10 players the Cardinals can target at the trade deadline to help them in 2024

This trade deadline is going to look a lot different for the St. Louis Cardinals. Although it's frustrating that they put themselves into this position in July, there is a real opportunity for the organization to set itself up for 2024 and beyond.

No, a full-on rebuild is not needed to fix this club. There are plenty of examples from the 2010s of teams who have retooled after disappointing years and put themselves into real contention. The Cardinals have the ability to do the same, and the trade deadline is the beginning of that.

If you were to ask me how you should view this trade deadline for the Cardinals, I'd call it "Phase 1" of an eight month retool between now and Spring Training next year. The Cardinals have an opportunity here to jump-start their offseason in the midst of a seller's market, shrewdly look for deals that may be more "buying" in nature, and then use August through October to gameplan for "Phase 2" in the offseason.

Many expect names like Jordan Montgomery, Jack Flaherty, and Jordan Hicks to be moved for prospects or controllable big-league talent. Others, like Tyler O'Neill or Paul DeJong, have team control beyond 2023 but could be dealt at the deadline without a clear fit with the team beyond this year. And then there are young bats like Nolan Gorman, Lars Nootbaar, Brendan Donovan, Tommy Edman, and Dylan Carlson who could be centerpieces for one of those "buyer" moves.

I honestly wouldn't even be shocked to see some prospects or other young big leaguers go if the right deal is there, such as Ivan Herrera, Juan Yepez, Alec Burleson, Luken Baker, Moises Gomez, Genesis Cabrera, or even Ryan Helsley. If there is a team who really likes them and is willing to give the Cardinals something they want, I could see a deal going down.

If I am St. Louis, I'm not just open to names that teams throw out to me, I'm also actively in pursuit of certain players who could fill needs for the club in 2024 and beyond. Young starting pitchers are the big target, but I could even see the club acquiring a center fielder that they like. Their infatuation with Tommy Edman out there this year tells me that they don't really love their other options for center field right now.

Here are ten players the Cardinals can target at this deadline

RHP Dylan Cease, Chicago White Sox

This isn't a new idea, but even being out of contention this year, Dylan Cease still makes a ton of sense for St. Louis.

After finishing second in Cy Young voting in 2022 with a 2.20 ERA and 227 SO in 184 innings, Cease has struggled this year to the tune of a 4.30 ERA and 1.35 WHIP. Cease still has great stuff though, and there is a lot of reason to believe he will get himself back on track, especially if he gets out of Chicago.

While the situation in St. Louis isn't better this year, Cease can look forward to making a playoff run in 2024 headlining the Cardinals' rotation.

Cease would be the most expensive player to acquire on this list due to his mix of team control and elite performance. The Cardinals have the assets to pull off such a deal. It would likely require two of Nootbaar, Gorman, Carlson, Edman, Hence, Winn, or Donovan, and then a few of Graceffo, Yepez, Burleson, etc. The cost would be high, but at some point, the Cardinals have to be aggressive if they want to fix this rotation.

They would have to be very confident that Cease is the guy who can lead their rotation moving forward to make a deal, but if they are, it makes so much sense.

OF Alek Thomas, Arizona Diamondbacks

The idea of another outfielder is probably controversial amongst fans. Some would argue that the Cardinals already have plenty, while others would say they need to quit putting "infielders in the outfield". Regardless of what we think, it's clear that outside of Jordan Walker and Lars Nootbaar, there isn't much trust for their other traditional outfield options.

Specifically, the team seems to believe they lack a true center fielder outside of Tommy Edman. Sure, they'll play Nootbaar or Carlson out there when they need to, but it doesn't seem like they truly see either as a center fielder.

Enter Alek Thomas, who after getting demoted to Triple-A earlier this year, has been on fire for the Diamondbacks as of late. Thomas is slashing defensively. He hits left-handed, is a former top prospect, and is just 23 years old, making him a very intriguing target for St. Louis long term.

Arizona is capable of making a deep playoff run this year, and they'd be wise to try. The Dodgers will likely be a juggernaut once again next season, the Padres are having a down year but are sure to aggressively retool, and the Giants are always going to be lurking.

The Diamondbacks need more pitching, so I could see them targeting a Jordan Montgomery and possibly Jordan Hicks in a package that features Thomas, or possibly even just a straight swap for Montgomery. This would improve Arizona's pitching staff greatly, and still leave them with good outfielders at the Major League level and top prospect Druw Jones developing in the minors.

RHP Gavin Stone, Los Angeles Dodgers

You may have heard the name Gavin Stone before, as he is the top pitching prospect in a very deep Los Angeles Dodgers system. If the Dodgers are serious about making a run in 2023, Stone could be a trade chip that helps them acquire Montgomery or Edman to fill two of their biggest needs.

I think this depends heavily on if Shohei Ohtani somehow becomes available though, as if he does, I don't see the Dodgers parting with a guy like Stone for anyone other than him. But if he doesn't, I see a fit here.

Stone may be the top ranking pitching prospect they have and already has started a few Major League games, but it has not gone well in Los Angeles or at the Triple-A level this year. Bobby Miller, Emmet Sheehan, and Ryan Pepiot are all contributing to the Major League roster right now, and the Dodgers will have even more names popping up soon.

Stone has a good four pitch mix headlined by his mid 90s fastball and wipe out change up. St. Louis would love to add an arm like that to their rotation for 2023 and beyond.

RHP Logan Gilbert, Seattle Mariners

Probably the Mariners' starter most heavily linked to St. Louis, and would be quite the get for the Cardinals, albeit at a high price.

Gilbert is 7-5 with a 3.66 ERA in 108.1 innings of work this year, striking out about 8.8 batters per nine innings. Last season, Gilbert broke out with a 3.20 ERA over 185.2 innings of work. Formerly a top prospect in all of baseball, Gilbert's stuff is undeniable, and he would remain under team control through 2027.

It's hard to know how much it'll take to get the 26-year-old off of the Mariners' hands, which is why I tend to think, and probably even prefer, someone like Bryan Woo over Logan Gilbert. I think one of Nootbaar, Donovan, or Gorman would have to be in a deal for Gilbert, and it probably takes a little more than that too.

Great young pitching is just so hard to come by, and everyone wants it, to its going to cost a pretty penny to acquire it. Gilbert would be a great fit in the Cardinals' rotation, should they choose to pursue him.

OF Drew Gilbert, Houston Astros

The Houston Astros have rebounded from a shaky start to 2023 to be right back into contention for another American League pennant this year, but this time around, they have real competition from within their own division in the Texas Rangers. After losing Luis Garcia, Lance McCullers Jr., and Jose Urquidy already this season from their rotation, they could use an upgrade or two there.

Drew Gilbert is their top prospect but has struggled a little bit in Double-A this year. He may be a few years away from the majors, but he could be the long-term solution in center field.

Gilbert looks to be above average in every facet of the game and plays with the kind of energy that will remind fans of Harrison Bader. No, he's not the same player, but he's got that aggressiveness and charisma to him. Fans would fall in love with him.

He hits left-handed and hits the ball hard. He won't hit more than 20 or so home runs in a year, but he very well could be the player the Cardinals have been looking for to roam center field long-term.

Jordan Montgomery looks like the fit here, but there could be a few other pieces the Astros would be interested in as well.

RHP Max Meyer, Miami Marlins

Max Meyer is a top-50 prospect in all of baseball, but being a part of the Miami Marlins system means he could be a trade piece for the club. With Sandy Alcantara, Eury Perez, Jesus Luzardo, Edward Cabrera, Braxton Garrett, and Trevor Rogers already in the fold, Meyer can be used to help them upgrade their offense for the stretch run.

Meyer is still recovering from Tommy John surgery but has been making great progress. Scouts love his fastball-slide combo and could see Meyer being a very good starter for a long time. He also has a nice floor as a very good reliever, as his stuff would play great in the late innings.

But the Cardinals would obviously be hoping he is a part of their rotation plans when he returns to the field. I think a swap with one of the Cardinals' young bats would make a lot of sense here, or even a package headlined by Ivan Herrera and a few others to fill some wholes in the Marlins lineup.

OF Heston Kjerstad, Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles have been one of the best teams in baseball despite having terrible pitching...if only the Cardinals could do the same. With so many young position players contributing already, the Orioles could shed some assets from the Triple-A level to get the pitching they need.

All six of their top prospects are position players, with five of them being in AAA or at the MLB level, and that is not to mention names like Gunnar Henderson, Anthony Santander, Austin Hays, Ryan Mountcastle, and Cedric Mullins who have multiple years of control.

Enter Heston Kjerstad, the 37th-ranked prospect in baseball. He has done nothing but mash this year across Double-A and Triple-A, posting a .314/.394/.585 slash line with 16 HR and 35 RBI. While Kjerstad would not fill a spot in center field for St. Louis, it's hard to deny how good his bat has been.

Even with the wealth of young talent the Orioles have, Kjerstad may be too valuable for them to part with. But if they really want to attack this opportunity to win in 2023, dangling Kjerstad would help them acquire that kind of pitching.

LHP Mason Montgomery, Tampa Bay Rays

Alright, maybe dealing for another left-handed pitching prospect from the Rays would be a mistake, but I can see this being a good match for both teams.

The Rays are one of the favorites this year, and with how often they've come close in recent years, they seem to be motivated to be more aggressive this year. Their offense could use another bat or two, and another starter wouldn't hurt them either with the injuries they've experienced recently.

A package with Montgomery in it and a few other strong pieces could be enough to get both a young bat and one of the Cardinals starters. With the way the Rays develop starting pitching, it's hard to imagine they wouldn't raise up more arms to replace him, fast.

RHP Bryce Miller, Seattle Mariners

Lastly, I wanted to end with another Seattle starter, as I just think the two clubs make way too much sense to pull off a deal. Bryce Miller is another intriguing arm that St. Louis could target in talks with the Mariners.

Before the season, Miller was the Mariners' second-best prospect and boasts a great fastball-slider combo. Miller has the kind of stuff to be a great pitcher for a long time, and at just age 24, he has a lot of time left to grow.

Miller is 5-3 with a 3.97 ERA and 55 SO in 59 innings this year. While his strikeout stuff hasn't been quite the same as it was in the minors (8.4 SO/9 in MLB compared to 10.8 SO/9 in MiLB), it does indicate there is room to grow for the right-hander. Miller will likely require a similar package as Gilbert, but again, he represents a long-term answer to one of the club's biggest problems.

Tag me on Twitter (@joshjacoMLB) and let me know what you think of these targets, or send me some of your own!

Check out my weekly podcast "Redbird Rundown" on Spotify or Apple Podcasts as well as follow me on Twitter @joshjacoMLB for more Cardinals content