With the emergence of Pedro Pages, St. Louis Cardinals catcher Ivan Herrera faces an uncertain future with the organization.
Ivan Herrera Facing Uncertain Future with Cardinals
Herrera’s Time in the Majors
Herrera began the 2024 MLB season as the Cardinals’ backup catcher behind Willson Contreras. Formerly the 2023 Cardinals Minor League Player of the Year, Herrera slashed .279/.378/.340 in 54 games with the 2024 major-league squad. Compared with his offensive struggles in his previous stints in the majors, he was finally showing serious developmental promise. However, following an injury to his lower back on June 22, Herrera has not returned to the majors this season.
Have yourself a moment Iván Herrera!
First career homer on @Cardinals #OpeningDay! pic.twitter.com/jQSB8Nueq8
— MLB (@MLB) April 4, 2024
Since his return, in 18 games with Triple-A Memphis, he has hit .241 with three HR and nine RBI. Yet, one is left to wonder whether any quality of performance could bring Herrera back to the majors this season.
Vote for Pedro
In Herrera’s absence, Cardinals catcher Pedro Pages stepped neatly into his role. In 43 games, he has slashed .236/.333/.284. While Pages’ offensive numbers show lackluster contribution, he has often taken on a bigger presence within the Cardinals lineup during this time. posting an 11-game hitting streak in late July. This streak featured multiple clutch singles, which have become especially important in light of the team’s struggles with RISP. In fact, the catcher position has become highly important to the Cardinals’ hopes for a Wild Card spot.
Pages has also provided major defensive contributions to the team. In his 43 games, he has only allowed three passed balls. His limiting of the run game, in comparison to Contreras, has also been impressive. On 46 attempts, Pages has caught nine runners stealing, while Contreras has caught five on 32 attempts. While this still puts Pages below the league average, it displays a marked improvement. The Cardinals, having allowed the second-most stolen bases per game in the MLB, desperately need help on that front.
Herrera, in his 54 games, posted only a 7% caught-stealing rate, well below Pages’ 20% and Contreras’ 15%.
It appears as though, despite his offensive downticks, Pages has cemented his position on the big-league roster, at least for the remainder of the 2024 season.
Where Does This Leave Herrera?
In the years leading up to and following the retirement of longtime Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, a seemingly constant stream of potential replacements have filled the backup role. The figures who have preceded Herrera, including Carson Kelly and Andrew Knizner, have all wound up with different organizations. With the signing of Contreras, the Cardinals were thought to have found a viable replacement for their beloved catcher.
Herrera, once the No. 4 prospect in the Cardinals organization, now finds himself in a sort of logjam for his position. In their minor league system, the Cardinals also possess Leonardo Bernal and Jimmy Crooks, their No. 8 and 12 prospects, respectively.
Given the current solid state of the catching situation in St. Louis, it seems likely that they will use their September call-ups for more pressing needs. This could include help for the bullpen or rotation in the form of Michael McGreevy or Gordon Graceffo, both of whom have made spot starts for the Cardinals this year. It is also possible that they use one of these call-ups to keep top prospect Victor Scott II in the majors upon the return of the injured Michael Siani.
However, the fact that Herrera was not dealt at the trade deadline in a year when the organization was building upon their major league squad signals some hope for him to remain with the organization. Nevertheless, barring injuries, his status within the Cardinals system will remain uncertain heading into 2025.
Photo Credit: © Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
