Ranking the Cardinals 8 most valuable trade candidates to jumpstart their rebuild

#3 - Willson Contreras

Figuring out where to put Gray and Willson Contreras on this list was difficult, but I decided to give Contreras the slight edge for a few different reasons.

While it's clear that Gray's contract is too big to get real value from in a trade without eating money, Contreras has outplayed his salary each year since coming over in free agency. Making $18 million in 2026 and $18.5 million in 2027, Contreras has been worth between $21.3 million and $22.2 million each year he's been with the Cardinals, according to FanGraphs. He's underpaid based on the production he has been providing, and he handled his position change with excellence in 2025.

In his first season as a full-time first baseman, Contreras posted six outs above average and swung his bat with authority, posting a 124 wRC+ on a .257/.344/.447 slash line with 20 home runs in 135 games. For context, Josh Naylor just got paid about $20 million a year by the Mariners on a five-year deal after posting very similar offensive production and worse defense at first base.

If the market value for a free-agent first baseman with Contreras' production is $20 million a year over five years, getting a guy like Contreras on a two-year deal at just $18 million per year is a bargain, and if the Cardinals pay that down even more, then he becomes an even more attractive trade candidate for opposing teams.

Contreras is the least likely to be dealt of the Cardinals veterans by a good margin, but if a contending team comes in with an offer the Cardinals really like, they are going to bring that to Contreras and see if he's willing to change his mind. While the Mariners are likely off the board now, I could totally see teams like the Red Sox, Mets, Phillies, Yankees, Rangers, Padres, Diamondbacks, or any other teams looking to add some punch to their lineup being in on adding Contreras.

Contreras's ability to shrink his market though gives opposing teams a bit of leverage, but since Contreras is perfectly happy remaining a Cardinal, Chaim Bloom can also use that to his advantage in negotiations by saying they can easily just hold onto him as well. I do think Contreras should carry a lot of value in this market, and if the right teams come knocking, the Cardinals could swing a nice deal for their future. Contreras will determine if a deal is possible.

Now, I really don't think it's bad for the Cardinals to keep Contreras. He's a valuable player who can help in these years of their rebuild. But obviously, as an aging player, his timeline fits much better with true contenders, so I do think it is a deal that the Cardinals should explore making.