After all the offseason moves, Ivan Herrera is the best offensive option for the Cardinals in 2026.
After offseason trades of Willson Contreras, Brendan Donovan and Nolan Arenado, the St. Louis Cardinals offense will likely be driven by Alec Burleson and Ivan Herrera in 2026.
And according to ESPN researcher Paul Hembikedes, Herrera just might be the most "underrated hitter in ball."
He posted the following on social media and said the following to Buster Olney of the 'Baseball Tonight' podcast.
Best batting line with platoon advantage in 2025:
Aaron Judge (1.279 OPS) Nick Kurtz (1.153) Iván Herrera (1.115) Shohei Ohtani (1.076)
Herrera, who more than holds his own against righties (.741 OPS), might be the most underrated hitter in ball
"Hembo" also said that he expects Herrera to become a household name in 2026.
Expanding on the above point, Herrera hit .330 against left-handers with nine homers, 22 RBIs and a .455 on-base percentage in 2025. He also had a .660 slugging percentage and that 1.115 OPS. That came in 62 games and 124 total plate appearances.
Against righties, he hit .268 with 10 homers and 44 RBIs in 328 plate appearances.
In total, he hit .284 with 19 homers, 66 RBIs and eight stolen bases. He had an OPS+ of 136.
Outlook for 2026
At just 25 years old, Herrera is under team control through the 2029 season. Thus, he seems like someone the Cardinals can continue to build around as opposed to trade away. He should continue to play most days, though it remains unclear how exactly he'll be used.
He could catch, play designated hitter, or see time at first base. We've also heard about him getting outfield reps at spring training. The organization is clearly working to find ways to expand his versatility.
St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Ivan Herrera (48) celebrates with first baseman Alec Burleson (41) after hitting a two run home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the third inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn ImagesYohel Pozo and Jimmy Crooks are also options to catch when Herrera is not, which could force Herrera into other positions more often.
Elsewhere in the news for the Cardinals
--The Cardinals extended manager Oliver Marmol on Sunday, giving him a two-year deal with an option for a third year. He's now under contract through 2028 with the option for 2029. Here are the reasons why St. Louis might have done it despite not making the playoffs for each of the last three years. Bloom spoke about Marmol on a recent edition of 'Foul Territory TV.' He also gave a great message to the fans about the rebuild.
--The new MLB Pipeline Top 30 prospects for each team are out. Here's where the recently-acquired prospects stack up for St. Louis.
--While propping up the Los Angeles Dodgers, sports radio icon Colin Cowherd called out the Cardinals in a rant on 'The Herd' on Tuesday, calling them "crummy." We examine where Cowherd missed the point in this here.
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