How the St. Louis Cardinals Can Fill Their Last Remaining Roster Need

With just under two weeks to go until spring training, the St. Louis Cardinals still have one stated roster need they haven’t been able to fill yet: A right-handed hitting outfielder.

It seemed as if Harrison Bader might have been a candidate for a reunion before he signed with the San Francisco Giants, and we know the Cardinals were interested in Austin Hays before he signed with the Chicago White Sox on Saturday.

With those two now off the market, the options for the Cardinals are dwindling, but there are still a few out there. Let’s take a look at the situation.

As long as everyone is healthy, the Cardinals figure to have Lars Nootbaar, Victor Scott II and Jordan Walker in every day roles. Top prospect Joshua Baez is waiting in the wings while Nathan Church and Bryan Torres are on the 40-man roster. Church, Noores, Nootbaar and Scott are all left-handed hitters.

As for the options:

Now 37 years old, Marte is a 14-year veteran of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Miami Marlins, Athletics and New York Mets. A two-time All-Star, he has 163 home runs and 361 stolen bases. He is the active MLB leader in steals and triples (55).

Last season, he hit .270 in 98 games for New York with nine home runs.

About to turn 38, Pham is a 12-year veteran who has spent parts of six years with the Cardinals. A career .256 hitter, he has 149 home runs and 131 stolen bases. He has eight seasons of double-digit home runs, including 10 for the Pirates in 2025.

Now 34 years old, Grichuk is a 12-year veteran who spent the first four years of his career with the Cardinals. A career .251 hitter, he hit .228 for the Diamondbacks and Royals a season ago. He has 10 seasons of double-digit home runs, including 31 for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2019.

A nine-year veteran of the Giants, Reds, Orioles, White Sox and Yankees, Slater is a .248 career hitter who hit .216 a season ago. He has 45 career home runs and has hit .267 against lefties in his career.

Now 34 years old, Renfroe is a 10-year veteran who has 192 career home runs. He hit 15 home runs for the 2024 Royals but hit just .182 in 35 games before being let go in 2025. Lifetime, he’s a .236 career hitter.

If the Cardinals really want to sign one of these players, they can likely offer part-time playing time and the possibility of a midseason trade to a contender. Hays reportedly signed with the White Sox because he wanted the opportunity to play every day.

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How the St. Louis Cardinals Can Fill Their Last Remaining Roster Need

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