Ranking the St. Louis Cardinals' trade pieces entering Spring Training

May 22, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA;  St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Juan Yepez (36) and
May 22, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Juan Yepez (36) and / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
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#1 - Dylan Carlson

I know this pick will be controversial, but with a rebound season likely coming from Dylan Carlson, he'll be a highly sought-after player when the Cardinals decide to make a splash in the trade market.

Carlson finished 3rd in the NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2021, slashing .266/.343/.437 with 18 HR and 65 RBI, and was touted for his elite defense during 2022.

While Carlson did take a step back last season, it's pretty clear that his wrist injury played a major part in his regression. Really, the main thing he needs to figure out is facing right-handed pitching. Carlson has been elite in his career against lefties, posting a .869 OPS, but that drops over .200 points to a .686 OPS.

Carlson has all of the tools to change the narrative that was attached to him recently and get back to one of the most promising players in today's game. With Lars Nootbaar rising to the top of the Cardinals current outfield and Jordan Walker ready to take another one of those spots, Carlson could find himself expendable in a big deal at some point. If the club decides they want to roll with Tyler O'Neill, Alec Burleson, Moises Gomez, Brendan Donovan, or Juan Yepez as their third outfielder, then the possibility of Carlson being on the move rises even more.

Next. 5 players to watch for during Spring Training. dark