5 Cardinals most at risk of being traded this offseason

#1 - Ivan Herrera

I would be shocked at this point if we do not see Ivan Herrera traded this offseason. I think it is crazy how they have treated him this season, but if the Cardinals do not view him as their backup catcher, then he will need to be traded.

Ivan Herrera is out of options going into 2025. The club must either demote Pages and carry Contreras and Herrera on the roster, have three catchers, or move on from Herrera this offseason since DFAing him would be an absolute disaster.

I do think there is an argument to have Contreras or Herrera start to play some first base with how good their bats are and the hole they may have there in 2025, but it's unclear to me whether or not St. Louis will actually consider something like that this offseason.

Herrera is a valuable piece, and while I'd love to see them make him the backup catcher, he should be able to bring them back something of value on the trade market. Herrera is just 24 years old and under team control for another five seasons, and just put up a 122 wRC+ in 250 plate appearances for the Cardinals. Herrera's bat is one of the best on their roster right now, and while he has things to improve on defensively, that is a huge asset from the catcher's spot.

Like Gorman earlier, Herrera could be of interest to a number of teams on the trade market. If a contending team wants to add offense and is willing to part with pitching for it, I'm sure St. Louis would be interested. If a rebuilding team wants to shop a bigger bat in hopes of getting back a package of young talent, Herrera could be a part of that.