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

Brandon Crawford

Another shortstop with World Series pedigree and a ton of success in the early 2010s, Brandon Crawford is still without a job and could latch on with St. Louis if the opportunity is there for him.

I'd imagine if an injury were to happen to another club's starting shortstop, Crawford would be the number one option teams call on. That's why I'm not sure he would sign on with St. Louis in the near future, but if camp continues on and he still does not have an opportunity, he may be open to it.

2023 was the worst year of Crawford's carer, posting a .587 OPS while playing in just 93 games. But just two years ago, Crawford played in 138 games and posted a .895 OPS while being named an All-Star, winning a Gold Glove, and finishing fourth in National League Most Valuable Player voting. No, Crawford isn't that level of player anyone, but he sure does present a higher upside than the other shortstops on the market.

No one is going to question Crawford's defense. He's not at the top of his game anymore, but he is a four-time Glove Glove Award winner. Crawford also has the potential to slug from the left side of the plate, and if he does so, that makes him an incredibly valuable shortstop.

The Cardinals already have multiple left-handed bats on their bench, but that shouldn't stop them from pursuing Crawford if he's interested in coming to St. Louis. While Matt Carpenter was signed to be the 26th man on the roster and provide some left-handed support on the bench, Crawford would make more sense in that role, at least from what he can provide defensively.

Crawford feels like more of a long shot than others on the list, but he's certainly someone the Cardinals should pursue.