Although the St. Louis Cardinals haven’t officially ruled out Ivan Herrera catching for them again, it’s becoming increasingly likely that his days behind the plate are nearing an end.
In fact, it’s quite possible Herrera has already caught his final game for St. Louis.
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol provided an update Thursday on Herrera’s rehab and expected return after the All-Star break. During his comments, Marmol hinted strongly that Herrera probably won’t be catching for the rest of the 2025 season.
“We have to be mindful if we want him to stay healthy through the final months,” Marmol said, referencing Herrera’s lower-body issues this year. “We’ve discussed it. There’s no final decision yet, but we’re close to saying he won’t catch anymore.”
The team is prioritizing Herrera’s health, but it’s not the only reason a permanent position change could be on the horizon. St. Louis seems to be preparing him for a new role — possibly as a designated hitter or an outfielder. He’s already been spotted taking fly balls during his rehab assignment.
For some time now, it’s felt like Herrera’s catching career with the Cardinals was winding down. Much like Willson Contreras last year, Herrera has missed significant time with injuries likely caused or worsened by catching. Given that he ranks among the top 10 hitters in MLB this season in wRC+ (161), and top 15 since 2023 (139), keeping his bat in the lineup — regardless of position — is critical. While his offensive value is greater as a catcher, that’s meaningless if he can’t stay healthy.
Beyond health, Herrera’s defensive shortcomings make it harder to justify keeping him at catcher. His framing and blocking have been inconsistent, and his throwing arm ranks among the league’s weakest. He’s also not viewed by team leadership as strong enough in calling games to effectively handle a pitching staff.
While the Cardinals have praised Pedro Pages for his work behind the plate, it’s clear they know what a game-changer Herrera could be if he could catch even at a league-average level. Offensively, only a few catchers — like Cal Raleigh and Will Smith — are in Herrera’s class this year. That kind of production, paired with even average defense, would make him one of baseball’s elite players.
One challenge with evaluating Herrera, though, is limited playing time. He has only 171 plate appearances this season and just 496 total since debuting in 2022. If he were a full-time DH or outfielder, he’d have logged more PAs in one season than he has in his whole career. So far, there’s no indication he’s anything less than an elite hitter, though that could change with a larger sample size.
If his offensive numbers dip to a 120–130 wRC+ as a corner outfielder or DH, he’d still be among the better bats at those positions. In left field, his current 161 wRC+ would lead the position, even edging out stars like James Wood and Riley Greene. A 120–130 mark would still put him in the top 5–15. At DH, Herrera trails only Shohei Ohtani this season, and even a slight regression would still keep him in the top tier.
The Cardinals appear to be betting heavily on Herrera’s offensive upside, and it’s a logical gamble. Yes, it could backfire. But based on what we’ve seen at the plate, Herrera is one of the best 15 hitters in the league, and the team would be wise to keep his bat in the lineup however they can.
Ideally, they’d find a way to preserve his health and develop his defense enough to return him to catching. That would unlock MVP-level potential. But even that idea is filled with uncertainties and “what ifs.”
Taking him off catching duties doesn’t fix the team’s long-term catcher situation, though. Pedro Pages will need to improve offensively, and his blocking issues are becoming more noticeable. Yohel Pozo is an intriguing option, but he remains unproven. Prospects like Leonardo Bernal and Jimmy Crooks have promise, but they’re still developing. Rainel Rodriguez is another exciting name, but at 18 years old, his future position is uncertain.
What moving Herrera away from catching does solve is ensuring the Cardinals have a high-impact bat in their lineup every day — a move that increasingly looks like the smartest play they can make.