4 trade packages that could entice the Cardinals to move Ryan Helsley this offseason

With moves expected this offseason, the St. Louis Cardinals look like a team entering a minor rebuild and will look to shed veteran contracts as they look toward their future. Names like pitcher Sonny Gray, third baseman Nolan Arenado and catcher Willson Contreras have already been mentioned as players to be shopped this offseason. Outside of Gray, one player that could match him in value would be closer Ryan Helsley.

Coming off a year that saw him save 49 games, breaking the Cardinals franchise record and also leading the MLB. Helsley heads into the offseason as the best closer available and will be entering his final season of arbitration. The 30-year-old is entering his prime but will be due a big deal soon, that's something that doesn't line up with the Cardinals' current outlook.

With Helsley set to become a free agent after the 2025 season, the Cardinals are unlikely to fetch a top prospect but they should be able to get a trio of promising players from a team's top 30.

After going through notable trades involving closers including Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs in 2016, Josh Hader to the Padres in 2022 and Tanner Scott to the Padres this season. I have come up with prospect packages from four teams that should be in the market for a closer this offseason.

New York Yankees

The Yankees finished the 2024 season with the best record in the American League, but they had one glaring issue as closer Clay Holmes tied a franchise record with 13 blown saves. and even found himself demoted from the role briefly in September. With Holmes set to be a free agent this offseason, adding a bonafide closer like Helsley would be a massive upgrade for the Yankees.

The Yankees have the 18th-ranked farm system in the MLB according to MLB.com, but they have some intriguing players in their top 30 that could end up being valuable contributors at the major league level down the road. In my proposal, the Yankees would send their number 9, 13, and 27-ranked prospects in exchange for the All-Star closer.

RHP Bryce Cunningham was drafted in the second round of the 2024 MLB Draft and while his numbers during his time at Vanderbilt don't look too promising he had some of the best pitch metrics in college baseball. Possessing a fastball that reaches 97 mph, a swing-and-miss changeup, and a sweeping slider that is effective he shows potential to be a number 2 or 3 starter and could be a fast riser through the minor league system like Quinn Mathews was for the Cardinals.

The next piece of the trade is 19-year-old outfielder Brando Mayea, signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2023 he has a quick swing from the right side and has elite speed. In 35 games in rookie ball last season, he slashed .281/.370/.326 with 19 stolen bases. While he lacked extra-base hits, his power is still developing and his ability to get on base while playing plus-defense could carry him to the majors but he still has plenty of time to progress as a player.

The final piece of the trade would be LHP Griffin Herring, drafted in the sixth round of the 2024 draft out of Louisiana State he was one of the most valuable pieces out of the bullpen for the Tigers. With a devastating sweeper in his arsenal, his fastball lacks velocity topping out at 94 mph but at 6-foot-2 there is still room for velocity growth. He has the potential to start, but if that doesn't work out he has the tools to be a high-leverage guy out of the bullpen.

Yankees trade: RHP Bryce Cunningham, LHP Griffin Herring and OF Brando Mayea
Cardinals trade: RHP Ryan Helsley

Kansas City Royals

The other team in Missouri is in the middle of a postseason run but it's never too early to look forward to next season. Relief pitcher Lucas Erceg has done a solid job since taking over the closer duties, but acquiring Helsley and allowing Erceg to drop back to setup would give them a special combo at the backend of their bullpen.

While the Royals may lack top-flight prospects outside of 1B/LHP Jac Caglianone and C Blake Mitchell, they do have some intriguing players in their top 30 who should be MLB-level talents if they continue to develop.

Starting the haul from the Royals would be 18-year-old LHP David Shields, drafted in the second round of the 2024 MLB Draft he has a solid fastball that misses bats and should get better as he matures, an above-average slider and a good feel for his changeup. A former quarterback, Shields is very athletic on the mound and it should help him in his development. He has all the tools to be a top-of-the-rotation arm and will be given all the time he needs to fulfill that potential.

The second piece of the trade is 3B/SS Austin Charles, standing 6'5" the 20-year-old might be the best athlete in the Royals system. Having a plus arm and untapped power at the plate, Charles slashed .257/.353/.386 with 29 extra-base hits and 36 stolen bases in 117 games in Single-A last season. A versatile defender he was moved to third base due to the Royals' depth at shortstop, he also could transition to the outfield if needed. Like Shields he has all the tools needed to make the majors, he will just need time to develop as he continues to grow into his body.

The final piece of the deal is someone with the potential to be the next Helsley in RHP L.P. Langevin. A fourth-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, Langevin finished third in NCAA Division I in strikeout rate at 15.2 per nine innings. Possessing a plus-fastball that hitters have trouble barreling thanks to his low arm slot, he also has a solid slider and changeup that he uses to keep hitters off-balance at the plate. While he did start some in college, Langevin will be a relief pitcher as a professional with all signs leading to him becoming a closer in the majors.

Royals trade: LHP David Shields, 3B/SS Austin Charles and RHP L.P. Langevin
Cardinals trade: RHP Ryan Helsley

Philadelphia Phillies

The final trade proposal would have Helsley heading the 2024 National League East champion Philadelphia Phillies. After a hot start to the season, the Phillies bullpen ran into some trouble down the stretch and could use an elite closer like Helsley to slam the door shut at the end of games. While the likelihood of getting one of their top four prospects is likely off the table, their farm system has some very intriguing players that fit what the Cardinals need.

The first piece to acquire Helsley would be 19-year-old outfielder Griffin Burkholder, a second-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft Burkholder the speed and defensive ability to be a centerfielder in the MLB. With the ability to drive the ball, the right-handed bat is still tapping into his power which could end up seeing him be a 20-plus home run hitter to go with his elite speed. If he can continue to drive the baseball into the gaps he will be an extra-base hit machine that has the ability to steal a base at any moment. Still years away from the majors, Burkholder is super athletic and his strength should continue to grow as he gets older.

Joining Burkholder in the trade would be third baseman Carson DeMartini, another 2024 draft pick the 21-year-old has extra-base hit power all over the field and has all the makings of a 20-25 home run hitter. A shortstop in high school, he transitioned to third base at Virginia Tech where he still has room to improve as a defender but his main tool remains his power ability at the plate. DeMartini could end up being a pure DH at the major league level, but if he continues to hit that wouldn't be a problem. After getting drafted he slashed .315/.385/.478 with nine extra-base hits and eight stolen bases in
24 games at the Single-A level. He has the ability at the plate to rise through the system and could be an impact bat in the majors sooner rather than later.

LHP Mavis Graves would be the final piece of the trade, at 20-years-old he already has two minor league seasons under his belt. After a disastrous showing at rookie ball in 2023, he followed that up with a much better season this year at Single-A. The young lefty posted a 7-6 record with a 3.64 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 117 strikeouts in 84 innings pitched. Standing at 6-foot-6, Graves has a five-pitch arsenal including a four and two-seam fastball, curveball, changeup and his best pitch of the bunch a hard cutter that has high spin rates. Still young, he showed much improvement in his second year and has the potential to take a big leap in 2025 as he continues to develop into his big frame. His ceiling might not be the highest, but he has the potential to be a serviceable arm at the back of the rotation or a future set-up man at the major league level.

Phillies trade: OF Griffin Burkholder, 3B Carson DeMartini and LHP Mavis Graves
Cardinals trade: RHP Ryan Helsley