The St. Louis Cardinals‘ season ended in disappointment with a 9-15 record in September. But the Cardinals’ president of baseball operations, Chaim Bloom, thinks that there were some answers found this season about the team’s trajectory.
One of those answers was found in catcher Ivan Herrera. “Rewind the year, I think Ivan (Herrera) showed a lot this year,” Bloom said during his end-of-season press conference. “Just playing as much as he did, and getting prepared mentally and physically, but especially mentally, to the point where he could handle that position. When I think, he caught over 50 games this year.”
Cardinals Have Catching Surplus
The St. Louis farm system is full of talented catchers, including one who came up in September and jumped to the top of the list. Leonardo Bernal, a minor league Gold Glove winner last season, made his debut and looks to be the early favorite to catch on Opening Day next season.
Bernal hit .284 in his first 24 big-league games, with five home runs and 21 RBIs in that span. Bernal is looking like the clear-cut answer at the catching position in St. Louis, but that provides another question. What to do with Herrera?
Herrera could potentially serve as the Cardinals‘ third catcher, being more of an emergency option than an everyday catcher. Herrera’s offensive production declined this season. His OPS dropped nearly 100 points, but his WAR increased to 2.9 from 2.3 over the last two seasons.
Along with Bernal and Herrera, the Cardinals have Pedro Pages, Jimmy Crooks, and breakout prospect Rainel Rodriguez. The Cardinals have plenty of catching depth, but they are running out of spots for Herrera.
Cardinals Believe In The Bat But Are Still Uncertain About Ivan Herrera’s Position
“We want to make sure that we have a way for Ivan’s bat to be in the lineup,” Bloom said. “He’s a huge part of our offense and can help you in different ways.”
Herrera’s bat is a major piece in the Cardinals’ offense, and other options are filled with Alec Burleson at first base and Joshua Baez in left field. Herrera could rotate around and fill spots on off days while being the Cardinals’ primary designated hitter.
The position is unclear, but his bat is not. St. Louis wants Herrera as a part of the Cardinals’ future, but it might not be as a catcher. With Bernal and the breakout of Rodriguez, innings behind the plate could be limited in the future.
Herrera could see time in the outfield as the Cardinals’ fourth or fifth outfielder, but it would be a big change, and the majority of his at-bats are still likely to be taken at DH. If Herrera can provide a little versatility next season, the Cardinals could have more flexibility with their roster construction instead of carrying three catchers the way they did this season.
The Cardinals got answers this season and took a step closer to their goals this season. Finding at-bats for Herrera will be a priority for how the roster is constructed this offseason. It is unclear how that will be accomplished, but it will be at the top of the list.
Cardinals Believe Ivan Herrera Showed He Can Handle Catcher