The St. Louis Cardinals have announced a surprising shift for All-Star catcher Willson Contreras. After a challenging first two seasons with the team, Contreras will transition to first base in 2025, replacing Paul Goldschmidt, as reported by Jesse Rogers. This change follows Contreras’ earlier move to designated hitter shortly into his Cardinals tenure due to unmet defensive expectations. With this decision, it appears Goldschmidt will need to find opportunities with another team. However, this move ensures the Cardinals maintain strong offensive production at first base in 2025, assuming Contreras stays with the team.
Contreras’ defensive capabilities at first base will be watched closely, given Goldschmidt’s status as a four-time Gold Glove winner. As for Contreras’ role with the team, it’s likely he won’t be traded this offseason despite potentially higher trade value as a catcher. John Mozeliak confirmed that Contreras, who holds a full no-trade clause, wants to remain in St. Louis.
Injuries have impacted Contreras’ availability while catching, so this positional shift could help keep him healthier. His offensive numbers back up the move: in just 84 games this past season, Contreras posted a .262/.380/.468 slash line with a 136 OPS+, marking the best season of his career.
Critics questioning the value of Contreras’ contract should note that his bat is well worth the $18 million annual salary. Although St. Louis’ handling of his catching role has drawn frustration, moving him to first base is a logical decision. This change should also create more playing time for the up-and-coming catching duo of Ivan Herrera and Pedro Pages. Herrera, seen as more than just a backup, was blocked by Contreras but should now get regular starts. Pages, known for his defensive prowess, took on most of the catching duties in 2024, but Herrera is expected to step into a prominent role.
Willson Contreras
This move indicates two potential long-term strategies for the Cardinals: Ivan Herrera as the primary catcher and Contreras remaining with the team during their “reset” phase. The future of the first base platoon involving Luken Baker and Alec Burleson is uncertain, though they could see regular time at DH. More details are expected in the coming weeks.
