The Cardinals are entering a season of transition and the Opening Day roster will look a lot different in 2026. With St. Louis trading Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras, Nolan Arenado and Brendan Donovan, the torch is being passed to a bevy of young players and prospects.
Here’s a projected 26-man Opening Day roster for the Cards:
Catchers (2): Pedro Pagés, Yohel Pozo
Pagés, who has a .643 OPS over two Major League seasons, has been strong defensively and pitchers have praised his abilities behind the plate. Pozo hit a pair of dramatic home runs last season but struggled after the All-Star break as a rookie in 2025.
First baseman (1): Alec Burleson
Burleson appeared in left field, at first base and as a DH last season, but he’ll probably see more time at first after the Cards dealt Contreras to the Red Sox. Burleson has proven to be productive offensively, posting a .279/.328/.439 slash line with 39 homers from 2024-25.
Second baseman (1): JJ Wetherholt
When Donovan was traded to the Mariners, it opened a vacancy at second base. Enter Wetherholt, the No. 5 prospect in the game per MLB Pipeline. The seventh overall pick in 2024 produced a .304/.418/.487 slash line with 19 home runs in 138 Minor League games from 2024-25.
Shortstop (1): Masyn Winn
Winn wasn’t able to replicate his strong offensive showing from 2024, but the ’25 campaign was still just his age-23 season and his sterling defense won him a Gold Glove Award. A slick defender with a cannon of an arm, Winn has demonstrated why the Cardinals see him as their shortstop over the long term. In 2024, he produced 4.9 bWAR with his great defensive ability along with 15 homers and 11 steals.
Third baseman (1): Nolan Gorman
Gorman, the 19th overall pick in 2018, had a breakout campaign in ’23, belting 27 homers with an .805 OPS in 464 plate appearances while playing mostly second base. With Arenado gone, Gorman’s natural position of third base is freed up. He’ll have to rebound from mediocre offensive performances in 2024 and ’25, though -- over that span, he had a .669 OPS.
Outfielders (3): Nathan Church, Victor Scott II, Jordan Walker
Lars Nootbaar is expected to begin the season on the injured list as he continues his recovery from offseason surgery on both heels. With him likely sidelined into April, Church, the team's No. 18 prospect, could get the nod in left field on Opening Day. Scott became the Cards’ full-time center fielder last year, and while he was well-below-average offensively (72 OPS+), he was excellent defensively -- his +17 outs above average was tied for seventh in baseball. Walker, like Gorman, was a top prospect who had initial success but has struggled since. Will 2026 be his year?
Designated hitter (1): Iván Herrera
Herrera is getting a chance in spring to show that he can still be a factor behind the plate. If the Cardinals go that route, they could end up carrying three catchers. But with him coming off of offseason right elbow surgery, it's more likely that Herrera opens the season at DH. He enjoyed a breakout season last year, launching 19 homers with an .837 OPS over 452 plate appearances.
Bench/Utility (3): José Fermín, Thomas Saggese, Nelson Velázquez
Fermín is a versatile infielder who put up solid numbers in 70 plate appearances for St. Louis last season (.793 OPS). Saggese, who has been a utility infielder, is getting some reps in the outfield this spring in the event that Nootbaar won’t be ready on Opening Day. Velázquez, a non-roster invitee who hit 17 homers in just 53 games split between the Cubs and Royals in 2023, has legit power. He could fit on the roster given the its need for a right-handed outfielder with an impact bat.
Starting Pitchers (5): Matthew Liberatore, Dustin May, Andre Pallante, Michael McGreevy, Kyle Leahy
Liberatore made the transition to full-time starter last season, posting a 4.21 ERA over 29 starts. He may be the staff ace already. The Cards signed May to a one-year deal earlier this offseason. Pallante and McGreevy were in the rotation last year. Leahy will look to convert to a starting role after having been a reliever in all but one outing (his final appearance last season) to this point in his career (3.64 ERA over 138 1/3 innings).
If the Cardinals decide to go to a six-man rotation, that spot would probably go to Richard Fitts or, if healthy, Hunter Dobbins. Both pitchers were acquired from the Red Sox in separate trades this offseason. Dobbins is about seven months removed from ACL reconstruction in his right knee.
Relief Pitchers (8): Riley O'Brien, JoJo Romero, Matt Svanson, Ryne Stanek, Justin Bruihl, Gordon Graceffo, George Soriano, Matt Pushard
Romero's name popped up in trade rumors throughout the winter, but he and the right-handed O'Brien look like they could form a ninth-inning committee. The 34-year-old Stanek provides a wealth of experience to this relatively green group. Soriano -- acquired via trade on Feb. 10 -- and Pushard -- a Rule 5 Draft pick -- grab the last two spots for now.