SAN ANTONIO — As the St. Louis Cardinals begin their reset period, a major position change is already underway.
Willson Contreras will move away from catching and rotate between first base and the designated hitter next year, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Wednesday during Major League Baseball’s annual general managers’ meetings. The decision was a two-way street, Mozeliak said, with both parties deciding a position change would benefit Contreras from a health perspective and for career longevity.
The change also frees up playing time for catchers Iván Herrera and Pedro Pagés. The biggest offseason priority for the Cardinals is creating paths for younger players to get consistent playing time next year. By moving Contreras to first base, they have found a way to keep both young catchers on the roster while keeping Contreras’ offensive production in the lineup.
“Our medical team recommended (the move) in terms of if he really wants to extend his career, they think this would be best for him,” Mozeliak said. “Having (Contreras) play first base, more DH, allowing then Herrera and Pagés more opportunity behind the plate, we think from an offensive standpoint it strengthens us. From a defensive standpoint, it creates an opportunity for those two different players.”
“I would say it’ll be very unlikely to see him behind the plate,” Mozeliak added.
In his various conversations with players under no-trade clauses, Mo says Contreras was very clear about his desires to stay in St. Louis. https://t.co/Zn6YGI9Iai
— Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) November 6, 2024
Conteras has 11 career appearances at first base, including four starts. He has 51.1 errorless innings at the position, which he last played in 2019 (two games for the Chicago Cubs). He’ll be taking over for Paul Goldschmidt, the Cardinals’ first baseman for the past six seasons.
Goldschmidt, who won a Gold Glove and MVP at first base for the Cardinals, is a free agent. The club privately informed him at the end of the season that he would not be brought back in free agency, thus opening a spot for Contreras.
Contreras missed nearly 80 games with two injuries last year, one being a fractured arm he suffered behind the plate. When healthy, he was the team’s best offensive player, posting an .848 OPS with 15 homers and 17 doubles over 84 games. His move to first base is different from his brief position change in 2023 when the Cardinals attempted to switch Contreras to a DH role with some outfield play potentially in the mix. That concept was ultimately vetoed by Contreras, though he did have his catching duties paused for roughly two weeks.
This time, Contreras’ openness to a position change speaks volumes about his desire to remain with the Cardinals, despite the team’s current trajectory. With payroll going down and the organization focused on development, Mozeliak has held conversations with all players holding full no-trade clauses, gauging each player’s interest in staying through the rebuild period. Contreras expressed a desire to remain with the organization; the Cardinals will not be trading him this winter. At least one other player also has said he’d prefer to stay with the Cardinals, Mozeliak said. Per league sources, that player is Sonny Gray.
Outside of the catching scenario, calculating playing time for next year’s roster is a work in progress. The outfield looks to be the easiest to configure. Mozeliak said Lars Nootbaar and Jordan Walker should see considerable reps in the corner outfield. Michael Siani looks to be the frontrunner for the starting center-field job come spring training, though Victor Scott II will have opportunities as he continues to develop.
Masyn Winn is a lock for shortstop next year. Where players such as Brendan Donovan, Alec Burleson and Nolan Gorman slot in will depend on how the roster shakes out come February. Donovan is a solidified super-utility player but could also be a candidate to play third base depending on Nolan Arenado’s future. Gorman came up through the farm system as a third baseman, though to solidify his spot next year, he’ll have to cut down the 37.6 percent strikeout rate he posted last season.
On the pitching front, Mozeliak spoke about still fielding a mostly veteran rotation (Andre Pallante aside) next year, one that is poised to be led by Gray once more. Erick Fedde, Miles Mikolas and Steven Matz are all under contract for next season. It is not guaranteed Matz will start next year, however. He could be deployed as a reliever, similar to his usage in parts of the past two seasons, or the Cardinals could elect to trade him altogether. Matz is owed $12 million next season in the final year of his contract and does not hold a no-trade clause. Trimming payroll is also something St. Louis is looking to do when possible (and was a reason neither club option for Lance Lynn or Kyle Gibson was picked up), and moving Matz’s contract off the books would certainly create more flexibility.
“Our team is not going to look all that different,” Mozeliak said. “But obviously there have been some changes made. Part of this is going to be where a guy like Pallante is going to have an opportunity to start. Matz is someone we are hoping can rebound physically. We traded for Fedde, we think a lot of him.”
“We were always rushing to find the next better thing,” he added. “Now we’re going to say, ‘No, we’re going to give it a little time, to see what we really have.’”
The offseason is just getting started, but the blueprint for next year is becoming clearer. A youth movement will be the focus in St. Louis, but it won’t be the team’s full identity, and it won’t stop Mozeliak from trying to field a somewhat competitive club.
As of Wednesday, Contreras is at least one veteran willing to stay with the team and switch positions to ensure the best chances of that happening.
(Photo of Willson Contreras: Dilip Vishwanat / Getty Images)
