As he heads into the third season of his five-year, $87.5MM contract, Willson Contreras is headed for a position change. The Cardinals plan to move Contreras from catcher to first base next season, reports Jesse Rogers of ESPN. President of baseball operations John Mozeliak told reporters at the GM Meetings today that the move to a first base/designated hitter role was made with Contreras’ long-term health and longevity in mind, adding that he’s “unlikely” to catch much at all in 2025 (X link via Katie Woo of The Athletic).
Mozeliak added that Contreras was quite clear about his desire to remain in St. Louis even as the team embarks on something of a reset (via Woo). That makes it unlikely he’d be willing to waive his full no-trade clause this offseason. It’s a similar story with right-hander Sonny Gray, it seems. Mozeliak didn’t directly state as much, but Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Gray has also expressed a preference to remain with the Cardinals. Like Contreras, Gray has full no-trade protection.
The move to first base for Contreras opens the path for Ivan Herrera and Pedro Pages to split time behind the plate. It’s perhaps possible that an injury to one or both players could result in Contreras suiting up and crouching behind home plate once again, but it seems the organization’s preference is a shift away from that role. It’s the latest in a winding saga with the Cardinals’ seeming distaste for Contreras’ defense — one that began just weeks into his first season with the club.
The Cardinals announced early in the 2023 season that Contreras would be moving off catcher for at least a few weeks. At the time, Mozeliak stressed that Contreras hadn’t caught his last game for the club but added that the team had grown accustomed to Yadier Molina’s glovework behind the dish, adding that “this is going to take a little time to get him to where we feel he understands the expectations of what this role is for us.” It was a stunning announcement less than two months into a five-year contract, and one that generated even more confusion when Contreras returned to catching just one week later.
With the contract now 40% complete, Contreras appears ticketed for a more permanent move off the position. The 32-year-old has long been regarded as a bat-first catcher, but the ongoing questions about the Cardinals’ satisfaction with his defense (or lack thereof) has at multiple points prompted questions about why the team signed him to a five-year deal in the first place. Those questions will only grow louder now. Statcast has generally given Contreras plus grades for his throwing and rated him as a solid blocker, though his framing skills have been panned. He’s lived up to his end of the deal at the plate, however, hitting a combined .263/.367/.468 in 853 plate appearances. A broken forearm and finger, among other smaller injuries, have limited his time on the field, but Contreras has generally been one of the Cardinals’ best hitters when healthy.
That’ll presumably continue as he moves into a new role on the field. Contreras’ position shift seems likely to close the door on a potential reunion with free agent Paul Goldschmidt, who’ll now look to rebound elsewhere after a disappointing finish to his St. Louis tenure. It’ll also finally give the 24-year-old Herrera a crack at the starting catcher role for which he’s appeared ready for several years.
Herrera was thought to be a potential heir to Molina behind the plate, but any such hopes were dashed when the Cards originally signed Contreras. He’s a .289/.365/.398 hitter in 325 major league plate appearances (117 wRC+) and carries a stout .281/.414/.453 slash in 176 Triple-A contests. Pages, 26, hit .238/.281/.376 in 218 big league plate appearances in 2024. The righty hitter did post solid offensive numbers as a 24-year-old in Double-A in 2023, but scouting reports on him have questioned his hit tool while characterizing him as a likelier platoon option or backup.
Turning to Gray, his apparent desire to remain in St. Louis makes him a less obvious trade candidate than he was entering the winter. The Cards were reported to be open to offers on Gray even before they publicly revealed their plan for a step-back to focus on player development. Gray’s no-trade clause and heavily backloaded contract were always significant roadblocks in a potential trade, but ones that potentially seemed surmountable. He was quite selective about his destination in free agency, preferring to be relatively close to his Nashville home. Still, there was some thought that a trade to a geographically close club might hold appeal.
Working out such a swap would’ve been complicated. Gray’s three-year, $75MM contract paid him just $10MM in year one. He’s owed $65MM over the course of the next two seasons. That’s a huge number for an acquiring club to take on, particularly if said club has luxury-tax concerns (e.g. the Braves). A team acquiring a contract is taxed on the remainder of the deal rather than the original AAV, meaning a new club would be on the hook for a $32.5MM luxury hit in acquiring Gray. Those hurdles are all rendered moot, however, if Gray prefers to remain in St. Louis and see how things play out in the short-term.
Mozeliak told reporters today that he spoke to all of his players with no-trade clauses. That means he’s at least broached the possibility with third baseman Nolan Arenado. It’s not yet clear, however, whether Arenado is as convicted in his desire to remain on board through the team’s reset. Certainly, the lack of comments or concrete reporting on the matter doesn’t mean Arenado is requesting or even open to a trade, but the lack of information on him will fuel natural speculation. Arenado’s trade from Colorado to St. Louis, after all, was prompted by his frustration over the Rockies’ inability to field a competitive roster. Playing for a contending club was a priority for him — so much so that he passed on an opt-out opportunity in his contract to remain in St. Louis due in large part to their status as perennial contenders.
Arenado now has three years and $74MM remaining on his contract. The Rockies are on the hook for $5MM of that sum. He’s had two straight pedestrian seasons at the plate, batting .269/.320/.426 since 2023. That’s still slightly better than league-average production by measure of wRC+ but is a far cry from his MVP-caliber 2022 showing when he hit .293/.358/.553. Whether he can bounce back as he heads into his age-34 campaign is an open question, but Arenado remains an elite defender with rare durability. He’s missed 28 games over the past two seasons but has played in 94.6% of his teams’ games dating back to the 2015 season.
He is gone.
Not if he doesn’t waive his no trade clause.
Thank God I can finally stop hearing all this stupid nonsense about him returning to the Cubs. He’s just fine where he is thanks.
He would be an upgrade to whatever turd hoyer brings in
If you keep telling yourself that you might actually start to believe it. Rather have a cheap turd than an expensive one. Not that I’m expecting some kind of religious experience or anything from Hoyer either.
More like goldy is gone
But it is smart to move Willy to 1st so that pages and Herrera can do catcher
Like sands through the hour glass, so are the days of the soap opera Cardinals. Stay tuned. It will be something different next week.
That means Arenado’s probably gone.
Yep, if we know anything it is that Arenado will publicly whine his way off a team trying to rebuild making that rebuild even more difficult.
You would need a trade partner for that. He’s been declining and has three years left on the deal at $20+ million per year. Who is willing to give up anything for him?
Who says a team would have to give up anything of value to trade for Arenado
arenado to phillies
According to Sports Illustrated Arenado will wind up in Boston with Devers moving to 1B and Casas traded. I kind of doubt it but it’s always interesting to see Sports Illustrated’s “throw s*** at the wall to what sticks” approach to reporting
It might not be 100% accurate, but that’s why they are called rumors and not facts. Honestly I’d rather read a bunch of realistic though made uo trade rumors, than be bored until baseball starts up again. At least that way you get an idea of what might be doing and it kills time while reminding me of my younger days when in winter I would get my baseball cards, divide them into team sets and then make logical trades to try and make the best teams possible.
The issue is that they’re not “rumors”; they’re blanket (and thus empty) speculation. One of the words I’ve come to most hate seeing in sports is “linked”, as in “Red Sox are linked to St. Louis slugger”. At this stage, the standard for being able to present that headline without being an utter lie is for just one of the most random bloggers online to toss the idea out there, and then writers who might as well be bots churn out an article in which the original post is cited and linked and then the idea is given a cursory examination.
Actually makes sense. Arenado and Story are best buds.
Sports Illustrsted used to be a trusted place for journalism. Now they just throw up trade proposals that may or may not make sense.
So correct, SI is a rag now.
Tom Verducci is still there, right? Solid baseball journalist.
I guess he is, dunno. I’ve met one of the new owners, minority share. He is a piece of work. I don’t see a future for it in any serious sports journalism. .
They wouldn’t trade Casas? He’s only 24. He had a break out year in 2023 and was hurt most of 2024 but still had an .800 OPS in 63 games.
The Chaim Bloom transition has has begun.
Only a FO person that doesn’t understand MLB at all would bring in Willson Contreras on a multi-year contract to call games and handle a pitching staff…..
Let alone give him a 4 year contract……3 of which remain. It’s pretty clear that no team will pick that up. If he hots decently and doesn’t screw up 1B they can find a contending team that needs a RH bat in 2025….26….27.
Chaim Bloom didn’t sign Contreras and the Cards were already talking about moving him off catcher in 2023 while Chaim was in Boston.
He could go back to the cubs to be their catcher
Or split time with Busch at 1st/DH and then bellinger gets traded
Huh?
Chaim is there now and he’s inherited the problem.
One of many he has to dig the Cardinals out of.
Contreras at 1st might look really, really good. Cautiously optimistic for what that can mean for him health wise, and happy if Gray actually stays to help lead and mentor the rotation. Forces them to look more at moving Matz or hopefully Mikolas since their ceilings are lower
That’s what they get. Giving no-trade protection to a player you never should have signed anyway is pure Mo. Moving him to 1B makes the most sense. I imagine he still mostly DH’s against RH pitching, but playing him at 1B against lefties is a good idea.
DonOsbourne;
They gave him no-trade protection? Unbelievable!
LOL
The list of sweeteners Mozeliak gave to those over-the-hill vets he brought in on long-term contacts borders on bizarre. Bloom can’t even get rid of most of those guys without paying in money, prospects, or both.
This guy not only ran the organization into the ground and painted the organization into a coroner, he had multiple timed locks installed on the door that even pro locksmiths can’t open.
Sure, he’s not going to work in a major FO position in MLB again. But the question is: Why was he ever promoted to that level with the Cardinals? This schmuck may be the worst FO baseball head of an MLB franchise this century. Legendary! MLBTR should do one of their famous polls.
It’s hard to understand. Mo’s entire baseball backstory is bizarre. His Wikipedia page reads like Hollywood fiction. He got his first job with the Rockies by showing Bryn Smith some good fishing spots around Denver. Seriously.
Uh,Jed Hoyer has entered the chat.
Perhaps if the Cardinals lose too much for his liking, Contreras might decide to waive his NTC down the line. Losing isn’t fun, and some handle it better than others.
Can’t tell if Samuel is on the spectrum or just obtuse.
I just don’t understand why his defense is talked about so much . As a Cards fan have watched most of there games. He’s No Yadi back there but never thought he was bad. Blocks well throws well. May be his pitch calling but seems that could get worked out. Framing maybe but that won’t matter soon. If he wants to stay that’s great. He’s a plus to me. Good hitter. Good clubhouse guy. Move him to first but stop saying he’s not a very good catcher. He’s maybe average but after watching a lot of baseball most catchers all have faults.quit comparing him to Yadi. Nobody probably can fill his shoes defensively
This will go a long way in saving Willson’s forearms, hands and wrists. No more bats taking a whack at those bones.
This will keep him in the lineup, and the Cards will desperately need a good, veteran bat next season.. I pray he can handle the slightly errant throws half as well as Goldy did.. When they come in hot from SS and 3B, you have to have great hand-eye coordination like Goldy does.
And of course, this free ups Pages and Herrera for the Catching duties.
Isn’t there a minor league game on somewhere?
Blackpink/Joel check out Stevil’s blog at hardballviahardcore.blogspot.com/?m=1
and check out his proposed 3-team trade involving Cardinals. I know you like trade scenarios, curious about your take on that one.
I think Herrera can be solid, so understand the move to 1st. I don’t understand why he won’t move his NTC. This could be a multi year rebuild, and losing isn’t fun
Herrera’s defense is poor at best as well as his ability to throw out base runners.
Yeah Herrera is a worse defender than Contreras. I don’t think people understand that. Pages is a good defender
That’s a power-play — he wants to be compensated for shedding the NTC, especially if he would like to have some time behind the plate.
So bizarre that the Cards scouted him and saw him up close time and again yet had issues with his defense the minute they signed him.
His bat is legit and he’s getting older so this move makes sense, but that initial distaste for his defense has always struck me as odd.
It was a knee jerk reaction to being rejected by the A’s when the Cards tried to get Sean Murphy. I doubt we’ll ever know the whole story of what transpired there, but the A’s demanded more than the Cardinals were willing to pay and Mo panicked and pivoted to Contreras. The A’s later gave Murphy away for nothing. I tend to believe Mo’s arrogance scuttled the deal with Oakland.
Can’t claim to be an expert on the Braves farm system, but Oakland landed their top prospect and two other highly rated ones in addition to two players from Milwaukee.
mlb.com/news/sean-murphy-braves-trade#:~:text=Shar….
At Halos:
Obviously, I’m exaggerating to some degree. The A’s did get players from the Braves and Brewers, but most people at the time believed the haul they received was a lot less than what they supposedly asked from the Cardinals. Hindsight is 20/20.
My point is, the Cardinals made an emotional decision rather than an intellectual one when it came to signing Contreras.
It’s the manager he’s an idiot. Team was losing so he blamed ONeill and Contreras. Marmol is a chump.
Nolan would like Milwaukee
Let’s see where to start with another hit piece at traderumors.
Not once has anyone indicated the Cardinals are not going to try and compete in 2025. Mozeliak said payroll will go down and they want to spend more on developing players. That’s all he said.
Contreras is not a bad defensive catcher. Rhe manager is a moron he should never have said anything to the media. I watch the games he’s not great but he’s decent. He’s capable of catching.
It appears Mozeliak doesn’t want to have to trade a catcher this is the easiest way to not have to do that in his mind. But 3 catchers is stupid. Even if Contreras plays 1b have him backup the starting catcher its.a better use of roster spots. And then you can get value out of whatever catcher is traded.
In the words of Ron Washington “it’s incredibly hard to learn 1st Base”
Good luck Willy
Dumb move…he is a WELL above defensive Catcher and only controlled for the 3+ years. So who cares what he does after that?
Degaz;
I don’t know how you define: “a WELL above defensive Catcher”, but the fact is that Cubs pitchers didn’t like throwing to him, and Cardinals pitchers appeared to have the same problem.
A catcher is a pitchers partner. Catchers have to be on the same wavelength as the individual pitchers, as well as carrying out what the coaching staff wants out of the pitcher. There is no measurement or stat that people on the outside can look at. Earlier today the Guardians resigned Austin Hedgers. OK he can’t hit. But the pitchers love working with him and throwing to him. The Guards have had one of the best and most respected pitching areas in MLB for years (the Yankees, Padres, and Royals poached their pitching coaches from Cleveland and all have made their teams much better).
Like many things in baseball, the value of a catcher can’t be measured. Quoting stats about his hitting (the least important responsibility of a Catcher); throwing out runners (runners steal on Pitchers); the overrated framing stat (those things tend to even out as umpires mistakes do); leaving the blocking stat which is truly important.
Pitching is the name of the game in baseball, and a quality catcher makes his team so much better if he can get the best out of the individual pitcher. For over a century many legendary baseball heads have said that the catcher is the most important key to a teams success, or lack thereof…..the most important player on a baseball team.
As it stands now what this does is it takes a roster spot away from Luken Baker. And I don’t particularly like that he earned a roster spot for the 2024 season and didn’t get it until injuries happened. Now he’s getting squeezed again. Also 3 catchers is stupid.
I dont expect a lot of trades
Carrying a RH hitting, 1B-only platoon player is also a waste of a roster spot. Baker will be 28 years old on Opening Day. He’s not really worth treating like a prospect. I would rather carry Herrera and Pages.
We could trade a catcher and those guys actually have value unlike Baker who doesn’t because of his age. No reason to have 3 catchers. Contreras can easily be the backup.
We?
Aside from hiring the Superfife, the Tigers should take on SALARY FOR THE ESKIMO!
Seems odd to me that they make this announcement unforced at this point in the offseason. Are basically saying”he isn’t good enough to play for us at catcher, but would you give us something of value for him?” He is only worth his money as a catcher. I get he won’t waive the clause now, but he could change his mind in a few months and now they’ve blown their hand. I’m trying to like their new philosophy but this looks bad.
His numbers are even pretty good for a first baseman.
I thought Willson Contreras was on his way to the Tampa Bay Rays. Him and Sonny Gray refuse to be team players by not budging on their NTC’s. Maybe doing it just to piss off Mozeliak.
The team didn’t have an obvious first baseman and this fixes that need. What it also does is open up a spot for Jimmy Crooks, who it has been said is liked by the pitchers, has thrown out base stealers at a 32% clip and finished last year with a .908 OPS. He’s better than both Pages and Herrera. I believe Herrera will be traded, Crooks will be the starter and Pages will be the backup with Chance Sisco hanging out in AAA in case of injury.
Jordan Walker or Alec Burleson should probably be the ones moving to 1B over Contreras. I guess they don’t want justify paying a DH the money that Connor is making?