Cardinals Backup Catcher Named Team's Best Rookie For 2025

This Cardinals catcher has been a revelation this year.

Aug 15, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pinch hitter Yohel Pozo (63) bats against the New York Yankees during the ninth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have been quickly falling out of postseason contention since the beginning of July. They were sellers at the trade deadline, sending rental relievers Ryan Helsley, Phil Maton and Steven Matz to contending ballclubs looking to make a run. Meanwhile, the focus in St. Louis is finally where it belongs, on the future instead of trying to contend with a lackluster roster in 2025.

The team is now 62-64, and despite having just snapped a five-game losing streak, they are five games back in the National League Wild Card race. Now, there isn't much left to play for other than hoping to play a little spoiler down the stretch. But that doesn't mean 2025 has been a total loss for this team.

They have witnessed a few players step up into key roles. One player in particular who has seized his opportunity is backup catcher Yohel Pozo. He was called up when Ivan Herrera went on the injured list in April and remained with the Major League club when Herrera came back and was transitioned to the role of a designated hitter. The Athletic recently came out with their latest power rankings. St. Louis was tied for 18th out of all 30 teams, but Grant Brisbee sent some praise Pozo's way.

Cardinals Backup Catcher Praised As Team's Top Rookie

Jul 19, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yohel Pozo (63) talks to the third base coach in the eighth inning of the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

"A backup catcher with five home runs and a .431 slugging percentage? That’s every team’s dream. It’s a very boring dream, mind you, but that’s all you really want from an understudy backstop, and Pozo has delivered," Brisbee wrote on Tuesday.

Pozo has been a pleasant surprise for the Cardinals this season. He is hitting .263 with a .297 on-base percentage, five home runs, 18 RBI, a .727 OPS and a 103 OPS+. The 28-year-old still has his rookie status intact for the rest of the 2025 season, but he has taken full advantage of the opportunity that was presented to him.

He made his Major League debut in 2021 with the Texas Rangers and hadn't played in the big leagues since before he was called up in April. But he has come through with some key hits off the bench for St. Louis and has been arguably one of the league's top pinch hitters.

The Cardinals are out of contention, but Pozo's emergence has been a pleasant surprise for a rebuilding team.

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