Cardinals want to keep some players through rebuild, but offseason fire sale awaits

From Nolan Arenado to All-Star second baseman Brendan Donovan, we know that the St. Louis Cardinals plan to strip things down and reset this offseason.

The rebuild that the team has been putting off for a number of years is finally here now that Chaim Bloom is in charge of the front office, and the only question at this point appears to be how TNT the Cardinals are going to throw on the pile before blowing things up.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, there are a couple of players the team wants to hold onto this offseason. He specifically names Iván Herrera and Alec Burleson as two players who the organization is keen on keeping around, but above all, Rosenthal notes that the Cardinals "will field calls on the majority of the roster."

Iván Herrera, Alec Burleson likely to make it through Cardinals' winter purge

The organization's affinity for both players shouldn't be a surprise. Even among a talented crop of position players, Herrera and Burleson are standouts thanks to their production, youth, and remaining team control.

Herrera, in particular, should be stapled to the ground amidst the impending trade storm. The 25-year-old slugger has four years of team control remaining and isn't even arbitration eligible until next year. Considering he just hit .284/.373/.464 with 19 home runs in 452 plate appearances, good for a 137 wRC+, his future is as bright as anyone's in St. Louis.

Plus, after he spent the majority of 2025 at designated hitter, it appears that the plan is to get him back behind the plate next season.

As for Burleson, the 27-year-old outfielder is heading into his first year of arbitration eligibility and still has three years of team control remaining. He's shown the ability to play at a league-average level at first base and the outfield corners, which is more than good enough to back up the 124 wRC+ he produced in 2025.

Though both players would fetch a high price in a trade, the Cardinals need to prioritize the players who they can build their next core around. Burleson and Herrera certainly qualify, especially if the front office fancies its chances at extending either to a long-term extension.

Plus, if the team really is willing to listen to offers for anyone on the roster, there are plenty of avenues to improving the team without moving those two budding stars. Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray, and William Contreras may not bring much back other than payroll relief, but Donovan, Lars Nootbar, Nolan Gorman, and Pedro Páges can all be dangled as trade bait for top prospects and young pitching.

If and when Herrera and Burleson pop up in trade rumors this offseason, don't be shocked — the nature of picking up the phone for anyone means that everyone will be discussed at some point or another. But, if the Cardinals have their way, it sounds like at least a few familiar faces will be sticking around into 2026.