Yohel Pozo continues to excel as Cardinals' pinch-hitting extraordinaire

Pinch-hitting is one of the most difficult roles in baseball. A player has to come off the bench cold and deliver in what is often a clutch situation. But St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yohel Pozo's knack for coming through when called upon has elevated him from bottom-of-the-roster filler to an integral member of the team in 2025.

Pozo has been the Cardinals' best story this year.

The Cardinals appear to be headed nowhere this season, and outgoing president of baseball operations John Mozeliak admitted as much with his actions of trading Ryan Helsley, Steven Matz and Phil Maton at the trade deadline. But while signature moments have been few and far between this year, Pozo holds one of the Cardinals' most electric moments on the season. In a July 5 game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, Pozo delivered a pinch-hit three-run home run that broke a tie game and proved decisive in the Cardinals' 8-6 victory.

Pozo has shown himself to be one of the top pinch-hitters in baseball this year. He is 6-for-12 off the bench and leads the major leagues with seven pinch-hit RBIs. Were the Cardinals more competitive this season, Pozo would likely be more well known around the league, but as it stands, Pozo has emerged as a fan favorite because of his underdog story and clutch performance.

There were no expectations for Pozo when the Cardinals called him up to serve as a backup to Pedro Pages when Ivan Herrera went on the injured list for the first time this season. The Cardinals needed someone who could provide Pages a breather every now and then, and Pozo served as what was seen to be a stopgap option while Herrera recovered and the the Cardinals let more heralded prospects, such as Jimmy Crooks, marinate in the minor leagues.

It's fair to wonder how long Pozo, an extremely aggressive hitter who rarely walks, can keep up this success, but if he continues to be used in higher-leverage situations where the pitcher has to throw strikes, he may be able to carve out a decent career if he continues to display this type of pinch-hitting acumen.

Behind the plate, Pozo is adequate. He's thrown out a below-average 17% of attempted basestealers this season, but he is a decent blocker of pitches in the dirt, owning a stat of two blocks above average. With Pages struggling in the batter's box of late, Pozo has received more playing time and may be leapfrogging Pages on the depth chart.

The Cardinals possess a glut of catchers in the minor leagues, but it's difficult to see them parting with a player who has provided so much value off of the bench. With Ivan Herrera receiving reps in the outfield, Pozo could serve as the team's primary catcher in 2026 if the Cardinals don't believe Crooks is ready to suit up behind the plate in the major leagues yet. For a player whom the Cardinals signed on a minor league contract to serve as depth, Pozo has been a smashing success for a team that has seen precious few of them this season.