Here is how a team of former Cardinals would stack up in 2023

The St. Louis Cardinals have let some very good players below. Which players would make the strongest roster based on 2023 stats?

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Outfield/DH

Designated Hitter: Marcell Ozuna

Now we start getting into the good players. The Cardinals traded for Marcell Ozuna back in 2018. The former All-Star had a couple of decent seasons for the Cardinals, but he did not live up to his hype or the return the Cardinals sent the Marlins. The Atlanta Braves signed him in the 2019-2020 offseason, and he has been a pretty good player for them. In 2023 alone, Ozuna has a slash line of .266/.338/.531 for an OPS+ of 129. His main contributions have come from his massive power output (35 home runs). Ozuna would be a force in the middle of a 2023 ex-Cardinals lineup.

Left Field: Randy Arozarena

Randy Arozarena sure has been fun to watch for the Tampa Bay Rays this year. He would clearly be the starting left fielder in a team of ex-Cardinals. In 2023, Arozarena is hitting .259/.367/.428 for an OPS+ of 120. He has racked up 3.7 bWAR and has been an energetic player. While his defense is nothing to write home about (-7 outs above average), his offense and charisma would provide a great boost to a team that needs some energy.

Center Field: Harrison Bader

Health has been the main detriment to Harrison Bader's 2023 season. The 29-year-old center fielder has always had supreme defense. His offense has always been something that lagged behind. For a career league-average hitter, the defense was essential to Bader's play. In 2023, Bader has a slash line of .232/.274/.348 for an OPS+ of 69; these numbers are significantly lower than his career averages, and Bader is currently fighting to see innings for the Cincinnati Reds.

Despite Bader's poor offensive showing, his defense has been as strong as ever. In just under 400 innings, Bader has tallied 10 outs above average. He is also still a speed demon, with an average sprint speed in the 85th percentile. While Harrison's bat won't provide much pop to a lineup, his speed sure will.

Right Field: Adolis Garcia

It is heartbreaking to see so many former Cardinals start in the All-Star Game for another team. Adolis Garcia was one of those three players this past year. While Garcia was never a top prospect nationally, he was a pretty strong minor leaguer who didn't quite perform at the major league level in 2018 for the Cardinals. He barely hit 20 games and had only 17 plate appearances, but his statistics were not the best. Since joining the Rangers, Garcia has done nothing but mash. This year, he has gathered 3.7 bWAR with a triple slash of .244/.322/.494 and an OPS+ of 119. While Garcia is prone to strikeouts, he is an RBI machine (100). He has been excellent at driving in runners.

Garcia's defense would be excellent in right field. He ranks in the 95th percentile for arm strength, and he has 2 outs above average on the season. While I won't complain about a stud rookie like Jordan Walker, it would be nice to have a more sure glove in the corner outfield.

Lane Thomas also deserves recognition for this spot. He has a .272/.319/.471 slash line for an OPS+ of 116. He has accrued 3.2 fWAR this season so far. Garcia narrowly beats him out, however.

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