7 former St. Louis Cardinals players who are still free agents

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The St. Louis Cardinals are finished adding free agents. Unless someone agrees to a minor league contract, John Mozeliak will not be adding any major talent to the 2024 roster. However, there are still plenty of free agents available who once donned the Birds on the Bat.

Reunion tours are always enjoyable for fans. Players like Matt Carpenter and Lance Lynn have already been brought back this year for a reunion. Perhaps bringing back players from a more successful time in the Cardinals' history could provide a spark to the 2024 team. Many of these free agents who played for the Cardinals had some of their best years in St. Louis, so perhaps they, too, could experience a resurgence with a return to their former stomping grounds.

In one of my recent pieces, I discussed 8 free agents who would be fun to see the Cardinals sign. That list includes three former Cardinals players, but I will revisit each of these players again.

Here is a list of players who once played for the St. Louis Cardinals who are still free agents.

Randal Grichuk

Randal Grichuk, 32, played for the Cardinals from 2014-2017. He was traded to the Cardinals with Peter Bourjos for David Freese and Fernando Salas. Grichuk made his MLB debut on April 28, 2014 for the Cardinals.

During his four years in St. Louis, Randal Grichuk slashed .249/.297/.488 for an OPS+ of 107. He was able to hit for power, but his 32.1% strikeout percentage was far too high, even for someone who had 163 extra-base hits while with St. Louis. Grichuk was eventually traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for Dominic Leone and Connor Greene.

Grichuk's showing with the Colorado Rockies this past season was strong. In 64 games, he was able to slash .308/.365/.496, and he hit 8 home runs. The story was vastly different after he was traded to the Los Angeles Angels, but he has shown that he still has an ability to hit and play plus defense in the corner outfield.

Trevor Rosenthal

Redbird Rants and the Noot News Podcast have been leading the charge for former closer Trevor Rosenthal. Rosenthal, now 33, last pitched a major league inning in 2020 for the San Diego Padres. He pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals from 2012-2017, so he is quite familiar with the organization.

During his tenure with St. Louis, Rosenthal pitched 325 innings with a 2.99 ERA, 1.305 WHIP, and an ERA+ of 130. He accumulated 121 saves in that time span. He is one of the best closers in recent team history, and he has expressed interest in rejoining the St. Louis Cardinals multiple times this offseason.

Trevor Rosenthal would be signed to a league-minimum contract this offseason, so if he doesn't make the team out of Spring Training, cutting him wouldn't cost much. He is currently recovering from Tommy John Surgery.

Kolten Wong

Kolten Wong was with the St. Louis Cardinals from 2013-2020. He was the team's primary second baseman, and he was awarded two Gold Gloves while playing for the Cardinals. He finished his time in St. Louis with a slash line of .261/.333/.384 for an OPS+ of 95. He was strong defensively, and he provided some decent seasons offensively.

Wong is still only 33, so he could be seeking a two-year deal, but his recent performance in Seattle left plenty to be desired. He may have to sign a league-minimum deal this offseason to "prove" that he can still provide plus defense and a serviceable bat. In just 20 games (34 plate appearances) for the Los Angeles Dodgers after leaving the Mariners last year, Wong slashed .300/.353/.500. The talent is still there for The Pebble; all he needs is a chance to prove he can still play.

Brad Miller

I went into greater detail on Brad Miller a couple of weeks ago, but he didn't play very long in St. Louis. Miller spent the COVID-shortened 2020 season with the Cardinals, and he was a bit of a utility man who had a great bat. Miller has shown an ability to play second base, third base, and even the outfield, but he is likely a designated hitter at this point in his career.

Miller has spent time with 7 different organizations including St. Louis, so he is well-traveled. He is currently 34, so he is getting a bit old, but he could still provide some utility to a team that needs a bench player who is decent offensively and can play multiple positions on the infield.

Tommy Pham

Tommy Pham was drafted in the 16th round of the 2006 draft by the St. Louis Cardinals out of high school. Pham toiled in the minors for 8 years before making his debut with St. Louis in 2014. He played center field primarily during his time in St. Louis, but he found more success defensively in left field.

While with St. Louis, Pham slashed .275/.368/.475, and he hit 105 extra-base hits in 362 games. Pham has since gotten into some hairy situations, but he is still a capable player. His defense is inching toward below-league average, but his bat remains strong, particularly for a backup outfielder. In 121 games between the New York Mets and Arizona Diamondbacks last year, Pham had a 111 OPS+.

Pham, who will turn 36 on March 8th, was traded from the Cardinals in the summer of 2018 to the Tampa Bay Rays for Justin Williams, Genesis Cabrera, and Roel Ramirez. Tommy Pham is an intriguing free agent this offseason, and there is surely a team out there who is willing to sign him to a one-year deal.

Alex Reyes

Alex Reyes's name strikes a chord with many fans. Reyes, 29, was once the best pitching prospect in all of baseball. He was touted as a top-of-the-rotation arm who could lead a pitching staff for years to come. Then, injuries struck. Elbow surgeries, lat strains, back surgeries, and shoulder surgeries have severely limited his availability; Reyes has never been able to pitch more than 72.1 innings in a season, and that career high came back in 2021 when he had to be a reliever for the Cardinals.

Reyes was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers last year to a one-year, $1.1 million deal. He had to have shoulder surgery early in the season, and he missed the entire season; this was his second should surgery in less than 14 months. He's not expected to return to a mound until at least this year's trade deadline.

It's a shame to see such a talented pitcher succumb to injury after injury. It would be surprising to see a team sign Alex Reyes for 2024. For a guy who once had all of the promise, it's been disappointing to see his career pan out this way before he even turned 30.

Jordan Montgomery

Jordan Montgomery is the prized candidate out of former Cardinal players who are still available. Montgomery was acquired by the Cardinals at the 2022 Trade Deadline from the New York Yankees for Harrison Bader. Monty, 31, was the Cardinals' best pitcher during his tenure in St. Louis.

Montgomery finished his time with the Cardinals with a 12-12 record, a 3.64 ERA, and an ERA+ of 127 in 168.2 innings. Montgomery is one of the most talented innings eaters of this free agency period, as he has pitched a full slate of games each year since 2020. He has the chance to be the best pitcher on most staffs in baseball.

With Montgomery still on the market, local fans have been clamoring for John Mozeliak to sign him. Jordan Montgomery would push next year's rotation to another level, but given the fact that he's a client of the legendary Scott Boras, he will hold out until the last minute, and he will likely command a pricey deal.

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