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Benching any one of our outfielders is not a tall task. We need to add control years depth that is mlb ready. The players will sort themselves out.
but assuming Austin Hays isn’t horrible there, I would target him. I would much prefer him over Andujar who others have mentioned as he is basically Jordan Walker but 5 years from now. A ton of hype, power in the bat with bad contact skils and horrible in the field
Agreed.
I think three of the top options for RH OF are:
1. Miguel Andujar
2. Austin Hays
3. Harrison BaderAll three are platoon players offensively against LH pitching.
Bader has actually been better against right-handed pitching the last two years. This past season, he had an .845 OPS against right handers vs .689 against left-handers.
I am all for giving Walker Spring training plus roughly a month and a half to see if he can at least hit and field at major league average (or some balance of the two that equals average). If he doesn’t, send him down with his final option for a last-ditch chance to attempt to fix his swing at Memphis. I am confident that he could be at least an average fielder in RF. But the hitting part is a mystery.
What’s the definition of insanity?
The Cardinals destroyed the franchise when they inserted Walker into RF. The sooner they wake up to that reality, the better.
It’s really sad to be hoping for average.
Here is where the Cardinals lost their way. They used to field a team with average-ish players from top to bottom, and they could win the weak NL Central year-in, year-out.
Now, they chase guys like Jordan Walker with high upside but terrible fundamentals, and five out of the starting nine can’t even OPS .700. A few years ago, we were looking at the prospect of Edman and Bader being the worst hitters on the team (with OPS’ in the low .700’s).
Getting back to average is the first step of returning the club to winning.
LA, which is why we need to pray Donnie brings back a potential middle of the order bat. There is enough pitching depth now that a few will be well above average.
You can lose 10-9 or 1-0, butts in the seats prefer 10-9
What are you afraid of LA? That the team might be bad with Walker in RF? That seems likely anyway. That Walker might succeed? Doubtful, but he’s been working over the offseason for a reason. I don’t understand why a month and a half in an unimportant season bothers you. If he can play at an average level, he meets exactly what you want the Cardinals to have.
Walker should have his own puke point thread. Brian would probably have to can it! But boy that would be quite the read🙉
ST gets underway in less than a month. We should know pretty quick if Walker has reinvented anything or if its going to be the same as we’ve seen.
But, in all fairness, Walker’s first year in 2023 he was fairly good for a 21-22 year old.
What happened to him???
What happened to him???
My guess is MLB opponents figured out how to get him out. The Mo brigade ‘helped’ him adjust, thereby destroying his ability to hit at all. Whatever they tried to do last year was mostly successful in eliminating his power without doing any good. The whole thing was exacerbated and amplified by him facing pitching and defense two levels above anything he had scene, while simultaneously trying to learn a new position at a level and speed of game two levels above anything he had experienced. And then getting massively hyped, and then getting quickly shipped out, and then shipped back.
Bling, that is about as perfect an explanation as you can get. It was all a perfect lesson in what not to do for a prospect.
Miguel Andujar, off big 2025 season (.318 BA, .822 OPS), is drawing significant interest. Rangers, Padres, Cardinals, Reds, Cubs, A’s among many in play.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 19, 2026
Which team is not like the others?
Cardinals, Yankees and Mets are among many teams who’ve maintained contact with free agent OF Austin Hays, who was fully healthy and had a very nice season in 2025. Cody Bellinger remains the top OF target of the two NY teams.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 20, 2026
The St. Louis Cardinals, with Noot not (likely) playing early in the season, they will have more than enough at bats to hand out in a corner position/DH. Any of Hayes, Andujar or Moncada or even 2 of them can get plenty of AB’s.
Walker still has one option year, they need to use that and get him right until at least midseason. They aren’t doing him a financial favor long term or anyone else. If he comes into spring training and hits 10 HRs in February and March, that’s a different discussion, but I don’t see that happening.
Sort of the same topic, if Saggese is competent in the OF he’s the “new Donnie”. Hope he gets at least a grass “runway”. There is actually a tiny airport in my hometown with a grass runway so I’m allowed to make that joke!
He’s not right handed, but I wonder why there isn’t some buzz over Bryan Torres. He had a great year at Springfield in 2024 and at Memphis in 2025. Here were his stats –
2024 – PA 528 – .331/.418/.416/.834
2025 – PA 414 – .328/.441/.464/.905He’s now on the 40 man. Cheering for him to make the 26 man out of ST.
RHB, OF:
Ivan Herrera
Jhonstyxnox Garcia (PIT)
Davis Schneider (TOR)
Matt Veirling (DET)
Thomas SaggeseOr a rental
They can surely find an extra $1M to get a deal with Andujar or Hayes done, trade bait if they really are on a 90-100 loss trajectory.
As I mentioned in a different thread it may just depend on what happens with Donnie. If he stays he could very well be the starting LF. Herrera and Saggese intrigue me but I would rather see a better glove out there if possible. Andujar and Hays are still possibilites but I don’t know about their defense either.
I think Herrera is a great athlete and could be an excellent outfielder. I mean, he moves way, way smoother than Walker.
I know he says he wants to catch but I think he could be a pretty slick outfielder.
News: The White Sox are in agreement with free agent OF Austin Hays, sources tell ESPN. Hays, 30, hit 15 home runs in 103 games for Cincinnati last year. The Sox were looking for a veteran OF and Hays fits the bill.
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) January 31, 2026
So, Hayes is off the table.
Well IF Donovan isn’t traded and plays in the OF AND Herrera plays in the OF then I guess we won’t need an extra outfielder?
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