Cardinals: Ranking the top 5 offseason needs for St. Louis

The Cardinals still have clear needs on their roster going into 2023.

The St. Louis Cardinals sit at the top of the NL Central standings and are a much improved team from the one that was fielded on Opening Day. Midway through the 2022 season, there were questions about whether or not this team could make the playoffs, and now the club is in prime contention to go deep in October.

Still, there remain needs on this roster that need to be addressed going into 2023. I have talked about how the Cardinals window for a World Series truly opens next year and beyond, but some of that will depend on the moves the club makes in the offseason. With $38-$58 million potentially available to spend in free agency and extensions this winter, the Cardinals should be players to improve their roster.

Here are the top 5 needs for the club this winter as we stand currently.

No. 5: Left-handed reliever

The Cardinals bullpen has mostly been a bright spot for the club this season, but finding consistent production from lefties has been a major issue.

T.J. McFarland and Genesis Cabrera were major disappointments this season. The club will hope to see a bounce back from Cabrera in 2023, but his implosion this year is concerning. Zack Thompson and JoJo Romero have looked good for the club and deserve shots in 2023, but the club would be wise to bring in a veteran left-handed reliever as some insurance.

Brad Hand, Taylor Rodgers, Zach Britton, Will Smith, and Jake McGee are a few of the left-handed options that will be available this winter, and more names will add to that list on the trade block. Bullpen arms often times feel like lottery tickets, sometimes you hit on them, and other times you don’t. Having as many of these “tickets” as possible helps prevent your club from being without any reliable options during the year.

No. 4: Outfield

Going into the 2022 season, the outfield looked to have the least question marks on all of the roster. Tyler O’Neill, Harrison Bader, and Dylan Carlson looked to be the future of the Cardinals outfield, and now things look drastically different.

Bader is on the Yankees, O’Neill and Carlson have had major down years, and guys like Lars Nootbaar and Corey Dickerson may be the club’s best options right now. The Cardinals front office has to at least explore the possibility of upgrading in the outfield.

The club could look to sign one of Andrew Benintendi, Brandon Nimmo, or Joc Pederson to provide a steady presence in the outfield and see which one of O’Neill, Carlson, and Nootbaar emerge as the third outfielder. The club could look to add a major bat to their lineup in the form of a trade for Mike Trout or another outfield bat on the trade block.

Jordan Walker’s imminent debut probably fills one of those outfield spots. Maybe Alec Burleson or Brendan Donovan steals another one. The Cardinals probably believe one or two of O’Neill, Carlson, and Nootbaar can be an everyday player for them. But if there is an opportunity to make a major upgrade there or get a great deal on a veteran bat, the club should consider that.

No. 3: Shortstop

Let’s be clear – Tommy Edman should be the Cardinals starting shortstop going into 2023. Edman has been an excellent player all of 2022 and is a terrific option to start everyday for the club there, especially if they want to rely on Nolan Gorman and Brendan Donovan next season.

The real need here is having another option at shortstop. Paul DeJong’s days are numbered in St. Louis and should not be on the roster Opening Day. Maysn Winn is the future starting shortstop for the Redbirds, but likely won’t make an impact until 2024. The Cardinals need a stopgap option to spell Edman from time to time.

When Edman hit a rough stretch in the middle of the summer, it came in the midst of the club using him every single day, grinding him away at the top of the order and filling in all over the diamond. Edman would benefit greatly from receiving more off days, but the club needs a competent option do to so.

Maybe a name like Jose Igesias would sign in St. Louis with the opportunity to play frequently at shortstop, second base, and third base, or maybe a potential reunion with a guy like Aledmys Diaz. The club could look to acquire a AAA level player or veteran via trade as well, and plug them in behind Edman for the year.

Whatever it looks like, the Cardinals need another option at shortstop. If the club truly believes in Winn, there is no need to spend big money on one of the free agent superstars at the position. Bargain shopping here could be a great move for the club.

No. 1: Catcher

The catcher position has been a major hole for the Cardinals all season, and with the impending retirement of Yadier Molina, the club needs a long-term solution at the position.

If there is one area  that the Cardinals should look to invest heavily into, it is catcher. Andrew Knizner is not the long-term answer here, and really has not shown enough to have a shot for even just 2023. Ivan Hererra has promise, but could he handle the pressure of being the heir to Molina’s throne?

The name that sticks out the most for St. Louis is Willson Contreras. Contreras has been a rumored target for the Cardinals, and will be hitting free agency this offseason. His numbers have cooled since the trade deadline, but he is still slashing .246/.351/.471 with 21 HR and 54 RBI on the season. Contreras has dealt with some of the highest pressure situations in the sport and shown his resilience, and surely could withstand any pressure that comes from following Molina.

Even if the club does not pursue Contreras, names like Sean Murphy, Christian Vazquez, and Mike Zunino could all be options for the club. Acquiring a top level catcher would not only give the Cardinals a steady presence behind the plate, but also lengthen their lineup so that they are dangerous 1-9.

Even with how fun it has been to see Molina on his retirement tour, catcher has been a glaring need for the club for arguably two years. Whatever the Cardinals do this offseason, they better add a catcher.