The St. Louis Cardinals have had a busy winter. While the trades they’ve made have been grabbing the headlines, they also have made a few intriguing additions to their mix. Right-handers Dustin May and Ryne Stanek were signed to one-year deals earlier this winter.
Beyond free agency though, they recently made a waiver claim, adding infielder Bryan Ramos from the Baltimore Orioles. The 23-year-old is mainly a third baseman, but can also play other infield positions.
On the podcast “Cardinal Territory,” former World Series champion Lance Lynn discussed the acquisition and actually had a lot of positive things to say about Ramos.
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Did the Cardinals strike gold?
Sep 1, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Chicago White Sox third baseman Bryan Ramos (44) and first baseman Tim Elko (30) celebrate the win over the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images | Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images
“He’s a guy that can play multiple positions, and if he turns some of that minor league power into major league power, then you’ve got a steal,” Lynn said.
Ramos made his Major League debut in 2024 with the Chicago White Sox. That year, he hit .202/.252/.333 with three home runs, 11 RBI and a .586 OPS. He appeared in just four games last year with the White Sox before the Orioles took him.
Per Baseball Reference, his projected stats look a little bit better for this season, as he is expected to hit .240/.304/.408 with seven home runs, 25 RBI and a .712 OPS. With Nolan Arenado gone, he might get a shot to play third base regularly with the Cardinals in 2026. He’ll have to compete with Nolan Gorman and Thomas Saggese, but there should be plenty of opportunities for him with the Cardinals rebuilding instead of contending.
He is also a right-handed bat, and that is something the Cardinals need a lot more of going forward with all of the left-handed hitters they have in their system. Ramos could help balance things out a little bit if he makes the Opening Day roster out of spring training.
More depth certainly can’t hurt the Cardinals as they look to focus on the future rather than the present. It’s going to be another year where young players will get more opportunities to prove themselves, and Ramos could find himself as part of the mix as the Cardinals continue on with their rebuild.
We’ll see if he can have a good spring training and make the Opening Day roster.
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