No one is emerging as Cardinals' everyday catcher for 2024

Cardinals catching option No. 3: Iván Herrera

Iván Herrera, though perhaps the most complete catcher on the Cardinals' 40-man roster, remains the clear third option. After struggling at the major league level in 2022, Herrera has broken out in a big way in 2023. Herrera has added power, sharpened his bat-to-ball skills, and improved his plate discipline. All of those changes have contributed to his .988 OPS in Memphis. During his brief time with the Cardinals, Herrera impressed, hitting .348 while drawing rave reviews for his work with the pitching staff.

Herrera's value is objectively higher now than it was at this point last season. He has demonstrated the potential for strong offensive production while also playing solid defense. This has left some eager to trade the young catcher with the hopes that he could be part of a package to acquire elite starting talent. Others believe that Herrera's strong performance has solidified his spot within the Cardinals' future catching plans. The Cardinals have been reluctant to move on from him in the past, but this deadline is likely to reveal their long-term plans for Herrera. Should Herrera remain on the roster through the deadline, he is likely to see significant time at the catching position in 2024.

It is worth mentioning that the Cardinals demoted Herrera on July 24. Cardinals brass noted that it was a "numbers game." This demotion, though disappointing, is not worth reading too much into, especially as the deadline is likely to free up some spots on the active roster.