5 free agent position players the Cardinals could sign to provide depth

The focus for John Mozeliak and the St. Louis Cardinals at this point in the offseason has been to trade third baseman Nolan Arenado. Once that domino falls, the club's president of baseball operations can focus on putting the finishing touches on both the 26-man and 40-man rosters.

While speaking with Matt Pauley and Mike Claiborne on "Countdown to Opening Day", John Mozeliak said that he plans on making some additions to the roster this offseason. He aims to add a reliever and right-handed bat to the lineup.

Several relievers are still available on the open market waiting to be signed, and there is an equal amount of position players who are right-handed out there. The relief issue is a relatively easy one to solve.

Confusion grows when considering where this right-handed bat could play once Arenado is traded. The outfield would be run by Lars Nootbaar, Michael Siani, and Jordan Walker with Alec Burleson and Brendan Donovan getting time in the corners. The infield is filled out with Ivan Herrera and Pedro Pages behind the plate, Willson Contreras at first, Brendan Donovan at second, Masyn Winn playing shortstop, and Nolan Gorman handling third. Thomas Saggese and possibly Luken Baker would have bench roles, though Baker may move overseas to play.

Would this newly acquired right-handed bat play in the infield or try to find time in the outfield? It's likely this free agent is a center fielder to platoon with Michael Siani or a utility infielder who can play across the diamond.

These 5 right-handed free agents would be good fits for the Cardinals in 2025.

CF Harrison Bader

Redbird Rants' own J.T. Buchheit mentioned Harrison Bader as a good fit when initially discussing Mozeliak's quote, and I agree with him. Bader, now 31, hit .236 with 12 home runs and 17 stolen bases for a wRC+ of 85 with the New York Mets last year. Those numbers are all far superior to the numbers of Michael Siani and Victor Scott II, the Cardinals' primary center fielders last year. He was also worth 10 Outs Above Average (OAA) in center last year, so his glove is still exceptional.

Seeing Bader wear the Birds on the Bat once again would be nostalgic, too.

OF Austin Hays

Austin Hays was not tendered a contract by the Philadelphia Phillies in late November, so he became a free agent. He was a surprising non-tender player, and the assumption among most people in baseball was that he would garner a fair amount of interest this offseason.

Hays, 29, finished 2024 with a .255/.303/.396 line to go along with five home runs. He struck out 23% of the time, and his walk rate plummeted to just 3.5%. It was Hays' worst offensive season since 2020. However, from 2021-2023, the former All-Star slashed .261/.313/.439 for an OPS+ of 109. Hays has primarily played in the corner outfield during his career, but he has positive metrics in center, and Lars Nootbaar could feasibly shift to center when Michael Siani is out of the lineup if Oli Marmol doesn't trust Hays in center field.

INF Nick Ahmed

Last offseason, when the Cardinals were searching for a backup shortstop to Masyn Winn, Nick Ahmed was in the running. Alas, the Cardinals opted for veteran Brandon Crawford instead.

Ahmed may be on the club's shortlist once again. He's a glove-first shortstop, but he has never been a league-average bat according to wRC+. Last year, Ahmed slashed .229/.267/.295 in 228 plate appearances for three different MLB teams.

Ahmed's inclusion on the roster would be to bolster the defense following Arenado's departure. He is primarily a shortstop, but he could also play second base. In his 10-year career, Ahmed has amassed 118 Outs Above Average and 79 Defensive Runs Saved at short. Having him spell Masyn Winn on occasion would not hurt the club's infield defense one bit.

OF Ramon Laureano

Ramon Laureano was once a stalwart for the (formerly) Oakland Athletics from 2018 through 2022. He also seemed to have unlocked a bit of a power stroke last year with the Atlanta Braves, too.

Laureano, 30, could be seeking a multi-year deal in his first free agency go-around that promises a starting role or at least one in which he'll reach 500 plate appearances. Barring injuries, the Cardinals can't promise that to whatever right-handed free agent they sign, even Laureano.

However, Laureano would be a great fit in St. Louis. In only 226 plate appearances with the Atlanta Braves following a release from the Cleveland Guardians, Laureano slashed .296/.327/.505 with 10 home runs and eight stolen bases across 67 games. He has been a slightly negative defender in center in his career, but he's still able to hold his own in the grass.

Laureano would be a bit of a gamble, as his defense is somewhat sub-par and his offensive outburst last season could be a facade. However, if the Cardinals are looking for a bench bat that could pay dividends, Laureano may be just that guy.

UTIL Garrett Hampson

Signing Garrett Hampson would kill two birds (not Cardinals, of course) with one stone. Last year, Hampson logged 58 games in center, 28 games in left field, 24 games at second base, eight games at first, eight games at shortstop, seven games in right field, and two games at third base. He can literally play anywhere on the field be it on the dirt or in the grass.

Hamspon was a plus defender according to all metrics in all outfield spots last year, and DRS and OAA both liked him at shortstop and second base. There is little concern with his glove. However, his bat could be a bit of an issue.

Hampson slashed .230/.275/.300 last year for the Royals with only 14 extra-base hits in 213 at-bats. He struck out more often than league average, and he walked less than league average. Essentially, Hampson would be a non-factor next year offensively. The good news is that he likely won't be seeing more than 250 plate appearances.

The benefit of signing the 30-year-old utility player is in knowing that he can capably play any defensive position you assign him. That's valuable to a team searching for right-handed players.