Cardinals: 3 prospects to target in any Paul Goldschmidt trade, 1 to avoid
The very thought of the St. Louis Cardinals trading away Paul Goldschmidt is ridiculous. Let’s have some fun and ponder the ridiculousness.
The St, Louis Cardinals acquired Paul Goldschmidt from the Diamondbacks before the 2019 season in exchange for pitcher Luke Weaver and catcher Carson Kelly. He signed a five-year extension worth $130 million and will be a free agent after the 2024 season.
Goldschmidt was the NL MVP in 2022 and has become a fan favorite. He’s a seven-time All-Star, four-time Gold Glove winner, and a five-time Silver Slugger.
This season, he’s .286/.375/.492 this season with an OPS+ of 136. He has 15 home runs and 46 RBI. Goldschmidt has been struggling this season like his teammates, but he’s still a leader on the field and in the clubhouse.
Goldschmidt is a beloved member of this season, and it’s shocking to consider him getting traded away, though it is something being thrown out there. With the trade deadline looming, Goldschmidt becoming a trade chip has become a topic of speculation as the Cardinals are having their worst season in decades. They are in last place in the NL Central with a record of 35-50, 11.5 games back of the Reds in first place. The Cardinals are 3.5 games back of the Cubs, so they have that going for them.
While Goldschmidt would net some players the Cardinals need in the form of starting pitching and top-tier hitting prospects, he is still a centerpiece on this team. Trading Goldschmidt for other pieces would kill off whatever team vibe this struggling group has at this point in the season. It just wouldn’t be worth it, but since this is a topic of discussion, let’s discuss top prospects the Cardinals should request if they were to trade Goldschmidt.
Jackson Holliday, MLB’s Top Prospect from the Orioles
Jackson Holliday is the son of Cardinals Hall of Famer Matt Holliday. That would be intriguing! Getting the league’s top prospect for the reigning National League MVP seems fair. Right?
Holliday is playing in the lower levels in the Orioles minor league system, currently with Aberdeen in Advanced-A ball. He’s slashing .295/.440/.472 with an OPS of .912. He had nine doubles, five triples, five home runs, and 33 RBI. He also has 17 stolen bases.
Holliday is a tremendous athlete and can play either position in the middle infield, but his family connection to the organization would make him even more special.
Again, not likely, but super intriguing!