As part of the significant changes the St. Louis Cardinals will make this offseason, their longtime All-Star catcher will be switching positions. John Mozeliak, the Cardinals’ president of baseball operations, informed John Denton of MLB.com that Willson Contreras will no longer catch. Instead, he will transition to playing first base and serving as the designated hitter.
Willson Contreras Will Not Be Catching Next Season
Contreras Wants to Stay
The St. Louis Cardinals are entering a soft rebuild and are focused on developing talent. As part of this process, the organization has informed several veteran players with long-term contracts about potential changes, seeking their input on whether they want to remain with the team or be traded. John Mozeliak, the Cardinals’ president of baseball operations, shared with John Denton of MLB.com that Willson Contreras has expressed a desire to stay with the team through this transition.
Contreras is in the second year of a five-year, $87.5 million contract, which includes a club option for a sixth year worth $17.5 million. The Cardinals hold control over his contract through the 2028 season, when he will be 36 years old.
Despite the team’s efforts to cut costs, they seem willing to honor Contreras’ large contract. The organization has already trimmed $55 million from its payroll this offseason, parting ways with former MVP Paul Goldschmidt, who became a free agent, and declining options for veteran pitchers Lance Lynn, Kyle Gibson, and Keynan Middleton.
Mozeliak also mentioned that at least one veteran has shown interest in being traded due to the rebuild. If pitchers like Sonny Gray, Miles Mikolas, or Steven Matz, or third baseman Nolan Arenado are among those traded, the Cardinals could significantly reduce their payroll further.
Contreras’ Move Away from Catcher
Willson Contreras spent a significant portion of the 2024 season on the injured list due to various injuries. John Mozeliak explained that the decision to move him away from catching is primarily for Contreras’ health and long-term career.
“Our medical team recommended it,” Mozeliak told John Denton. “If he really wants to extend his career, they believe this would be the best course of action. Catching is obviously a demanding position, and he missed a lot of time this past year—partly due to the toll of being a catcher, and partly because of a random injury from being hit by a pitch.”
In 2024, Contreras posted a solid .262/.380/.468 slash line over 84 games, all of which were above his career averages. He also hit 15 home runs and drove in 36 RBIs. By keeping his bat in the lineup, the Cardinals hope to remain competitive in 2025 without blocking the opportunities for younger players the team wants to develop.
Opportunity for Young Catchers
In 2024, the Cardinals saw extended play from two rookie catchers while Willson Contreras was on the injured list. Ivan Herrera caught 56 games and served as a designated hitter or pinch hitter in 16 more. Pedro Pages caught 66 games during the season.
Herrera posted a solid .301/.372/.428 slash line, with five home runs and 27 RBIs, but his defense was not as strong as Pages’. Pages, who had a .238/.281/.376 line, hit seven home runs and drove in 27 RBIs, while excelling defensively, particularly in pitch framing and preventing stolen bases. In 2025, both will likely share time behind the plate, with manager Oliver Marmol using a combination of the “hot hand” approach and pitcher compatibility to decide who starts on any given day, especially since both are right-handed batters.
Looking further ahead, Jimmy Crooks could be the best long-term option for the Cardinals at catcher if Contreras shifts away from the position. Crooks, currently the Cardinals’ No. 5 prospect, had an outstanding season in 2024 with the team’s Double-A affiliate in Springfield, Missouri, where he was named the Texas League MVP. He batted .321 with a .498 slugging percentage and threw out 33% of base stealers. While Crooks will likely begin the 2025 season in Triple-A, he is considered part of the team’s future behind the plate.
Leave a Reply