ST. LOUIS – While questions have continued to swirl about the long-term viability of Iván Herrera as the Cardinals’ every-day catcher following a Spring Training where multiple injuries limited his availability, the sweet-swinging backstop has certainly stated his case in a strong way in his first two games behind the plate.

Incredibly, the Cardinals have not yielded a run or a stolen base in Herrera’s 17 innings behind the plate in the two games that he has caught so far this season. It’s the kind of stellar start to the season that has allowed Herrera to believe that he has proven himself as a catcher more than capable of calling games, blocking balls in the dirt and controlling the running game with his surgically repaired right throwing arm.

“I don’t have to prove anything to anybody,” Herrera said late Tuesday night after driving in two runs with a double off the wall and catching nine shutout innings in the Cardinals 3-0 defeat of the Mets. “I think the numbers are going to talk for themselves and then hopefully we can just build from there.”

Herrera, 25, has been limited to just two games behind the plate after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow to remove loose bodies. Also, he has continued to be bothered by soreness in a knee that he injured last March while running the bases at Boston’s Fenway Park.

Knowing that Herrera’s bat is needed in their order as their No. 2 hitter, the Cardinals have been strategic in how they have used him behind the plate. He has yet to catch back-to-back games as the team has closely monitored his soreness after spending time behind the plate.

Herrera was the starting catcher last Saturday and he helped right-handed pitcher Michael McGreevy navigate six no-hit scoreless innings. Ultimately, he caught eight shutout innings before being lifted in the eighth inning for a pinch runner.

On Tuesday, Herrera worked well with Andre Pallante, who limited the Mets to just three hits in five-plus scoreless innings. Herrera also worked well with relievers Gordon Graceffo, Ryne Stanek, JoJo Romero and Riley O’Brien while shutting out New York in a 3-0 victory for the Cardinals.

So far, so good regarding Herrera’s work behind the plate, manager Oliver Marmol said.

“Just his ability to navigate this (Mets) lineup, which is a tough one, and what he did with Andre (Pallante) was really good,” said Marmol, who announced on Wednesday that the catching duties will be divided between Pedro Pages and Herrera and third catcher Yohel Pozo will be used as a late-innings pinch-hitter and backup first baseman to spell Alec Burleson at times.

“Being able to catch all nine and stay in there because of what he was doing behind the plate was an important confidence-builder for him as well. But, overall, I love what he did offensively and behind the plate.”

Herrera was adamant that he wanted to return to the catching position in 2026 despite the club’s dalliances with him as an outfielder and a designated hitter last season.

An issue of concern with Herrera catching is his struggles in controlling the running game of foes. In the 56 games he caught in 2024, Herrera struggled with tailing throws and his mechanics and threw out just four of 59 base stealers. In 2025, when he was behind the plate just 14 times, Herrera did not prevent any of the 15 stolen bases taken off him and the Cardinals pitching staff.

Because of his return from elbow surgery and continued rehabilitation on his knee, Herrera played just six games in Spring Training and was behind the plate only five times. Incredibly, no player from the Rays or Mets have even attempted a stolen base in the two games that Herrera has caught so far.

Herrera thinks it was unfair for his catching abilities to be based off a time when he struggled to throw because of pain in his compromised right elbow.

“I mean, I believe that I can be a catcher and that’s why I have worked so hard for this,” said Herrera, who has 12 putouts and no passed balls in two games. “I don’t think it’s fair that I was judged because of throwing. That’s something that was out of my control because I was hurt. And I feel much better about my throwing now.

“I’m very honest with myself and I know I got better at framing (pitches) these last couple of years and I’ve always been good at blocking (balls in the dirt),” he continued. “I believe I can do all those things because I put in the work at it.”

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