5 outfielders the Cardinals can trade for at the deadline

On Friday afternoon, the St. Louis Cardinals hosted bloggers and podcasters who cover the team via multiple online outlets. As part of this event, team President of John Mozeliak attended to field some questions and comment on the direction of the team. With the trade deadline just a little over a month away, it was a topic that was covered heavily.

J.P. Hill of Viva El Birdos shared a recording of the event on the site's podcast page. Give the full question-and-answer session a listen here.

Mozeliak identified the Cardinals as a team in "shop" mode as of now. In addition to planting his flag in the "buyers" camp, Mo gave those in attendance a sneak peek at his goals for this summer's frenzied trade season. He stated the team is in the hunt for a 5th starter who can log quality innings and a right-handed outfielder who can play some center field.

We are sort of in that shop mode on how we can look to get better, even if they're just small wins. I would define small wins as maybe trying to find someone who can give us innings in that 5th role. Is there some right-handed bat that could play center field from time to time? That would be helpful as well.

Mozeliak didn't say he wants a true center fielder. Rather, he wants an outfielder who can play center in a pinch. This would eliminate a player like Luis Robert Jr., contrary to the whims and wishes of many Cardinal fans.

The Cardinals' outfield situation is about to become more crowded. Tommy Edman and Lars Nootbaar are both hurt, but they'll return in due time. According to John Denton of MLB.com, Edman has been taking swings from both sides of the plate. He was also seen playing catch with none other than Willson Contreras just last week.

Dylan Carlson was supposed to be the team's 4th outfielder this year, and he conveniently hits better right-handed than he does from the left side, historically at least. This year, he's only marginally better batting right-handed (.502 OPS vs .468 OPS). Aside from his handedness splits, Carlson has not been good this year offensively. Edman, a switch hitter, also profiles better when batting from the right side.

With Lars Nootbaar, Brendan Donovan, and Alec Burleson as left-handed outfield options, a right-handed player to platoon will deepen the team's outfield. A new outfielder will create a bit of a logjam, but Edman's and Donovan's versatility opens up some playing time in the outfield.

Here are 5 right-handed outfielders the Cardinals could trade for this summer.

Harrison Bader

The first player on this list is a former Cardinal and a true center fielder. Due to the latter quality, he doesn't fully fit John Mozeliak's description. Harrison Bader would be a welcome addition to the roster, but him being a true center fielder complicates things slightly.

Bader signed a 1-year, $10.5 million deal this offseason with the New York Mets, so he will be owed around $5 million for the remainder of the season after the deadline. That's not much money, but it is a decent chunk of change for an organization with a self-imposed financial ceiling.

Harrison Bader has exceeded expectations this year in Queens. He is slashing .266/.318/.367 with 3 home runs and 8 stolen bases for an OPS+ of 102. Bader has never been known as a great slugger, but there is some slight room for improvement in that area. He has accumulated 4 Outs Above Average and 2 Defensive Runs Saved this year in 57 games. He is still a plus defender in the outfield.

Bader would likely cost the team one of their mid-level prospects; New York appears to be in a full rebuild as their owner Steve Cohen acclimates to building a farm system that is rife with talented prospects. St. Louis has plenty of outfielders and pitchers in the 15-20 range of their prospect list that could be appealing to the Mets.

Bader's inclusion on the roster would make the logjam that is present when everyone is healthy even worse. He is deserving of an everyday role, and St. Louis couldn't give that to him. He's the least likely player to join the Cardinals on this list, but his history with the organization and his performance this year would be welcome this year.

Jose Siri

Dealing with the Tampa Bay Rays is like entering uncharted territory; the organization is wily, intelligent, and careful with certain players. They can pinpoint a prospect on another team and turn that player into a star.

Dealing for outfielder Jose Siri would require ample research by the Cardinals. He is primarily a center fielder, but he provides a much different look than Tommy Edman and Michael Siani. Last year, he was able to slug close to .500, and he hit 25 home runs while playing plus defense according to Outs Above Average (10) and average defense according to Defensive Runs Saved (0).

The Rays could become sellers quickly as the American League begins to separate. Prior to games on June 10th, the Rays sat in last place in the AL East with a 31-34 record, and they were 3 games back of a Wild Card spot with several talented teams ahead of them.

Siri is having a down year this year with a .194/.278/.355 slash line to go along with 6 home runs, 7 stolen bases, and an OPS+ of 83. He is striking out at a 35.8% clip, a figure that is par for the course for him. A trade for Jose Siri would require the team to be accepting of his swing-and-miss tendencies but banking on him finding his power stroke again.

Other players who are already in arbitration like Randy Arozarena may be more appealing from the Rays, but they could very well be finished messing around with Siri's strikeout tendencies. The Cardinals could buy low for their 4th outfielder who bats right-handed.

Matt Vierling

Matt Vierling has become a bit of a multi-faceted player for the Detroit Tigers ever since they traded for him from the Philadelphia Phillies. Though Vierling has played the bulk of his innings at third base this year, he's seen the most success in the outfield.

Vierling has a strong offensive profile from the right side of the plate; he's slashing .276/.314/.469 with 7 home runs for a wRC+ of 120. He strikes out at a league-average rate, but his walk rate is a bit deflated comparatively. Vierling's .194 ISO speaks to his ability to hit the ball with some pop.

The 27-year-old would be another player who can play multiple positions for the Cardinals. He would allow manager Oli Marmol some flexibility in roster construction, and he would be a good complement to the team's left-handed corner outfielders. His .316 average against left-handed pitchers would lengthen a lineup that has historically hit lefties quite well.

The majority of Vierling's innings have come in center field for his career, and he's been serviceable in that role. His 88th percentile sprint speed paired with a decent arm should give him some upside roaming center field. He has also been a plus defender in the corner outfield spots.

Vierling, too, hits arbitration next year, so he won't be a free agent until 2028. The Tigers are nearing their window, but they haven't been able to surpass the Cleveland Guardians and Minnesota Twins in the AL Central just yet. Receiving a young prospect for a player who has upside but will start getting pricey may behoove Detroit. The Cardinals will get their 4th outfielder/utility right-handed batter in exchange.

Chas McCormick

This is the player I'm actually most excited about on this list. Having a Houston Astro listed given their 7 years of success recently is a bit questionable, but the Astros are sitting 6 games behind the Seattle Mariners for the division title as of June 10th, and they are 4.5 games back of the Wild Card. It's close, but the team has been toiling in the bottom of the American League all year. Being sellers of a sort would be beneficial to a team that has had to pick later in rounds in the draft for years now.

McCormick's return from injury in mid-May created a bit of a messy situation for the team. In his absence, Jake Meyers put on a wonderful display in the outfield. Meyers, 28, is slashing .263/.328/.431 while playing elite defense in center field. Meyers's success has made Chas McCormick somewhat expendable.

The Cardinals could jump on this opportunity to snag a serviceable 4th outfielder who hits right-handed and can play a capable center field. Chas fits the bill to a "T". He's mostly played in left field this year, but the bulk of his innings in his career have come out of center, and he's been a plus defender according to Outs Above Average each year in that position.

Chas's .214/.281/.272 slash line on the year is less than stellar, but he had a 133 wRC+ last year with 22 home runs while playing strong defense in center. Make no mistake, Chas McCormick is a good player offensively. His return to full health will be key for him this year.

McCormick's track record of success, his age (29), and his remaining years of team control (free agent in 2027) will make him a bit of a costly entity. A prospect, likely pitching given the Astros' woes this year, near the top of the team's list will be asked. Will John Mozeliak be willing to part with a player like Tekoah Roby, Cooper Hjerpe, or Quinn Mathews to get his 4th outfielder?