These 5 teams could come calling for the Cardinals' catching depth

Although a multitude of problems plague the St. Louis Cardinals entering 2026, their catching depth is one aspect of the organization that is in great shape. With Ivan Herrera, Pedro Pages and Yohel Pozo in the major leagues, Jimmy Crooks and Leonardo Bernal not far behind, and Rainiel Rodriguez putting on a show at the lower levels, the Cardinals possess a glut of catching talent — one that several teams around the league would love to rummage through.

These five teams would be strong trade partners for some of the Cardinals' catchers.

Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies' catching situation had been stable for several years, with J.T. Realmuto, long among the best catchers in the game, squatting behind the plate for the past seven seasons. But in 2025, the 34-year-old Realmuto had his worst season in the City of Brotherly Love, hitting .257 and holding a .700 OPS. Realmuto will enter free agency in the offseason, and if the Phillies pass on re-signing him, they could be a prime suitor for one of the Cardinals' backstops.

With an aging roster and their window to contend for a title potentially closing, the Phillies will likely be looking for an MLB-ready catcher. Their top catching prospect, Caleb Ricketts, had a .303 on-base percentage in Double-A as a 25-year-old — not the results a team is looking for in a future starter. Herrera could fit the Phillies' offense-oriented roster if they believe he can be even a below-average catcher instead of an unplayable one.

The Phillies likely wouldn't part with their top prospect, Andrew Painter, in a trade for Herrera, but someone like Cade Obermueller, a low-slot lefty with an exceptional slider, could be a more feasible target for the Cardinals.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers utilized a catching tandem in 2025, with Jonah Heim receiving most of the starts against right-handed pitchers and Kyle Higashioka getting the call against left-handers. Neither catcher did much at the plate to impress, with Heim hitting .213 with a .602 OPS, which was a far cry from his All-Star campaign in 2023. Higashioka was better than Heim in pitch framing and hit .241 with a .693 OPS.

Bobby Wilson, the Rangers' catching coach for the past six season, resigned earlier in October, and with Heim under team control for one more season after avoiding arbitration in 2025, the Rangers may decide to roll with him next year and hope that another coach can help him rediscover his 2023 form.

Crooks could fit into the Rangers' plans if they decide to acquire a new catcher to prepare for 2027. Crooks didn't hit well in his time in St. Louis near the end of the season, hitting just .133 in 45 at-bats, but he still holds some promise at the plate and behind it, where he is an above-average pitch framer and owns a decent arm. The Cardinals may be able to acquire a low-level pitcher with a bit of promise for Crooks.

San Diego Padres

The Padres' catching situation was woeful in the first half of 2025, as Elias Diaz and Martin Maldonado struggled to keep their bats above the Mendoza Line. The team acquired Freddy Fermin from the Kansas City Royals at the trade deadline, and he provided somewhat of an upgrade, hitting .244 with a .617 OPS.

Fermin won't be a free agent until 2030, but the Padres may still be seeking to upgrade their catching position. Ethan Salas, one of the top prospects in baseball, missed all but 10 games after suffering a lower back stress reaction, which likely slowed his progression from a potential major league debut in 2026 back to 2027 or perhaps even later. With Salas unlikely to make an impact in San Diego next season, the Padres could seek an upgrade from Fermin while attempting to remain competitive.

Acqiuring Herrera seems unlikely given Salas' likely eventual claim to the catching throne, but the Padres could be interested in Pages, who had a .230 average and a .635 OPS with the Cardinals in 2025, or Pozo, who was one of the Cardinals' few pleasant surprises over the past season. Still, neither is a huge upgrade from Fermin, so San Diego could stand pat with him.

Washington Nationals

Keibert Ruiz, the Nationals' starting catcher for the first half of 2025, was once a highly touted prospect, but injuries and poor performance have removed all the sheen from this once-lustrous diamond. Ruiz has a contract with the Nationals through 2030, with club options for 2031 and 2032, but Washington may look to eat a significant portion of that contract to rid themselves of him.

Washington's backups, Drew Millas and Riley Adams, don't appear to possess starter-caliber traits, and while they do have a catching prospect in Double-A, Caleb Lomavita, the team will likely want him to marinate in the minors for at least one more season. Complicating matters is the fact that the Nationals likely won't be serious contenders for a postseason berth in 2026, so they may decide to stick with Ruiz while waiting for Lomavita to ascend.

Still, Washington is unlikely to tolerate a repeat season from Ruiz, who held a pitiful .595 OPS, so they could seek a stopgap in the form of somone like Pages. He wouldn't command much of a return on a trade, but Washington could send a lottery ticket minor league pitcher to St. Louis to serve as depth if nothing else.

Pittsburgh Pirates

The perennially cellar-dwelling Pirates spent the first overall pick in the 2021 draft on Henry Davis in hopes that he could be their catcher of the future. But after three seasons in the majors and a combined .181 average and .556 OPS, it appears Davis is not the answer, although he did perform well defensively. Pittsburgh played Davis in a 50/50 split with Joey Bart, who hit .249 with a .696 OPS.

Although the Pirates are not an offensively talented team, their rotation is among the better ones in baseball and is headed by a generational talent in Paul Skenes. Some speculation has stirred that the Pirates could attempt to trade Skenes, although these rumors seem born more out of the team's historical reputation than any real possibility of him being dealt.

Pittsburgh has Rafael Flores in their catching pipeline and may turn to him for more looks after a cup of coffee with the team in 2025, but they could also aim high in an effort to improve their offense while Skenes, Jared Jones and Mitch Keller remain in their rotation. For that reason, Herrera could be a realistic target. A trade between division rivals is uncommon, but with neither the Pirates nor the Cardinals expected to contend in 2026, the deal may make sense for both sides and allow the Cardinals to obtain a high-class prospect in return.