Cardinals ranked in a surprising position in way-too-early power rankings

The Athletic released its "Way-Too-Early 2025 MLB Power Rankings", and writers Stephen Nesbitt, Rustin Dodd, and C. Trent Rosecrans placed the St. Louis Cardinals in a spot they aren't overly familiar.

According to the writers, the Cardinals are the 24th-best team in baseball as of early November.

Now, things can change drastically over the next few months. The Cardinals have plenty of 40-man roster spots, and they'll be seeking to make improvements on the edges with what little financial flexibility they're awarded from ownership. However, this low ranking is an indictment on the direction ownership and management are seeking these next couple of years.

The Cardinals are ranked below every division rival, and they surpass only the Washington Nationals, Athletics, Miami Marlins, Los Angeles Angels, Colorado Rockies, and Chicago White Sox. They're just behind the San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays.

After finishing 83-79 last year, the organization is headed for a "reset" to prepare for the future. Free agents include Paul Goldschmidt, Kyle Gibson, Andrew Kittredge, Lance Lynn, Keynan Middleton, and Matt Carpenter. Four of those six players played key innings for the team last year. It's assumed that at least some of the starting rotation innings will be filled by players like Steven Matz and Michael McGreevy while Gordon Graceffo could also see major-league time next year in the rotation.

At first base, it will likely be a platoon between Alec Burleson and Luken Baker, though John Mozeliak could seek some outside help as well.

The bullpen was the club's greatest strength in 2023, and key contributors like Ryan Helsley, JoJo Romero, and Matthew Liberatore. While Helsley has been mentioned as one of the offseason's best trade candidates, he's still on the roster as of now. If John Mozeliak and Chaim Bloom decide to blow up the roster, expect him to be traded away.

Returning players from last year's squad who will likely be major players in 2024 include Brendan Donovan, Masyn Winn, Willson Contreras, Sonny Gray, Nolan Arenado, Erick Fedde, Lars Nootbaar, and Jordan Walker. However, once again, several of those players have been listed as trade candidates this offseason.

It's disappointing to see the Cardinals so low in preseason power rankings despite being better than .500 last year and finishing second in the middling National League Central. It's even harder to envision a path out of the dregs of the power rankings when several Cardinals are mentioned in the trade rumor mill and when Bill DeWitt Jr. has been outspoken about a desire to decrease payroll amid the RSN situation.

There are plenty of talented young players on the roster, but this "reset" direction will likely bring more bad than it does good these next couple of seasons.