve at least checked in with free agent options at the position. Still, it doesn’t seem that’s a huge priority, as president of baseball operations John Mozeliak reiterated this evening the team is comfortable with Tommy Edman as their primary shortstop (via Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat). The top St. Louis executive went on to note the team likes Brendan Donovan and Nolan Gorman as second base possibilities.
That’s a sentiment Mozeliak has expressed a few times in the offseason’s early going. Asked about the possibility of adding a shortstop last week, Mozeliak replied that Edman is “is a very, very good shortstop” (link via Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic). While he’s never expressly ruled out an acquisition at the position, Mozeliak has extolled Edman when given the chance. The switch-hitting infielder is a Gold Glove caliber defender at both middle infield positions, and he’s coming off a quality .265/.324/.400 line through 630 plate appearances.
Edman could certainly move back to second base, but the presence of Donovan and Gorman gives St. Louis plenty of options. The former finished third in NL Rookie of the Year balloting this year after posting an excellent .394 on-base percentage through his first 126 MLB games. The latter had strikeout concerns but connected on 14 home runs in 89 games as a rookie after mashing in Triple-A. Neither Donovan nor Gorman is a strong defensive fit for up-the-middle work, but that’s perhaps not as significant a concern for a St. Louis team that otherwise has plus defenders (Paul Goldschmidt, Edman and Nolan Arenado) manning the dirt.
Paul DeJong also remains under contract, due $11MM and headed into the last guaranteed season of his deal. The former All-Star is coming off a third straight well below-average offensive season that kicked him down the depth chart, but the front office has consistently maintained they expected he’d bounce back. After a .157/.245/.286 showing in 77 MLB games in 2022, DeJong can’t be counted on for everyday reps on a win-now team. Yet it’s possible he sticks on the roster as a glove-first complement to Gorman and Donovan in the middle infield.
Mozeliak suggested DeJong is likely to be with St. Louis heading into 2023, telling reporters tonight (via Jones) they’re “not ready to cut bait” on the 29-year-old. He indicated the Cards have received some trade interest in DeJong — presumably from teams asking they’d pay down most of the contract while accepting a meager return — but suggested that’s not a course of action the Cards plan to take.
It seems a long shot the Cardinals end up landing one of the three remaining top shortstops, with more motivated teams in the bidding. However, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch tweets the team could circle back to that market if they find their desired catching upgrade on the trade market. Dansby Swanson, who’s expected to command a lighter contract than either of Carlos Correa or Xander Bogaerts, would be the likely target in that event, Goold suggests. It seems any full-fledged pursuit of a shortstop for St. Louis would first be conditional on affordably solidifying the situation behind the plate, and it’s still not clear the team would consider a marquee investment at the position to be especially appealing.
If they need a catcher, they can have James McCann for a bag of broken bats and a few gently-used batting gloves, ha.
Nice to see some reality. I don’t see the Cardinals signing a shortstop at all as long as Edman is on the team.
That and a reluctance to block Masyn Winn.
*After* the catcher position is settled, I’d rather see the Cardinals sign Rodon than any of those shortstops.
No thanks, they already have a injury riddled rotation and a guy like Rondon is amazingly always hurt after signing that mega deal. There better off paying who they have to sit on the injured list, like Flaherty, Matz, and possibly Mikolas?
I wonder if the Cards and Jays will work something out. They’re pretty close to natural trade partners as ive ever seen in two teams.
I get the fit for the Cards being as they need a catcher and Tor has 3. But who is the natural fit to go back to the Jays? I don’t see St.L having much depth in any position of need for the Jays.
Keep the prospects and sign Narvaez for a bounce back.
I like him or Christain Vasquez? Think Sean Murphy is the best overall catcher available? Might be worth the prospects to go get him? Especially if it’s just letting go of Brett Wallace as the headliner to get him TO STL?
Jays want a left-handed hitting center fielder, so probably either Nootbaar or Carlson. I don’t see the Cardinals parting with Carlson though so Nootbaar seems the more likely of the two to get traded. Burleson might also appeal to the Jays has a left-handed hitting outfielder even he can’t play center.
I used to think that’s true but at closer look Kirk is about to eat himself out of the league and Jansen has only topped 72 games in his career one time with all of his injuries. Moreno is so young he needs to be broken in so the Jays should just run with all 3 catchers again next year imo and use is as a position of strength. Maybe trade one at the trading deadline. The value Jays fans put on Jansen is unrealistic imo. Cards can just go with Knizer and Herrera next year if they don’t sign a free agent then Herrera can take over the year after.
Herrera looked pretty lost at the plate in his short sample size while Molina was out with sore knees. He looked bad enough in the eyes of the front office to bring in veteran Andrew Romine and option Herrera back to Memphis? He might need a year or two in Memphis? He’s still very young
Mo isn’t ready to cut bait with Pauly D? I hope this is posturing. Hopefully he is waiting out the top of the shortstop market and hoping that whoever ends up without a chair does something rash.
Mo knows better¿ he doesn’t want the world to see him wearing a dress?
My thoughts exactly. Nobody looks good in a dress with a bowtie.
DeJong’s value isn’t going to get any lower at this point. Until Mo needs his roster spot they’ve really got nothing to lose by letting him hang around until Spring Training. The team is on the hook for his contract so they might as well take the longshot gamble on a return to form before cutting him loose.
Has ANY realistic person seen Sean Murphys stats, a career .236 hitter for 3 prospects??? Sign a free agent. No to the drama queen Contreras, no to .236 Murphy. FREE AGENT please
Judging a player based on batting average overlooks so much: OBP, SLG, and defense.
Judging a player based on BA ignores so much: OBP, SLG, defense. Realistic people look at the whole set of performance, not just one number with limited value.