Thirteen proposed contract extensions for young Cardinals' players, spanning from plausible to outlandish possibilities.
In the midst of baseball's current signing spree, it's got Cardinals fans speculating: Who's next to receive an extension? With teams securing long-term agreements with young players left and right, the question looms: Which Cardinal could join the ranks?
Teams have been extending pre-arbitration and arbitration players, leaving veteran contracts untouched. For instance, Kristian Campbell inked an eight-year deal with less than 15 plate appearances under his belt. Given the Cardinals' emphasis on a youthful and competitive team, we'll take a look at potential candidates for an extension.
Let's dive into 13 candidates who could potentially secure a long-term deal. We'll start with rookies and those with minimal major-league experience:
On the fringe:
The Cardinals tend to be cautious when it comes to doling out contracts to inexperienced players. The least proven player to receive a contract during John Mozeliak's tenure was Paul DeJong, who secured a six-year, $26 million deal with four years of team control remaining.
JJ Wetherholt
A mere 365 days after joining the Cardinals, Wetherholt, their 2024 first-round pick, could stand to receive an extension. Wetherholt ended 2024 with a .295/.405/.400 slash line, 16 walks, and 15 strikeouts at Low-A Palm Beach. This year, Wetherholt will advance to Double-A Springfield.
Providing Wetherholt performs effectively at Springfield, the Cardinals might offer an 8-year deal to secure their top draft pick from the year before.
Michael McGreevy
Another former first-round pick, McGreevy has stepped up to the major leagues. McGreevy, 24, pitched 23 innings in 2024 and is still in his rookie season. In just four outings, he recorded 18 strikeouts, finished with a 3-0 record, and maintained a 1.96 ERA.
McGreevy's impressive debut continues into spring training with a 1.08 ERA and 12 strikeouts across 16.2 innings, without walking a batter in five appearances. Giving long-term deals to unproven pitchers is rare but, in this instance, the Cardinals might just consider breaking tradition.
- With the way MLB teams are extending pre-arbitration and arbitration players, the Cardinals might offer an 8-year deal to secure their top draft pick, JJ Wetherholt, should he perform effectively at Double-A Springfield.
- Another potential candidate for an extension is Michael McGreevy, a former first-round pick who pitched impressively in 2024 and continues to show promise in spring training.
- Although the Cardinals tend to be cautious when it comes to doling out contracts to inexperienced players, the team's emphasis on a youthful and competitive roster could lead to extensions for young players like Wetherholt and McGreevy.
- In the realm of baseball's current signing spree, the Cardinals could follow suit by offering extensions to outfielder JJ Wetherholt or pitcher Michael McGreevy if their performancejustifies it.
