Ranking the 10 most important St. Louis Cardinals players for the 2025 season

Spring Training games are here. The St. Louis Cardinals begin their 2025 youth movement this weekend. After a brutal offseason filled with almost nothing, it's finally time to see if the Cardinals' young bats can prove themselves at the Major League level.

2025 is being dubbed a “transition” year by the front office, which means expectations are widely different for this roster than in past years. The players in the clubhouse have a strong belief in what they’ll be able to accomplish this year, but from a fan and organizational perspective, all eyes will be on how the club is trending long-term.

With that in mind, here are the 10 most important Cardinals players for the 2025 season. These won’t necessarily be the 10 best players on the team this year, but their success matters both for the current state and the long-term trajectory of the Cardinals organization.

Check out a deep dive on these players on the Dealin' the Cards channel:

10 - Willson Contreras (1B)

One of the best-hitting catchers in all of baseball over the last few years, Willson Contreras is making a surprise position change to first base for 2025 in an effort to keep his bat in the lineup every day.

Since becoming a Cardinal, Contreras has been one of the top 20 hitters in baseball, with a 133 wRC+, producing like a true middle-of-the-order bat and growing more and more comfortable at the plate the longer he’s been in St. Louis. Injuries limited Contreras to just 84 games in 2024, so after the Cardinals decided to let Paul Goldschmidt walk in free agency and Contreras stayed in St. Louis, both sides agreed that a move to first base would be the best fit.

If Contreras can stay healthy in 2025, he is easily the best bat on their roster and has the potential to carry the offense all year long. Contreras’ desire to stay in St. Louis and help lead their young core speaks volumes about the kind of player he is, and his fiery personality is perfect for a team looking to shock some people.

9 - Nolan Arenado (3B)

After an offseason of trade rumors and uncertainty, Nolan Arenado is back in a Cardinals uniform. Following up an MVP finalist season in 2022 with two disappointing years in a row, Arenado is determined to be a top third baseman in the league once more.

His long-term future in St. Louis is still in question, but there’s no doubt that Arenado will remain with the Cardinals come Opening Day. If the young core lives up to expectations, a bounce-back from Arenado could mean contending for a division crown. But, if not, he could still play himself into a trade at the deadline that brings back more value to the Cardinals.

Either way, having a 10-time Gold Glover and eight-time All-Star at third base raises the Cardinals’ floor in 2025. As teammate Lars Nootbaar once said, “A motivated Nolan is a scary Nolan.” If Arenado plays as well as he is motivated to prove critics wrong, St. Louis could become a legitimate threat to win the NL Central division.