Cardinals Could Move Trio of Youngsters Amid Rebuild, Insider Reports

The Cardinals could shake things up.

Apr 9, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; The St. Louis Cardinals equipment manger scrubs the team batting helmets before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have officially signed right-hander Dustin May to a one-year contract. That won’t be nearly the last move they make this winter as they take on their rebuild.

The Cardinals could add somebody else in free agency or via trade to boost their rotation. A lot of their activity will be trades, with Nolan Arenado, Brendan Donovan, JoJo Romero and Willson Contreras among the top trade chips.

But those aren’t the only players that could be moved. They’re exploring all of their options and MLB.com’s John Denton reports that a trio of young players could also be on the block.

If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.

Cardinals Have Several Trade Options

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

“The May transaction was pushed out four days because the club hoped to potentially execute any of the other half-dozen trades that they have discussed with interested teams about Brendan Donovan, JoJo Romero, Nolan Arenado and Willson Contreras. Other players, such as Nolan Gorman, Lars Nootbaar or Pedro Pagés, could also be on the move with the Cards embarking on a rebuild,” Denton wrote.

Gorman, Nootbaar and Pages likely won’t bring back the same type of return that a player like Donovan, Contreras or Romero would. Still, it makes sense that these players could be on the block.

While Pages is one of their top defensive catchers, the Cardinals already have a lot of depth at that position, with Ivan Herrera set to receive another chance next year and Jimmy Crooks and Leonardo Bernal almost ready.

Gorman and Nootbaar are both left-handed bats, and the Cardinals a little lefty-heavy. Trading them clears out some room on the roster to make other additions in free agency and address other needs for 2026.

That could allow them to pursue a right-handed bench bat or two. Nootbaar and Gorman are receiving interest from other teams, so it will be interesting to see what they can get for those players. 

They need more pitching, especially young arms. They don’t have a lot who are close to being Major League ready, so adding more of those arms in trades should be a top priority.

They may not get a haul for these players, but it ultimately shows that Chaim Bloom is willing to be aggressive in making deals and setting the Cardinals up for the future.

More MLB: Dodgers Could Help Cardinals With Trade For Fan-Favorite Player