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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.