The St. Louis Cardinals are nearing a pivotal offseason. With John Mozeliak set to hand over the reins to Chaim Bloom after the 2025 season, the organization is expected to shift its focus from short-term success to long-term planning. The 2025 MLB Draft offers a glimpse into that future, especially in relation to star first baseman.
Chaim Bloom has a strong reputation for identifying young talent and rebuilding rosters. While his time in Boston included some successful seasons, he’s best known for the prospects he developed. Bloom served as a strategic counterbalance to Dave Dombrowski’s aggressive, win-now style — and the Cardinals hoped he’d form a similar dynamic with Mozeliak before fully stepping in.
This transition begins with the current draft class. While St. Louis earned praise for its early-round selections, their third-round pick stands out as a quintessential Bloom move — thoughtful and focused. That pick was top star, a 21-year-old first baseman from the University of San Diego.
We don’t want to jump the gun, but the promising corner infielder looks poised to move swiftly through the Cardinals’ farm system. He’s a proven hitter with a strong reputation for leadership in the clubhouse, making him a potential cornerstone for the next era of Cardinals baseball.
MLB Pipeline ranked top star as the No. 144 prospect in this year’s draft class, though it’s important to note that several players ranked ahead of him may not end up signing. Standing at 6-foot and 215 pounds, the left-handed hitter has drawn praise for his “handsy swing from the left side of the plate” that produces loud, impactful contact, according to MLB.com. He also excels in the intangibles department.
“He gets very high marks for his toughness, leadership, and overall makeup, which might give teams more confidence he’ll maximize his tools,” his scouting report notes.
All of this casts a spotlight on Willson Contreras, whose role as the centerpiece of St. Louis’ offense may be coming to an end.
Cardinals need to figure out Willson Contreras’ future
Willson Contreras is putting together another solid season for the Cardinals, slashing .253/.339/.426 with 12 home runs across 336 at-bats. His shift from catcher to first base has gone smoothly as well—he ranks in the 94th percentile for his position with six outs above average, a testament to how well he’s adapted.
Still, the move from behind the plate to first base felt like the beginning of a transition. First base inherently carries less defensive value, and the switch seemed more like a stopgap in the wake of Paul Goldschmidt’s departure than a long-term plan—especially given the lack of internal replacements at the time.
Contreras’ contract adds another layer of complexity. He’s under team control through 2027, with a \$17.5 million club option for 2028. While he’s not likely to be moved this offseason, he’s now 33, and it’s reasonable to question how much longer he can maintain his current level of production. The Cardinals have struggled to move off pricey veterans in the past—Nolan Arenado being a recent example—but Contreras might still draw interest on the trade market. That’s particularly true if he’s willing to return to catching, where he remains an above-average defender with nearly a decade of experience managing pitching staffs.
If the Cardinals play this right, there’s a clear path for Contreras to pass the torch to Jack Gurevitch in the coming seasons. Under Chaim Bloom, a youth movement is inevitable. While Contreras’ time in St. Louis has been a bit of a mixed bag, he’s still a dependable veteran with a strong track record. When the time comes, the Cardinals should be able to part ways respectfully—and give him a shot to compete elsewhere.