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MLB Insider: 3 potential replacements for Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras

By Robert Murray

Willson Contreras #40 of the St. Louis Cardinals looks on walking off the field at the end of the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on April 26, 2023 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Willson Contreras #40 of the St. Louis Cardinals looks on walking off the field at the end of the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on April 26, 2023 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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Tres Barrera (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
Tres Barrera (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

Cardinals No. 2 option to replace Willson Contreras: Tres Barrera

The Cardinals signing Tres Barrera in the offseason caught me by surprise, mainly because they had Contreras and Knizner, and Barrera had no clear path to playing time.

Two months later, here we are.

Offensively, Barrera’s numbers are better than Knizner’s. In four seasons, he’s hitting .231/.317/.315 with two home runs and 14 RBI with a .631 OPS. But where Knizner has the upper hand is with experience — Barrera has only played in 52 career major-league games — and it’s likely that Barrera will be relegated to a late-inning, spot-start role in St. Louis.

Barrera was selected for the Cardinals roster this week in the wake of the decision to remove Contreras from the catcher spot. Over 12 games this year with Triple-A Memphis, he’s slashed .255/.314/.532 with four home runs and 15 RBI.

Again, his role in St. Louis will likely be limited, but he has shown in the minors the ability to offer more at the plate than Knizner has.

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