photo: Jordan Montgomery (Jeff Curry/USA TODAY Sports)
St. Louis Cardinals press release
The St. Louis Cardinals announced today (Friday, January 13) that they have reached agreements on one-year contracts for the upcoming 2023 season with pitchers Jack Flaherty, Jordan Hicks, Dakota Hudson, and Jordan Montgomery; infielder Tommy Edman; catcher Andrew Knizner; and outfielder Tyler O’Neill, avoiding salary arbitration. Financial terms of the deals were not disclosed.
The team will exchange salary arbitration figures with pitchers Génesis Cabrera and Ryan Helsley following today’s deadline.
Brian Walton’s take
Friday is the day teams and eligible players were required to submit their formal amounts for one-year salary for all players in their arbitration years not already under contract. The Cardinals had 10 such players, with pitcher Chris Stratton having already come to terms with the team back in November.
After Friday’s seven agreed, only the 2023 contract amounts for relievers Helsley and Cabrera are still outstanding. Assuming the Cardinals remain a “File and Trial” team, they now stop negotiating with the duo. Hearings for each player will be scheduled next month, with either the team’s or player’s requested salary amount to be selected by an arbiter.
All MLB players are eligible for three years of arbitration-driven salaries, generally their fourth, fifth and sixth seasons in the majors. As the experience levels increase, so do salaries. Players become eligible for free agency after six MLB seasons.
Though the Cardinals do not release salary amounts, others do. Following is a table with earlier salary estimates from MLB Trade Rumors as well as the reported contract amounts and source.
| Cardinal | Arb Year | Est ($MM) | Actual ($MM) | Source |
| Jordan Montgomery | 3 | $10.1 | $10.0 | Robert Murray |
| Chris Stratton | 3 | $3.5 | $2.8 | Done 11/17 |
| Jack Flaherty | 3 | $5.1 | $5.4 | Mark Feinsand |
| Jordan Hicks | 3 | $1.6 | $1.8375 | Jon Heyman |
| Dakota Hudson | 2 | $2.7 | $2.65 | Heyman |
| Tyler O’Neill | 2 | $5.1 | $4.95 | Feinsand |
| Tommy Edman | 1 | $4.3 | $4.2 | Katie Woo |
| Andrew Knizner | 1 | $1.0 | $1.1 | Derrick Goold |
| Ryan Helsley | 1 | $2.4 | TBD | |
| Genesis Cabrera | 1 | $1.2 | TBD |
This arbitration-driven process is motivation to agree on a one-year salary for the upcoming season, the minimum needed to play ball. However, there is nothing to stop the Cardinals and these players from discussing longer term contracts as well, at any time – if both sides are inclined to do so.
The Cardinals’ estimated current player payroll for 2023 is now $174 million, per Derrick Goold of the Post-Dispatch.
With most arb-eligible players now signed for 2023, here's a quick recalculation of a #stlcards 26-man roster payroll. Estimate for Cabrera, Helsley; account for pre-arb players; factor in signing bonuses, deferments, and it's around $174m. Check my math: https://t.co/FP1u3Unrs0
— Derrick Goold (@dgoold) January 13, 2023
Updates
Arbitration exchange update: Ryan Helsley filed at $3 million; the Cardinals filed at $2.15 million.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) January 14, 2023
Arbitration exchange update: Genesis Cabrera filed at $1.15 million; the Cardinals filed at $950,000.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) January 14, 2023
Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation
2022/2023 Cardinals Winter League Pitching Report – January 13
Not yet a member?
If you enjoyed this article, please consider joining The Cardinal Nation to receive the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system, including access to every article in our 2023 Top Cardinals Prospects series.
Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com. Follow Brian on Twitter.
© 2023 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.