5 free agents the St. Louis Cardinals should keep in 2022

ST LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 12: Members of the St. Louis Cardinals celebrate after defeating the Cincinnati Reds 2-0 at Busch Stadium on September 12, 2021 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images)
ST LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 12: Members of the St. Louis Cardinals celebrate after defeating the Cincinnati Reds 2-0 at Busch Stadium on September 12, 2021 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 6
Next
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 14: Jose Rondon #64 of the St. Louis Cardinals in action against the New York Mets at Citi Field on September 14, 2021 in New York City. The Cardinals defeated the Mets 7-6 in eleven innings. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 14: Jose Rondon #64 of the St. Louis Cardinals in action against the New York Mets at Citi Field on September 14, 2021 in New York City. The Cardinals defeated the Mets 7-6 in eleven innings. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

Jose Rondon

He didn’t get a lot of playing time in 2021, but when he did, Jose Rondon was an impact option.

Rondon had 90 plate appearances in 2021 and hit .263/.322/.413 with a 101 wRC+. He is not an everyday player but he is definitely an interesting option off the bench to spell a regular player or be a pinch-runner. He has the capability to hit as well. It’s easy to remember he had a couple of crucial home runs during the final weeks of the season. He’s also a great presence in the clubhouse always having a smile on his face and cheering on his teammates.

Rondon does not have a contract for 2022 and will be on the free-agent market. It will be interesting to see if the Cardinals retain him as a bench option in 2022.

With his dynamic presence, It will be fun to see where Rondon ends up in 2022 for sure!