2 former division foes who could help the Cardinals without breaking the bank

So far in this offseason of transition, the St. Louis Cardinals have subtracted from their major league roster without supplementing with much in return. While pitching has been a needed target for the organization, the Cardinals have received a total of five pitchers in their two major trades, leaving the offensive depth waning.

The Cardinals can turn to a couple former division rivals to complete their major league lineup.

In the Willson Contreras trade, the Cardinals received a trio of arms with differing scouting projections, who added to the two-pitcher return from the Sonny Gray deal. The removal of Contreras from the lineup takes away the team's leading home run hitter from last season and moves Alec Burleson from the outfield to first base full time. Burleson has never been seen as an above-average outfielder, but that shift now opens up a spot in left field that the organization currently hopes Lars Nootbaar can fill. Noot is recovering from offseason heel surgeries, so counting on him being ready for Opening Day may be optimistic, but it appears the Cardinals are willing to hold onto him for another season.

Without knowing the extent of his rehab process, I am more skeptical in Nootbaar's availability at the start of the season and believe the Cardinals should have a contingency plan in place with a viable major league bat. Rather than turn to rookie Bryan Torres, Chaim Bloom has recently mentioned that the organization is still looking to add some pop to the lineup, specifically a right-handed bat with pop that can play the outfield. Assuming the Cardinals are still looking to trade Nolan Arenado and Brendan Donovan, it would be interesting if they shift their focus from minor league arms to major league talent. An Arenado deal could involve a contract swap, a specific example being a one-for-one swap for Nicholas Castellanos, which would then check the box for Bloom.

If that type of return is not in the cards, Bloom will have to tap into the free agent market and spend some cash on offense. The stove has been relatively quiet around bats so far this offseason, so there are plenty of names available. Two guys have had my eye at a couple points in the past and now seem to be possible fits for the remaining spots on the Cardinals' major league roster without getting in the way of opportunities for other players.

Willi Castro

The first is a utility player who will fit even better if the Cardinals end up finding the best deal for Donovan. While Donnie's current flexibility allows him to be in the lineup every day, former Cub Willi Castro simply has the versatility to be an option if starters need a day off or a matchup makes sense.

After spending his first four seasons playing in Detroit, Castro started his tour around the Central division with a 2.5-year stop in Minnesota before being dealt to the Cubs at last season's trade deadline. That deal did not work out for Chicago, but Castro has still been a valuable piece over the past three seasons. Since 2023, the switch-hitter has a .714 OPS and 102 wRC+, adding 111 extra-base hits and 57 stolen bases, while also playing six different positions.

Castro is a consistent hitter from both sides of the plate and takes walks at an average rate while demonstrating decent contact rates. He is also in the upper quarter in terms of sprint speed and is an overall strong baserunner. MLB Trade Rumors tabbed Castro as the 50th-best free agent this offseason and predicted a two-year, $14 million deal for the 28-year-old. After shedding over $30 million in payroll this offseason, the Cardinals could stomach those terms and have a solid major league option at multiple positions for the first couple seasons of the rebuild.

Austin Hays

A strict outfield option comes from another short-term division rival in Austin Hays. The older of the two options, Hays has also been a consistent performer with the bat, hitting between .250 and .275 in his four seasons with 100+ games played and has hit at least 15 homers in each of those years. The 30-year-old left fielder is not the athlete that Castro is, but he provides more pop at the plate, especially against left-handed pitchers. In his career against southpaws, Hays has an .819 OPS and .127 wRC+, compared to a more average .717 OPS and 97 wRC+ against righties.

In 2025, Hays put together one of his most complete seasons despite only playing in 103 games. He finished the year with 15 homers and a .266 batting average to go along with a career-high seven stolen bases. His season OPS was just .001 points away from his career high, as he set a new personal best with a 7% walk rate en route to a solid 105 wRC+ on the year.

Hays did not crack MLBTR's top 50 but was listed as an honorable mention without a contract prediction. He made $5 million last season and may be willing to take a one- or two-year deal for the chance to re-enter the open market in his low 30s. If Nootbaar ends up being healthy enough for an Opening Day roster spot, Hays provides a reliable bench bat or DH option who could form a solid platoon with Nootbaar.