4 things to watch for after Masyn Winn's call-up by the Cardinals

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After weeks of speculation about what the St. Louis Cardinals would do with top prospect Masyn Winn, the club announced they were calling up the shortstop in time to make his Major League debut on August 18th against the New York Mets at Busch Stadium.

So why now? What does Winn's promotion mean for him and the Cardinals the rest of the season? How could making his MLB debut now potentially impact the offseason and the 2024 Cardinals?

Let's explore everything to watch for with Masyn Winn's call up

Why was Masyn Winn called up now and not earlier?

Let's get this out of the way - even after the Cardinals traded away Paul DeJong and had a clear opening for Winn in St. Louis, they waited multiple weeks to pull the trigger on the move. But why?

According to the new MLB CBA, teams are now incentivized to have their top prospects on their Opening Day roster. If a prospect is on the club's Opening Day roster and is on the major top-100 prospect lists, then they can earn their team a draft selection if they finish in the top-2 in Rookie of the Year voting. The player also is awarded a full year of service time and a bonus for their accomplishments.

The lesser-known rule is that in order for Winn to maintain his rookie eligibility status for 2024, he must be on the MLB roster for 45 days or less and accumulate 130 at-bats or less during the course of the season. August 18th marks exactly 45 days until the end of the season, so this was the earliest St. Louis could call him up to maintain this eligibility (which is in both Winn's and the club's best interest).

Something to watch for is that 130 at-bats number. With 45 days left in the season, it would be easy for Winn to accumulate more plate appearances than that, which would totally defeat the purpose of waiting this long to call him up. Since they made the decision to do that, they might as well follow through on that plan. Winn may sit a few more games than you'd expect because of this.

Does Masyn Winn prove he is ready to be the club's starting shortstop in 2024?

Having Winn make his MLB debut in 2023 is a huge advantage for the club going into next season. Winn now has about a month and a half to get his feet wet in St. Louis, adjust to big-league pitching, and just go out and play freely as the club's new shortstop.

Even though Winn has been tearing up Triple-A as of late, it does not guarantee he will be ready to take over at shortstop for a team that is intent on making the playoffs in 2024. Winn's performance the rest of the season will likely influence how aggressive they are with him going into Opening Day.

This doesn't mean Winn can't struggle in St. Louis and still be the club's shortstop in 2024. Winn can use the offseason and Spring Training to make adjustments and improve in any areas he needs to in order to be the starter, but he's still just 21 years old, so the club does not need to rush him.

Winn now has the advantage of getting his MLB debut out of the way and 100+ plate appearances in St. Louis before having to run out for them on Opening Day or be a key contributor to a playoff team in 2024. Jordan Walker had all of that pressure going into 2023, and although he handled it well, it's a lot easier to go on Winn's path.

The Diamondbacks' Corbin Carroll had the same kind of call-up to Arizona last year, and the experience has helped him immensely as the runaway favorite in Rookie of the Year voting this year. Winn is not regarded as highly as a prospect, but like Carroll, this can be huge for his development as a player.

If Masyn Winn looks great, what does that mean for the future of Tommy Edman?

Part of the reason the Cardinals can afford to be patient with Winn is the presence of Tommy Edman on their roster. If they do not feel comfortable going to Winn next season, Edman is more than capable of being the club's shortstop for as long as they need him to be in 2024.

But what if Winn proves he is ready to run with the role? How does that change Edman's role with the Cardinals?

Nolan Gorman is the club's second baseman. He's become a league-average defender at the position this year and his offensive upside is too great for Edman to surpass. Gorman will DH some, but with the Cardinals looking to rotate so many names there, he'll play second most of the time. Edman could factor into the club's outfield next year, but if I had to bet, the Cardinals will likely roll with one of Brendan Donovan, Alec Burleson, Dylan Carlson, or Tyler O'Neill as their left fielder with Lars Nootbaar in center field and Jordan Walker in right field next season.

At the very least, the emergence of Winn makes Edman the club's true super-utility man in 2024 in my opinion. Edman can fill in for St. Louis at shortstop, second base, and the outfield whenever they need him to. Without a clear backup shortstop option on the roster, a little bit of insurance for Winn would go a long way.

But I also think this means the club could strongly consider moving Edman this offseason if they can get pitching in return. Edman is entering his second year of arbitration next year and will be a free agent following the 2025 season. With his contract number set to rise again this year and being just two years away from free agency, Edman's value may be as high as it will ever be on the trade market this offseason.

The Cardinals really value what Edman brings to the team, and rightfully so. I do not think they will consider dealing him unless it brings in the kind of pitching that they cannot afford to pass up. In all likelihood, they'll look to use Carlson and/or O'Neill to acquire some of that pitching this offseason, but if they want better arms, Edman is a guy they could put on the table.

If Winn struggles during this debut season, I doubt they consider moving on from Edman. But if he takes St. Louis by storm, keep an eye on Edman's name in trade rumors.

Can Masyn Winn bring much needed energy and excitment to the Cardinals clubhouse?

This season has been a mess for the Cardinals, and it's taken its toll on everyone involved. Fan attendance is extremely low, the players and coaches are at a loss for answers most of the time, and it's just beyond frustrating to see how badly things have gone.

Masyn Winn can help this team get back on tract as they prepare for 2024.

That's a lot of pressure to put on a 21-year-old, and I don't mean he needs to come in and be the club's best player. But what Winn can do is come in, bring his fire and energy every single game, and let his talent do the talking.

I expect the crowds in St. Louis to be much bigger beginning on Friday. Any time Winn makes a highlight play at shortstop, that is going to get the stadium rocking and should ignite the clubhouse. His first big league hit, stolen base, home run, and the energy he plays with will be a breath of fresh air for this organization.

If Winn can help be a catalyst for change this season, the Cardinals will enter Spring Training feeling a lot better about how they finished the season. There is something to be said about finishing strong to build momentum for next year, and Winn can be a huge part of that process.

Remember when everyone was clammoring for the Cardinals to sign a free agent shortstop?

Over the last two offseasons, one of the biggest complaints amongst Cardinals fans was about them not signing one of the star shortstops on the market.

Last offseason it was Carlos Correa, Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts, and Dansby Swanson. Two years ago, it was Correa agian, Corey Seager, Trevor Story, and Javier Baez. Each time, the Cardinals remained steadfast and in their commitment to Tommy Edman and their hopes for Winn, and it looks like their patience is finally paying off.

Out of that list, there is only one player I think you can make an arguement that the Cardinals would have been right in signing - Corey Seager. Even in a year where he has struggled with injuries, Seager is slashing .348/.411/.661 (189 wRC+) with 22 HR, 73 RBI, and has a 4.8 WAR in just 78 games played. If it wasn't for Shohei Ohtani, we'd all be talking about Seager as the American League Most Valuable Player this season.

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There is no way Winn outplays Seager in the near future, and expecting him to be that caliber of player anyways is just completely unfair. But having Winn on a rookie scale contract and having a 10-year, $325 million contract on your books is probably the right call for a team that desperately needs starting pitching help.

Sure, Seager's presence would have made Winn expendable, and probably some other pieces to go get top-end pitching, but overall, the Cardinals were proven right in their decision not to go after the free agent shortstops over the last two offseasons.

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