5 shortstops the Cardinals should sign as depth behind Masyn Winn and Tommy Edman

The St. Louis Cardinals spent most of their offseason in an arms race to bolster their rotation and bullpen after needing a massive overhaul to their staff. While there was very little arguement that the Cardinals needed to add position players this offseason, recent days have given more cadence to the need for more depth at shortstop.

The delay in Tommy Edman's recovery from offseason wrist surgery has created some concern regarding shortstop depth. While Edman is the projected starting center fielder, he's also the club's insurance at shortstop behind rookie Masyn Winn. While there is great confidence that Winn can be the everyday guy there, it's fair to at least wonder if he'll struggle and need a trip back to Memphis, or wonder what the backup plan would be if an injury to Winn occurs.

Edman provided answers to those questions, but now that his own status is uncertain, the Cardinals are considering bringing in more insurance for the shortstop position. Before we get into 5 shortstops they could sign, let's look at the depth behind Winn and Edman at the moment.

What is the Cardinals' shortstop depth currently behind Masyn Winn and Tommy Edman?

Jose Fermin

Fermin will be 25 in March and made his Major League debut with St. Louis in March. In 21 games with the Cardinals in 2023, he slashed .235/.339/.255 with a 67 OPS+. While he did not make any appearances at shortstop for St. Louis, he has logged 1037.1 innings at shortstop in the minor leagues.

Thomas Saggese

The reigning Texas League Most Valuable Player, Saggese posted a .904 OPS in 2023 across Double-A and Triple-A. Saggese will make his name known first and foremost with his bat, but his versatility as an infielder is a big part of his game. The Cardinals plan to have him play shortstop in Spring Training to see if he can handle the position more than just in a pinch.

Arquímedes Gamboa

Gamboa has played 31 games at the Major League level since 2019 for the Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants. He does have an .810 OPS in that small stretch, but it's a bit inflated from some home runs during those quick call-ups.

Gamboa has played 5230 innings at shortstop in the minors but I doubt they are comfortable with him as their next best option.

Brendan Donovan

Obviously, Brendan Donovan is an exceptional player, and his defensive versatility is among the best in the league. Donovan can cover innings at shortstop when needed, but it's likely in his and the club's best interest that he's not covering the position for long stretches.