Cardinals: Trade proposals for rumored catcher targets

Linked to a variety of catchers on the trade market, here are proposals that St. Louis could make.

With the catcher position being the number one target for the St. Louis Cardinals during the offseason, many are speculated that the best place to acquire the heir to Yadier Molina is on the trade market.

Although free agency has a variety of names like the strongly linked Willson Contreras, Christian Vazquez, Martin Maldonado, and others, the best all-around catchers appear to be the ones who will be available via trade. The Cardinals need to find a catcher who can call games and defend behind the plate at a high level to replace what Molina offered, but cannot afford to have a weak bat at that position again.

If the Cardinals want to find that ideal catcher, there are a few names on the trade market who fit the bill, but none will come cheap. Although some of these names may hurt to lose, the Cardinals need to get comfortable with the idea of parting with high-end talent to acquire high-end talent, especially at a position as valuable as catcher.

The catchers that the Cardinals have been linked to the most on the trade market are Oakland’s Sean Murphy and Toronto’s Alejandro Kirk and Danny Jensen. All three catchers are coveted by many clubs around the league, so St. Louis will have to make a strong offer if they want to bring one of these stud backstops in.

Here are what it may take to acquire three of the most strongly linked catchers to St. Louis on the trade market.