3 under-the-radar players the St. Louis Cardinals could sign

Brandon Nimmo

With Tyler O’Neill’s and Dylan Carlson’s lack of performance and the likely loss of Corey Dickerson to free agency, the Cardinals need outfield production. Lars Nootbaar might be able to provide some, as his peripherals look promising, and Juan Yepez has shown that he can handle a bat. But a proven outfielder is lacking, and Brandon Nimmo could be the solution.

Nimmo hit .274 last season with 16 home runs in a career-high 580 at-bats. An adequate fielder with plus arm strength and a discerning batter’s eye, Nimmo is more than capable of filling a spot in the Cardinals’ outfield.

Nimmo was the New York Mets’ leadoff hitter in nearly every game they played in 2022, and that’s another spot the Cardinals aren’t in the best position to fill in the current lineup. Tommy Edman, the leadoff hitter for much of the season, was hitting ninth more often near the end of the year, and Nootbaar, who usually took Edman’s place, doesn’t have the counting stats that one would typically want to see from a table-setter. Nimmo could fill a spot that’s been a bit of a revolving door for some time.

If the Cardinals can agree to terms with any of these players, they’ll be in a better place for 2023. These three players might not have the superstar pedigree, but they should be able to perform at a level that at least helps the Cardinals reach the playoffs again.