Mar 31, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Victor Scott II (11) is greeted by second baseman Nolan Gorman (16) after scoring a run agains the Los Angeles Dodgers during the fifth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Cre… | Source: Lastwordonsports.com – Matt Graves
The St. Louis Cardinals can comfortably fill most of their lineup heading into 2027, but the major-league depth behind them is a more interesting conversation. Aside from St. Louis’ traditional starters, eight hitters got meaningful playing time this season, each with varying stock on the active roster.
So let’s continue with the task of grading Cardinals position players who will be under contract next season and/or played at least 50 games for St. Louis.
Aug 20, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pinch hitter Jose Fermin (15) hits a single in the ninth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
Grading Cardinals Hitters From the 2026 Season
José Fermín: C+
Because of injuries and underperformance by others, José Fermín carved out a more regular role in 2026 than expected. And with his versatility, Fermín logged defensive innings around the infield and in left field.
He finished the year with a 90 OPS+, but was notably better against lefties, which places him in a solid utility role going forward.
Ferminator sends it out! https://t.co/kYanEsWMXR
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) August 23, 2026
Blaze Jordan: C+
Called up to replace Nolan Gorman in June, Blaze Jordan started fast in the majors, collecting hits in seven of his first nine games. He crushed lefties, logging an .823 OPS against southpaws. But his overall numbers tapered off as the season waned, culminating in an 86 OPS+.
Jordan’s rookie year ended early with an ankle sprain, but he posted solid contact and hard-hit rates over 58 games. The 23-year-old even posted two outs above average at third base, making him a contender for the starting job next season.
Thomas Saggese: C
Thomas Saggese also scuffled early in the year and was sent down in early June. But when he returned at the end of August, Saggese put together his best stretch as a big-leaguer. Over a 17-game span, Saggese hit .373 with a .979 OPS, hitting three doubles and homers apiece. His season wRC+ finished at 80, and he was colder over the last two weeks of the year, but Saggese will factor into the third-base battle going forward.
Bryan Torres: C
After more than a decade in the minors, Bryan Torres finally made his major-league debut. As if fulfilling his dream after the long journey wasn’t enough, it was even a memorable day for Torres performance-wise, as the 28-year-old collected two hits, including his first big-league homer in Cincinnati.
11 YEARS IN THE MAKING!
Bryan Torres’ first MLB home run! https://t.co/yLTsLOrtfi
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) May 23, 2026
Torres ended the season hitless in his last 20 at-bats, but was a decent platoon bat overall, with similar defensive portability to Fermín. His age might keep him from being a priority for the Cardinals, but he could still be a solid utility player next season.
Pedro Pagés: D
Although Pedro Pagés has impressive defensive metrics and is adored by the pitching staff and coaches for how he handles the game, his OPS dipped under .600 in 2026. Because of his offensive struggles, Pagés was relegated to third-string catcher duties, and the team recalled Jimmy Crooks in late May.
With Iván Herrera splitting time at catcher and other young, talented backstops in the mix, the Cardinals could cut ties with Pagés this winter, as he provides minimal upside in their current roster construction.
Jimmy Crooks: D-
Of the four catchers who got notable playing time for St. Louis in 2026, Jimmy Crooks turned in the worst results. He logged -0.5 bWAR in 52 games, hitting .179 before Leo Bernal usurped him in September.
Underlying data remained promising: Crooks consistently hit the ball hard, had strong barrel accuracy, and was a plus framer while flashing quick pop time. He hit .300 with a 1.006 OPS this year in Triple-A, so there is optimism that Crooks can be a major-league contributor, but he is now behind the 8-ball with Bernal’s emergence.
Victor Scott II: D-
It was another rough offensive season for Victor Scott II, who sported a .523 OPS and has a career mark of .563. When Nathan Church emerged as the more serviceable option in center field, Scott was demoted to Triple-A in early June.
He didn’t return to the big leagues until September, but was relegated to an extremely limited role. Scott started only two games in the final month, both in the last two series of the season.
During Scott’s three months at Double-A, he only logged a .645 OPS. Scott’s elite traits are speed and defense, but the 25-year-old needs to be much more competitive against big-league pitching to stick around, and that opportunity might not come with St. Louis.
Nolan Gorman: F
In what has been a steady decline, Nolan Gorman posted the worst performance at the plate of his career in 2026. The 26-year-old slashed .184/.272/.308 and was a negative WAR player for the first time.
Gorman’s strikeout and whiff rates persisted, while his power was zapped. He was also demoted in June and didn’t show much change when he was called back up later in the year. After playing in parts of five MLB seasons and with talented prospects knocking on the door, Gorman is a non-tender candidate this offseason.
The Last Word
St. Louis should have some solid continuity from its depth pieces, even if many of them don’t possess outlier qualities. This group also includes guys whose tenure with the organization could be over, with persistent underperformance and/or roster crunching as the final straw.
As expected, the Cardinals ran out a lot of young players in 2026, in some ways throwing darts, hoping certain guys could stick. And interestingly enough, the rookies and other players with lower expectations played better overall than those with more major league experience.
More Baseball News and Analysis:
Grading the Cardinals Hitters in 2026: Part 1
The White Sox Impressive Performance in ALDS Game 1
How the Tigers Should Address Their Roster This Offseason
Main Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
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