St. Louis Cardinals Sign 2 Free Agents, 1 with Big Potential

Sep 27, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Minnesota Twins catcher

Eric Fryer

(26) slides in safe at home ahead of the throw to Detroit Tigers catcher

Alex Avila

(13) in the fifth inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

As the St. Louis Cardinals and their fanbase (me included) remain on #HeywardWatch, general manager John Mozeliak has quietly begun to reshape the 2016 squad with a couple of minor league moves. This week, he signed catcher Eric Fryer and reliever Juan Gonzalez and invited them to big league camp.

One of those guys could pay off big.

Most of the baseball world, however, was distracted yesterday by the Atlanta Braves’ baffling trade of shortstop Andrelton Simmons to the Los Angeles Angels. But Mozeliak won’t be able to stay out of the headlines for long. Not with reporters egging him on to spend big on the free agency market.

I will be as happy as everyone else in Cardinal Nation if the St. Louis Cardinals sign David Price or Zack Greinke or Jordan Zimmerman. But I also have a great appreciation for the off-the-radar move that pays off later on. Think of the Blue Jays picking up Edwin Encarnacion five Decembers ago.

Here’s hoping one of these two new Cardinals can make half as big of an impact.

Next: Eric Fryer