Cardinals Could Look To Trade 25-Year-Old Slugger At Winter Meetings, Per Insider

An unexpected name might emerge in potential trade talks.

Apr 24, 2022; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; A view of St. Louis Cardinals players hats and gloves in the dugout during a game with the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-Imagn Images | David Kohl-Imagn Images

The Winter Meetings are underway, and as the second day comes to an end, the St. Louis Cardinals still have a lot of work to do. Fans can expect a lot of activity this offseason, especially on the trade front.

The obvious trade candidates are Brendan Donovan, Willson Contreras, Nolan Arenado and JoJo Romero. However, those aren’t the only ones. 

Jeff Jones of the Belleville News Democrat listed a few other players that could be on the move, including their first round draft pick from 2018, who has struggled at the plate in recent years and hasn’t quite been himself.

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Cardinals Would Be Smart To Trade 25-Year-Old Slugger

Sep 26, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman (16) reacts after striking out against the Chicago Cubs during the ninth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

“Nolan Gorman also could be traded this winter, though for a smaller return and with an eye toward finding a team that believes it can tap into his prodigious power. The list of players who certainly won't be traded is much shorter than the list who might, putting the Cardinals at the center of this week's action even as the free agent market moves on almost entirely without them,” Jones wrote.

Gorman struggled in 2025, hitting .205/.296/.370 with 14 home runs and a .666 OPS. He wasn’t an everyday player, but the Cardinals wanted to see what they had in him entering the 2025 season.

Unfortunately, he didn’t live up to expectations, but teams may still show interest in him due to his power. He can play three of the four infield positions and is a solid designated hitter option if he can find his stroke.

The Cardinals have far too many left-handed bats, including Gorman, so trading him to clear out the logjam makes sense and allows them to open up a roster spot for top prospect JJ Wetherholt.

Gorman doesn’t have much left to give the Cardinals at this point, so it does make sense for the Cardinals to move on from him, especially as they continue to rebuild and focus on the future.

They probably won’t get a substantial return for him, but moving him would allow for more roster flexibility. The Cardinals should be busy over the next few weeks, and it should be interesting to see what Chaim Bloom has up his sleeve at the Winter Meetings.

Gorman could be one of the players shipped out.

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