5 players who could be on the trade block if the Cardinals are buyers at the deadline

The St. Louis Cardinals are 29-23, six games above .500 and battling for first place in the National League Central while remaining in the thick of the Wild Card race.

With each passing week, the idea that these Cardinals could actually be contenders becomes more and more real. Sure, dark days could be ahead in June and July, but so far, we are seeing a team that boasts a top ten offense, rotation, much-improved bullpen from the start of the year, and league-best defense. Sounds like a recipe for winning a lot of ballgames.

The Cardinals are also one of only three teams in the National League with an above .500 record against teams who are also above .500, and their 17-16 mark against such clubs thus far is eighth-best among all big league clubs.

Between now and the trade deadline, there will be a ton of debate as to whether the Cardinals should buy, sell, hold, or do a combination of those things. I'm not here to have that debate today, because honestly, we still need to see how the next few months play out. But what I have grown curious about is if the Cardinals do try and buy at the deadline, who exactly would they be trading away?

Honestly, the more I thought about that question, the more I grew really intrigued by the thought exercise and decided to write about it.

Just like I said about what the Cardinals could try to acquire or how they'll conduct themselves at the deadline, this list is obviously subject to change. Player performance, injuries, where the team is at in the standings, and what they are looking to add will all alter what kinds of players would be involved in trade talks.

Here are 6 players who could be on the trade block if the Cardinals are buyers at the deadline

The Cardinals may be selling low, but trading Nolan Gorman could probably help them upgrade on the edges

So much for Nolan Gorman being a 600+ plate appearance guy for the Cardinals in 2025. When the Cardinals were unable to move Nolan Arenado in a trade, Gorman's path toward playing time became much narrower, but the performance of Alec Burleson and increased designated hitter opportunities for Ivan Herrera have virtually squeezed Gorman from the lineup most days.

Gorman has appeared in just 29 games this year, 56% of the club's outings thus far. His 98 plate appearances rank tenth on the team by a large margin, and he will soon be surpassed by Ivan Herrera for total plate appearances as well. Now, when he has been on the field, he hasn't done much to earn more playing time, ranking 15th out of the 16 hitters who have swung the bat for the Cardinals this year in wRC+ (54). Yes, worse than Jose Barrero, Michael Siani, and Pedro Pages.

Still, Gorman is just 25 years old, has yet to hit arbitration, and has shown immense power potential in his young big league career. We aren't even two years removed yet from Gorman posting a .236/.328/.478 slash line in his first full big league season, hitting 27 home runs and 76 RBI with a 118 wRC+. No, teams are not going to be lining up to trade for him or value him all that highly, but he's an interesting piece for someone who can give him real runway.

If the Cardinals are willing to sell low on Gorman, they may be able to add a piece to their bullpen or another area of their roster. It feels less likely that he could be a part of a larger package for someone else, but you never know.