Looking at the Cardinals top January moves since 2000

January 2020 - present transactions

In what has been an underwhelming decade to this point, the list below will clearly show how the team has struggled with making big splashes on the trade or free agent market at the start of the calendar year. While the team only has one division title to its name since 2020 and is working towards a reset of their player development, we are still only halfway through the next span so there is still time to right the ship and add to the list.

Andrew Kittredge: January 5, 2024 - Trade with Tampa Bay

Anytime a non-closer highlights a list of "best moves" for an organization there is a reasonable cause for concern. In Andrew Kittredge's case though, his 2024 season was a phenomenal bargain for the price paid and his results were even better taking into account the team performed below expectations for a second straight season.

In acquiring Kittredge, the Cardinals sent flash-in-the-pan outfielder Richie Palacios (as fans were nervous that he was the next Randy Arozarena) to Tampa Bay. Kittredge was coming off back-to-back truncated seasons after a decent two-year stretch with the Rays so the Cardinals were taking a risk on a potential bounceback in 2024. The righty was manager Oli Marmol's go-to guy as it seemed he pitched every game, but his results were so good while the rest of the bullpen struggled that Marmol did not have much other choice but to run him out there. Kittredge was able to get back to his pre-injury dominance as he took the ball 74 times and finished second in the National League with 37 saves as he and JoJo Romero formed a solid back end of the bullpen to set up closer Ryan Helsley. In his 70.2 innings, Kittredge totaled a 5-5 record and a 2.80 ERA to go along with 67 strikeouts.

In any other typical Cardinal offseason, the team would probably wish to retain Kittredge for another year or two but while the organization is moving towards a reset, there is not much need for a lockdown late-inning reliever. Recently, the righty signed a one-year deal with the Baltimore Orioles for $10 million, well above what the Cardinals wished to invest into their bullpen.

Won-Bin Cho: January 15, 2022 - $500,000 international free agent bonus

The final player to make the list comes in the form of a prospect that the organization and other executives around the league have some excitement about. Won-Bin Cho, an athletic outfielder signed during the 2022 international free agent period from South Korea. Cho had the opportunity to enter the KBO draft but decided to forgo that opportunity to play stateside and moved to the United States in the fall of 2020.

Standing at 6'1, the lefty outfielder has received 50+ grades in all five tools and was most recently ranked as the organization's #9 prospect according to FanGraphs. Cho just turned 20 at the end of last season and has played his entire professional career at the A-level to this point but is expected to start the season in Double-A depending on his Spring Training performance this year. While his bat has not reached the power potential yet, scouts laud his ability to hit the ball hard (max 111.1 mph exit velocity) and understand the strike zone as evidenced by his 14.2% walk rate in 2023.

2024 was a bit of a step back for Cho as he saw his strikeout rate hit the alarming 30%+ mark and his plate discipline faltered as his walk rate dropped to a mediocre 8.4%. The Cardinals have stressed caution with putting too much emphasis on his down 2024 season as he would just be a sophomore if he were to be playing at the college ranks but scouts mention a potential need to change his approach to take advantage of his raw power.

We continue to wait for the Cardinals to make a move at the major league level for the 2025 season, but fans should remain optimistic as the organization has begun to shift toward younger players. With a lineup built around players age 27 or less, this season's reset can hopefully be a stepping stone for the prospects waiting for their call. Remember, there are still two months until the start of the regular season!