4 St. Louis Cardinals who should already be on the trade block
3. Andrew Knizner is on the Cardinals trade block
Knizner has been the backup to Yadier Molina for the past few seasons, and the young catcher could remain the Cardinals’ backup option at catcher with Willson Contreras.
According to MLB.com’s John Denton, Knizner may have some competition for the spot this spring.
#STLCards manager Oli Marmol made it clear today that the backup catcher’s job behind starter Willson Contreras is wide open. Incumbent Andrew Knizner and newcomer Tres Barrera are in a battle for the job. Barrera has impressed the coaching and pitching staffs.
— John Denton (@JohnDenton555) March 7, 2023
Tres Barrera may not be a familiar name to fans. The Washington Nationals drafted him out of the University of Texas in the sixth round of the 2016 MLB draft. He was granted free agency in November and was picked up by the Cardinals.
It seems significant that manager Oli Marmol would express his satisfaction with Barrera. So far, he is hitting .167/.375/.667 with an OPS of 1.042 with a walk, a home run, and an RBI. In making a good impression with the coaching and pitching staff, Barrera could make his way onto the Opening Day roster.
Barrera will be arbitration eligible in 2025 and a free agent in 2028. Knizner has not had the best spring, as he’s accumulated a .083 batting average.
Knizner was drafted out of North Carolina State University in the seventh round of the 2017 MLB Draft. Knizner worked his way up to St. Louis in 2020 and has assisted the club with catching duties since. Knizner will be arbitration-eligible for the first time in 2024.
Ivan Herrera, 23, had been the rumored heir apparent to Molina. While he is a talent, Herrera’s development hasn’t been speedy. He will likely spend another season in Memphis with the Redbirds to earn some innings behind the plate.
The Cardinals signed Herrera as a free agent in 2016. He will be arbitration eligible in 2026 and a free agent in 2029. The Cardinals may seek to get something for Knizner as they have a couple of low-cost options available to back up Conteras. It would not be surprising to see Kniziner in trade talks this summer.