The St. Louis Cardinals entered the 2026 season with plenty of questions surrounding their catching situation. One of the biggest was whether Ivan Herrera could handle a larger workload behind the plate and prove that he could be trusted as a legitimate option at catcher.
By the end of the season, Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom believes Herrera provided an important answer.
During his end-of-season press conference, Bloom pointed to Herrera as one of the players who made meaningful progress during the 2026 campaign. According to Bloom, Herrera showed that he could handle the physical and mental demands of catching over an extended period.
“Rewind the year, I think Ivan showed a lot this year,” Bloom said, according to Heavy. Bloom specifically highlighted Herrera’s ability to prepare mentally and physically for the position and noted that he caught more than 50 games during the season.
That assessment could become particularly important as St. Louis begins planning for 2027.
Herrera Took on a Bigger Role
Herrera’s path into a larger catching role was not automatic.
The 26-year-old had spent significant portions of previous seasons working as a designated hitter while injuries limited his time behind the plate. The Cardinals entered 2026 wanting him to demonstrate that he could remain healthy while taking on more responsibility defensively.
Earlier in the season, MLB.com reported that Herrera was making a concerted effort to improve his defense and become more comfortable as a catcher. He also benefited from working closely with pitchers such as Michael McGreevy and Andre Pallante.
That increased workload represented an important test.
Catching is one of baseball’s most demanding positions. A catcher must manage pitch selection, communicate with pitchers, block balls in the dirt, control the running game and handle defensive responsibilities while also contributing offensively.
Herrera’s ability to stay involved behind the plate for a larger portion of the season gave the Cardinals an opportunity to evaluate him in a way they could not previously do with the same consistency.
The Defensive Question Remains
While Bloom’s comments provide encouragement for Herrera, the Cardinals still have areas they can ask him to improve.
Earlier in the season, MLB.com’s Statcast-based analysis showed that Herrera had room to improve in several defensive categories, particularly pitch framing and controlling the running game. Opposing teams also showed a willingness to test his arm on the bases.
Those numbers are important because they demonstrate that the Cardinals’ belief in Herrera does not necessarily mean they consider him a finished product.
Instead, the organization appears to believe that Herrera made enough progress to demonstrate that catching is a position he can handle while continuing to develop.
That distinction matters.
St. Louis does not necessarily need Herrera to become a perfect defensive catcher overnight. If he can continue improving while providing offensive production, his overall value could become increasingly important.
His Bat Remains a Major Part of His Value
One reason Herrera remains an intriguing player for the Cardinals is his offensive ability.
MLB.com’s 2026 player information lists Herrera with a .247 batting average, 16 home runs, 64 RBIs and a .741 OPS during the regular season.
Baseball-Reference’s final statistical summary gives Herrera 19 home runs, 69 RBIs and a .735 OPS over the 2026 regular season.
Those numbers help explain why the Cardinals have continued to view Herrera as more than simply a defensive catcher.
His offensive potential provides another reason for the organization to keep developing him behind the plate. A catcher who can contribute offensively while handling a meaningful defensive workload can give a team additional flexibility when constructing its lineup.
Herrera has also demonstrated an ability to control the strike zone. Earlier in 2026, manager Oliver Marmol praised Herrera’s swing decisions and ability to avoid chasing pitches outside the strike zone.
That combination of offensive ability and developing defensive skills makes Herrera an interesting piece of the Cardinals’ roster.
The Leonardo Bernal Factor
The Cardinals’ catching picture became even more complicated late in the season because of the emergence of Leonardo Bernal.
Bernal, one of the organization’s highly regarded catching prospects, received his first extended opportunity in the majors in September. He immediately generated attention with his offensive production and defensive reputation.
According to Yahoo Sports’ report on Bloom’s comments, Bernal hit .284 with five home runs and 21 RBIs during his first 24 major-league games.
That development creates an intriguing situation for St. Louis.
The organization now has multiple young catchers who could potentially play meaningful roles. Instead of asking whether Herrera can catch at all, the more complicated question may be how the Cardinals distribute playing time among Herrera, Bernal and their other catching options.
That is a much better problem for an organization trying to build a competitive roster.
Herrera Has Given the Cardinals Another Option
The Cardinals’ 2026 season did not produce the postseason result the organization wanted, but the development of young players became one of the more important storylines of the year.
Herrera’s progress fits directly into that larger picture.
He demonstrated that he could handle a greater workload behind the plate while continuing to contribute offensively. That does not eliminate every concern about his defense, but it gives the organization more information heading into the offseason.
Bloom’s comments suggest that the Cardinals believe Herrera’s development was meaningful enough to change how they view him.
Rather than seeing Herrera primarily as a bat who occasionally catches, St. Louis now has evidence that he can handle a legitimate catching workload.
What Comes Next?
The biggest question heading into the offseason is not simply whether Herrera can catch.
The bigger question is how the Cardinals will use him.
If the organization believes Bernal is ready for a significant role, St. Louis could potentially explore a catching rotation that allows Herrera to continue developing defensively while also maximizing his offensive contribution.
Another possibility is that Herrera becomes a more established part of the catching mix while occasionally serving as a designated hitter or another offensive option.
Whatever the Cardinals decide, his 2026 season has given them additional flexibility.
The organization now has evidence from an extended sample rather than simply relying on potential.
For Herrera, that could be one of the most important developments of his career.
The Cardinals still have work to do, particularly defensively, but the message coming from the front office is clear: Herrera’s 2026 season changed the conversation.
He was given a larger opportunity behind the plate, endured the demands of the position and showed the organization that he could handle the responsibility.
Now, the Cardinals must determine exactly how that development fits into their plans for the future.
