7 expendable players the Cardinals can move at the trade deadline and still compete

The St. Louis Cardinals have pushed themselves into playoff contention and look to be for real after an outstanding May has put them within reach of the NL Central lead. While the team has been performing beyond expectations, there are still some holes in the roster that they could fill while also building towards the future.

The organization continues to cite their lack of minor league starting depth as a main priority and a reason for why Michael McGreevy continues to dominate in Triple-A. Beyond their need for talent in the upper minors rotation, the team could also look for additional depth around the infield or add some Major League-ready talent back to the outfield. To fill these needs, I looked at current pieces on the big league roster that could be flipped for a modest return to help build back the depth, and then added some players in Memphis who may be redundant to the roster and help backfill some other needs.

The Cardinals have plenty of pieces they could deal to help rebuild their system while remaining competitive

Major League position players that can be trade pieces

Jose Barrero

After storming back into the Major League picture after a scorching start in Triple-A, Jose Barrero has fallen back into a little-used bench option for manager Oli Marmol. Barrero was originally called up when Masyn Winn was going through some minor injuries, and he filled in well, knocking a homer and a double with three RBIs in his first three starts with the team. After Winn was fully recovered from his ankle and back issues, playing time for Barrero has been sparse as he only has one start since May 10, and he has been mostly used in the outfield despite being an infielder for the majority of his career.

Barrero was a former top-100 prospect, but his quick ascension through the Reds system after only playing in Single-A could have hampered his development. He likely will not receive a huge return in a deal, but can provide a depth option for a contending team or be a lottery ticket for a young team with playing time available in the infield. A Barrero deal would open up a roster spot for a promotion of Thomas Saggese or Jose Fermin, depending on what role Marmol needs to fill on the bench.

Yohel Pozo

The final big league option the Cardinals could try to flip is third-string catcher Yohel Pozo. While Ivan Herrera was on the injured list, the Cardinals called up Pozo to take the load off of Pedro Pages. With minimal playing time since Herrera has returned, Pozo is still managing to hit .320 despite only starting in six games this month. There probably is not much chatter around the league for Pozo, but if Herrera can return to catching semi-regularly behind Pages, then it would be in the team's and Pozo's best interest to find a new place. If he returns to Triple-A, he will be working behind the organization's top catching prospect in Jimmy Crooks, with Leonardo Bernal and Rainiel Rodriguez also waiting in the lower levels.

Major League pitchers that can be trade pieces

Phil Maton

I have to be careful citing an important bullpen piece as "expendable", but in the case of Phil Maton, he seems to be an option to be dealt, whether the Cardinals are competing or not. Maton was the team's lone Major League addition during the offseason, and the return on their $2 million investment has been quality. His 23 games pitched this season trail only Kyle Leahy for the most on the team, and he leads all Cardinal relievers with 28 strikeouts. Maton has also stepped in for Ryan Helsley when the normal closer has needed a day off and has notched two saves to go along with his 10 holds. So why would the Cardinals want to deal Maton if he has been so effective?

Simply because he has been so effective. Maton has always had an above-average ability to strike out opposing batters, but he has done so at a career-best rate this season while also putting up the best walk rate of his nine-year career. I was tempted to put Helsley in this spot as I think the return for the closer may be better than what a setup man might receive, but Helsley has been solid again at the end of games with a triple-digit fastball and above-average breaking stuff. Maton relies on his breaking ball more than a shutdown reliever typically does, and his sinker and cutter average about 90mph.

Maton would be an attractive trade target because of his cheap contract as well. Helsley is making $8.2 million this year and will see a bigger salary when he hits free agency next year. Teams may be hesitant to give up too much for a rental and settle for a cheaper, effective option in Maton. Reliever-needy teams could create a bidding war for the righty, which could increase the prospect capital the Cardinals may receive in a deal.

John King

Dipping back into the bullpen, lefty John King could be another piece the Cardinals sell high on. While the results of his season fall mostly in line with his career numbers, the peripherals show that he may be outperforming his expected stats. King has never been a strikeout guy, but this year, his K-rate has fallen to 12.6%, which, according to Baseball Savant, is second-percentile in all of baseball. He is able to limit damage with a solid walk rate (6.9%), but opposing hitters are making hard contact 40% of the time, and his expected ERA is almost a full point higher than his 3.62 mark he has put up this year.

If the Cardinals were to deal King, that would leave them with Steven Matz and JoJo Romero as left-handed options in the bullpen, but minor leaguer Andre Granillo could fill that spot. Although he is a righty, Granillo's devastating changeup has been a weapon against lefties as they are only hitting .118 against him in the minors.

Minor League trade pieces

Beyond the Major League roster, there are a few pieces in Triple-A Memphis that appear to be ready for the majors but do not have a spot with the Cardinals' current timeline. Because of the lack of pitching depth already mentioned, these three position players would probably be better off with a change of scenery that could create more opportunities for their careers.

Luken Baker

The rollercoaster career of Luken Baker with the Cardinals has continued into the 2025 season, with still no clear plan in place for the big first baseman/designated hitter. The story remains the same for Baker: massive power with solid plate discipline, but defensively limited to first base, and may be better as a platoon bat. With 131 homers and an .834 OPS in 594 career minor league games, Baker has little to prove and is now 28 years old.

Coming into spring, Baker had no real place on the team, but he put up a great exhibition campaign that made him look like a potential regular DH option while Alec Burleson struggled to hit for power. Baker made the team out of Spring Training and knocked three hits in his first two starts, but found sporadic playing time through April. At the end of the month, he was hitting .192 and was finally demoted back to Memphis in early May. Since being with Memphis, he has been the primary first baseman but has struggled at the plate, hitting .12,5 but six of his seven hits have gone for extra bases. The Cardinals may get a decent return because of his minor league track record, but trading Baker should be a priority for both sides.

Michael Siani

While the Cardinals' outfield depth at the upper minors is a little thin, Michael Siani is a piece that could be dealt for either minor league relief options or a lower-level lottery ticket. Siani has received plenty (too much) playing time over his past two years with the organization and has done little with the bat to warrant a roster spot on the Cardinals' major league team. He has shown some potential with the bat in the minors, twice hitting double-digit homers while a member of the Reds organization. He also has elite speed, stealing 164 bases in 540 minor league games.

That skillset is intriguing, but the Cardinals have Victor Scott II on the big league roster who has that same makeup while also hitting from the left side, but with even more potential on the offensive side, while also being a year younger. With Memphis this year, Siani has filled in as an outfielder but also as a designated hitter and has put up an .806 OPS with four homers and seven stolen bases. He is another change-of-scenery candidate that could fetch some type of talent back for St. Louis.

Matt Koperniak

Another outfielder after complaining about a lack of outfield depth? Unfortunately, yes, and it is simply because Matt Koperniak is already 27 and is another left-handed hitter to join the outfield that already sees Victor Scott, Lars Nootbaar, Brendan Donovan, and Alec Burleson as other lefty options. Koperniak is a quality hitter who signed as an undrafted free agent in 2020 and was included on the 40-man roster before the start of this season.

The outfielder had a great spring with the big league squad, hitting .355 with two homers and three doubles in 31 at-bats, but he was squeezed out by each of the above names. Koperniak has struggled mightily this year with Memphis, hitting .199, but he is a career .289 hitter with 63 homers in his three-plus years with the organization. I would love to see him get a chance in the majors, but it is hard to see a fit for him with the Cardinals. There are potentially other teams who could find an instant fit for Koperniak and return a decent prospect back for the Cardinals.