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

#1A - Alec Burleson

While it seems rather unlikely that the Cardinals will move Alec Burleson this offseason, it is undeniable that both he and Donovan would bring the Cardinals back a hefty return via trade.

Burleson had a career year for St. Louis in 2025, slashing .290/.343/.459 with 18 home runs and 69 RBI in 139 games, posting a 124 wRC+ in the process. Burleson made massive strides at the plate this year in large part due to his work with hitting coach Brant Brown and the Cardinals' new player development group.

Burleson's swing decisions in 2025 were far more impactful, swinging at fewer pitches overall, which allowed him to take a substantial dip in his O-Swing% while also seeing his Z-Swing% drop as well. He did make lightly more contact on pitches as a result, and saw his career-best offensive production. If Burleson can keep his out-of-zone swing percentage lower while being a bit more aggressive in the zone in 2026, another step forward offensively is in the cards.

Burleson also saw a nice uptick in his bat speed and hard-hit%, and if he is able to continue to his the ball with authority while maintaining an elite K%, he's going to be one of the most dangerous hitters in our game today.

Other teams see this, and with his improvements defensively in 2025 as well, Burleson has become a very attractive trade piece for the Cardinals. With an extra year of club control compared to Donovan (not hitting free agency until after the 2028 season), any team looking to acquire Burleson would be getting him with three cheap cost-controlled years. That's very valuable in today's game. And the utility man Silver Slugger can play at first base, either of the corner outfield spots, or DH for any team that wants him.

Reporting indicates that the Cardinals would be hesitant to move Burleson, and for good reason. The 26-year-old left-handed slugger has a bright future, and unless a club wants to swoop in with an awesome offer, the Cardinals have zero reason to move him. Both he and Ivan Herrea seem to be the two bats they want to hold onto at almost any cost, and I get that.

With the position the Cardinals are taking, they should listen on every player, and if a great offer comes in, be willing to make the deal. But it does seem unlikely that Burleson would be on the move.