The Catcher saw his first significant playing time with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2024, and he made the most of it at the plate, hitting an impressive .301 over 229 at-bats. As a hitter, Herrera showed tremendous potential and could almost be considered a standout. However, being a catcher comes with defensive responsibilities, and in today’s game—where stolen bases are on the rise due to larger bases—having a strong, accurate throwing arm is crucial. Unfortunately, that’s where Herrera struggled significantly last season.
Opponents attempted to steal 59 times against Herrera, and he managed to throw out just four runners—a disappointing 6.8% success rate. During the season, Herrera acknowledged experiencing arm pain and received an injection in June, though it’s unclear how much this impacted his throwing ability. Notably, he hadn’t shown such struggles with throwing accuracy during his time in the minor leagues.
Determined to address the issue, Herrera spent the offseason training at a Driveline facility, focusing on adjusting his throwing angle and building arm strength. Whether these efforts will pay off remains uncertain, as he has thrown out one of three attempted basestealers this spring—a sample size too small to draw any conclusions.
The Cardinals may have a problem if Herrera’s arm has not improved.
Cardinals manager Oli Marmol places a strong emphasis on defense over offense, which is why Ivan Herrera caught 56 games last season compared to the more defensively skilled Pedro Pages, who caught 68. Most of those appearances occurred after Willson Contreras suffered a broken forearm in May. With Contreras now expected to take over as the Cardinals’ primary first baseman, Herrera and Pages are engaged in a spring training competition for the starting catcher role.
If Herrera doesn’t make noticeable improvements in throwing out baserunners, the Cardinals might consider shifting him to a different position. However, that transition would be challenging, as both Contreras and Alec Burleson are already handling first base—Herrera’s most likely alternative spot. Additionally, first base demands more offensive production, particularly power hitting, which may not be Herrera’s strength.
The Cardinals have an abundance of catching prospects in the minors, and if they determine Herrera is not suited to catch and either move him elsewhere or trade him, Jimmy Crooks could eventually step into the role. The 23-year-old Crooks, who narrowly missed inclusion on MLB.com’s top 100 prospects list for 2025, posted a .321 average with Double-A Springfield in 2024. However, the Cardinals are expected to be cautious and promote him just one level, to Triple-A Memphis, in 2025. That would leave veteran backup catcher Chance Sisco as the most likely candidate for the roster spot. Sisco, who holds a career batting average of .197, doesn’t inspire much enthusiasm, and a Pages-Sisco tandem behind the plate wouldn’t be particularly exciting for fans.
The Cardinals are committed to keeping Contreras at first base and do not intend to give him any catching duties this season. However, if opposing teams exploit Herrera’s throwing struggles, the organization will face a tough decision regarding how to assemble the best catching duo. For now, the Cardinals are eager to see if Herrera’s offseason work at Driveline has led to significant improvements with his throwing arm.