photo: Michael Helman (Minda Haas Kuhlman
On Thursday, February 6, the St. Louis Cardinals acquired 40-man roster utility player Michael Helman from the Minnesota Twins for cash considerations. The news was first announced by Katie Woo of The Athletic late Thursday.
Helman, 28, is a right-handed hitter drafted by the Twins in the 11th round in 2018. He joined the 40-man roster and made his MLB debut last September. In nine games for Minnesota, Helman went 3-for-10, including two doubles.
In between, Helman played in 477 minor league games, including 195 at Triple-A. The 6-foot, 195-pounder has put in time at every infield and outfield position, with the most at second base and center field.
The Cardinals are loaded with options at the former, but not at the latter. So Helman could play a role in the Cardinals 2025 centerfield derby with Michael Siani and Victor Scott. His right-handedness is a positive.
At Triple-A in 2024, Helman slashed .271/.350/.487/.837 in 314 plate appearances. He hit 14 home runs and went 12-for-13 in steal attempts. His Triple-A OPS in his 2023 debut was .902.
Ironically, Helman may have lost his job with the Twins due to their signing of former Cardinals center fielder Harrison Bader this week.
St. Louis’ 40-man roster had one opening, which Helman has taken. He has all three minor league option years remaining, so could go up to MLB or down to Triple-A as needed.
Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation
Not yet a member?
Subscribe to The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.
Now Available – 2025 Cardinals Prospect Guide
The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its eighth year. It includes 256 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of all-new player scouting reports. Order your PDF or printed book today!
All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!
Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com. Follow Brian and The Cardinal Nation on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.
© 2025 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.