With Willson Contreras moving positions, a pair of young St. Louis Cardinals will compete for the starting role at catcher in 2025.
The players in question, Iván Herrera and Pedro Pagés, are 24 and 26, respectively, with only a combined 164 games of major-league experience between them. Nevertheless, in committing Contreras to the open first base/designated hitter position, the Cardinals have signaled a major vote of confidence in the capabilities of a Herrera/Pagés platoon to handle duties behind the plate next season.
Cardinals Set for Competition at Catcher in 2025
Herrera’s Potential for Power
Herrera, once the Cardinals’ fourth-best organizational prospect, has been touted as having plus power and contact at his position since the early days of his professional career. In 2023, in 83 games with Triple-A Memphis, Herrera slashed .297/.500/.451 with 10 HR and 60 RBI. However, due to the free agent signing of Willson Contreras and the presence of Andrew Knizner as backup catcher, Herrera saw very limited playing time until 2024, when the Cards named him backup catcher for Opening Day.
A strong offensive start for Herrera was then derailed by a back injury in June, which had him sent back to Triple-A for a rehab stint. The team didn’t recall him until August 25, in the wake of Contreras’ season-ending injury on a hit-by-pitch.
In 72 games at the major-league level in 2024, Herrera slashed .301/.428/.372. He hit the fastball especially well, batting .310 against the pitch, and, although he did not have enough plate appearances to qualify for league-wide offensive rankings, he showed solid numbers in many Statcast categories which measure production at the plate.
Pagés’ Stability and Defense
However, the emergence of defensive-minded catcher Pedro Pagés interrupted Herrera’s trajectory toward the Cardinals’ vacant catcher position. Pagés took on major starting duties during the 2024 season following Contreras’ gruesome early-season injury. In Contreras’ absence, Pagés displayed pitch-framing and defensive abilities that the Cardinals have sorely missed since the retirement of Yadier Molina.
Even upon Contreras’ return from injury, St. Louis often called upon Pagés to start at catcher, with Contreras serving as designated hitter. While his offensive game lagged, slashing a mere .238/.376/.281 through 68 games, Pagés’ long stint as the Cardinals’ main catcher put the team’s confidence in him on full display. A spattering of clutch home runs, including a two-home-run performance on Father’s Day, also endeared him to Cardinals fans in a major way.
Second homer of the weekend and of his career for Pedro Pages.
He talked about how special it was to hit his first on Friday with his dad in attendance. Now, he hits his second on Father’s Day.
Great stuff for a guy who’s spent a lot of time in Memphis. pic.twitter.com/KIwy8ugjEr
— Matt Infield (@Matt_Infield) June 16, 2024
How Will the Cardinals Balance the Two Catchers?
The Cardinals certainly will have an interesting decision to make come Opening Day. While Pagés’ stability behind the plate earned him a number of starts in 2024, it is possible that the Cardinals still view Herrera as their catcher of the future. Still only 24, Herrera’s offensive potential eclipses that of Pagés, and the Cardinals could be looking to unlock those capabilities in a year where the team is attempting to analyze what they possess internally.
If Herrera hits well in spring training, he will probably earn the starting role, but it is also likely that the two will split innings 50/50 for much of the season.
Barring an unlikely return for Contreras behind the plate, the two catchers will have to battle it out in 2025.
Photo Credit: © Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
