In our weekly St. Louis Cardinals news recap… From the Winter Meetings, the Cardinals made out well in the Draft Lottery and were busy in the Rule 5 Draft. Our history feature investigates prior trades and free agent signings made during this week.
Cardinals to pick fifth in 2025 Draft
The annual MLB Draft Lottery took place on Tuesday night, December 10. The lottery came from the last Collective Bargaining Agreement to curb anti-competitive behavior by teams such as the practice of “tanking”.
The lottery allows eligible non-playoff teams to participate in a drawing for a top six placement in the next season’s draft, regardless of their end of season ranking. Last season, the Cardinals participated, but did not get a top six pick. They went seventh due to their fifth worst record overall.
Tuesday’s result was an improvement for St. Louis, as they finished in second place in the Division but were awarded the fifth pick in the draft. 2025 is the second year in a row they received a top 10 selection and fifth is their highest placement since 1998.
The Cardinals had just the 13th best odds overall. Drafting fifth is a lucky break for a team that is focusing on rebuilding their farm system in 2025 and beyond.
Pitcher Connor Thomas taken by Milwaukee in Rule 5
The annual Rule 5 Draft took place on Wednesday, December 11. This year’s Rule 5 draft had a smaller pool of new entrants than usual because of the shortened 2020 draft. That draft consisted of only five rounds instead of the usual 20 rounds due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Rule 5 Draft consists of a major league phase and a minor league phase. The major league phase is primarily picks from players at the higher levels of the minor league system who are not on a team’s 40-man roster. The minor league phase is primarily sourced from the lower levels (Double-A and lower).
The Cardinals did not make a choice in the major league phase. They did, however, lose a player. Connor Thomas, a left-handed pitcher for the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds, was chosen by the Milwaukee Brewers.
In the major league phase, players chosen must by placed on the team’s 40-man and active rosters and must remain active for a full season (unless injured). If the player is taken off the active roster, he must be placed on waivers. If not claimed, that player must be returned to the original team unless that team declines.
In the minor league phase, a player chosen may be retained by the new team at any level without having to return the player.
The Cardinals lost six players in the minor league phase. They are RHP Trent Baker (Springfield), RHP Henry Gomez (Palm Beach), C Aaron McKeithan (Springfield), RHP Brandon Komar (Springfield), SS Lizandro Espinoza (Palm Beach), and RHP Augusto Calderon (Palm Beach).
The Cardinals chose four players in the minor league phase. They are LHP Oddanier Mosqueda (Yankees Double-A), RHP Angel Gonzalez (Cubs High-A), RHP Jawilme Rodriguez (Mets High-A), and OF Miguel Ugueto (Red Sox High-A).
News and Notes for the Offseason
In this space will be information on news and events of the offseason that do not require extensive coverage. Check back each week to learn what is happening.
- Cardinals 2025 Spring Training tickets on sale now – The Cardinals have opened the sale of 2025 Spring Training tickets. For information and to purchase tickets: https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/tickets/spring-training .
- Cardinals 2025 Winter Warm-Up –2025 Winter Warm-Up will be held in St. Louis from January 18-20. For information about the event: https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/fans/winter-warm-up .
- Cardinals’ Season Tickets are now available – Fans can now purchase season tickets for the upcoming 2025 season. For information about season tickets: https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/tickets/season-tickets. A telephone number and a chat feature are also available.
Trade and Acquisition Rumors
The ongoing saga of the trade rumors swirling around third baseman Nolan Arenado continues with the list of teams narrowed to six. One other team has become a “serious suitor”.
According to multiple sources, Arenado’s list of six teams for whom he will accept a trade is the Dodgers, Angels, Padres, Phillies, Mets and Red Sox. It appears that except for the Angels, all are on the list primarily because they meet the definition of a contending team. As has been reported in the past, Arenado’s primary goal is to play in the postseason and hopefully win a World Series before his career comes to an end.
The inclusion of the Angels is odd given that their recent history does not fit the contending team definition. In fact, they have not reached the postseason since 2014. One can only surmise that their placement in the list is a matter of location, given that Arenado is a native of Southern California and makes his offseason home there.
Interestingly, the rumor of a “serious suitor” for the third baseman concerns the Houston Astros. While they meet the definition of a contending team, they are not on the reported list of acceptable trade targets.
The Astros are notably in extension talks with their star third baseman, free agent Alex Bregman. While those talks are rumored to have cooled of late, they may not be off entirely. The Astros recently traded a prized outfielder, Kyle Tucker, to the Cubs in return for several players, including Isaac Paredes, a third baseman. This has raised question about whether the return of Bregman to Houston is less likely. Nevertheless, the interest in Arenado only makes sense if the Astros intend to move Paredes off the hot corner or they intend to put Arenado at first base.
Whether Arenado would consider a trade to Houston is unknown, but the conventional wisdom is that Arenado will be traded somewhere. At the Winter Meetings this past week, POBO John Mozeliak was quoted as saying he believed a trade will be made sometime in the month of December, probably before Christmas.
Transactions
- 12/11 RHP Connor Thomas taken in the Rule 5 Draft by Milwaukee Brewers.
- 12/11 Cardinals acquire four minor leaguers in the Rule 5 Draft – RHP Angel Gonzalez from the Chicago Cubs, RHP Jawilme Ramirez from the New York Mets, OF Miguel Ugueto from the Boston Red Sox and LHP Oddanier Mosqueda from the Yankees.
- 12/11 Six minor leaguers leave the Cardinals in the Rule 5 Draft – RHP Trent Baker (Springfield), RHP Henry Gomez (Palm Beach), C Aaron McKeithan (Springfield), RHP Brandon Komar (Springfield), SS Lizandro Espinoza (Palm Beach), and RHP Augusto Calderon (Palm Beach).
Injury Report
There are no new injuries to report.
Looking Ahead
December is half over. The Winter Meetings, the Rule 5 Draft and the Draft Lottery are complete. There are no key dates remaining in the month of December.
Some key dates in January include:
- January 9 – Arbitration filing deadline. The Cardinals have six arbitration eligible players. They are Ryan Helsley (third year), JoJo Romero and John King (second), Lars Nootbaar and Brendan Donovan (first), and Andre Pallante (Super Two, first year).
- January 15 – International signing period opens.
- January 21 – The 2025 Hall of Fame Class will be announced. The results of December voting by the BBWAA will be disclosed live on MLB Network at 5 pm CT. Two members of the class, Dick Allen and Dave Parker, were chosen by the Classic Era Baseball Committee and announced last week.
- January 27 and continuing through February 14 – Arbitration hearings for eligible players who failed to come to contract terms with their teams will be held.
Blast from the Past
The hot stove season is the time when teams begin to make deals to add, or in the Cardinals’ case, subtract from their major league rosters. Whether free agent signings, trades, or other kinds of transactions, teams prepare for the next season.
This week’s Blast from the Past recalls Cardinals transactions that occurred in the past during the period December 9 through December 15.
The following lists the date of the transaction, the name or names of the players involved, the teams, and the nature of the transaction. Additional relevant details may be included.
December 9, 2022 – The Cardinals signed free agent C Willson Contreras to a five-year/$87.5 MM contract to replace retiring Yadier Molina. After the past two seasons as the primary catcher, Contreras will be moving to first base for 2025.
December 9, 2016 – The Cardinals signed free agent OF Dexter Fowler to a five-year/$82.5 MM contract. Fowler remained with the Cardinals through the 2020 season before being traded in 2021 to the Los Angeles Angels.
December 9, 1980 – The Cardinals acquired RHP Bruce Sutter in trade from the Chicago Cubs for Leon Durham and Ken Reitz.
December 11, 2001 – The Cardinals signed free agent RHP Jason Isringhausen to a four year/$27 MM contract. Later, he agreed to a three-year extension in 2005.
December 12, 2010 – The Cardinals traded SS Brendan Ryan to the Seattle Mariners for RHP Maikel Cleto. The Cardinals placed Cleto on waivers in June 2013. He pitched very briefly for the Chicago White Sox, then on minor league deals with the Braves and the Cubs. He played in the Mexican League until 2021.
December 13, 2003 – The Cardinals traded J.D. Drew and Eli Marrero to the Atlanta Braves for Ray King, Jason Marquis and Adam Wainwright. The rest is history.
December 13, 2002 – The Cardinals signed RHP Chris Carpenter as a free agent to a one-year/$500,000 contract. As above, the rest is history.
December 14, 2017 – The Cardinals traded OF Stephen Piscotty to the Oakland Athletics for IFs Yairo Munoz and Max Schrock. Piscotty’s mother had recently been diagnosed with ALS and it was widely believed this trade was made to facilitate a return of Piscotty to his family’s Bay Area home.
December 14, 2007 – The Cardinals trade OF Jim Edmonds to the San Diego Padres for 3B David Freese. Freese eventually became the hero of the 2011 postseason and a Cardinals icon for that reason.
December 15, 1999 – The Cardinals signed C Mike Matheny to a one-year/$750,000 contract. Matheny was supplanted by Yadier Molina after the 2004 season and Matheny moved on to the San Francisco Giants. Matheny eventually returned to the Cardinals in a different role, a fact many would like to forget.
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