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

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.