The St. Louis Cardinals fully embraced a rebuild this offseason, parting ways with four established veterans in exchange for a wave of promising young talent.
The headline move sent Nolan Arenado to the Arizona Diamondbacks in what amounted to a salary-clearing deal. But the Cardinals’ other trades focused squarely on strengthening their future. Separate deals shipping Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras to the Boston Red Sox brought back a collection of highly regarded prospects from Boston’s farm system. Among them were right-handers Hunter Dobbins and Richard Fitts two arms viewed as capable of contributing at the major league level immediately.
The Cardinals also dealt Brendan Donovan to the Seattle Mariners as part of a three-team blockbuster, further restocking their system.
Those moves injected new life into the organization, but St. Louis already had foundational pieces in place. Top prospect JJ Wetherholt remains one of the most exciting young talents in baseball, and shortstop Masyn Winn is quickly emerging as the face of the franchise’s next era.
In fact, Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter recently ranked Winn among the top 25 players under 25, offering lofty praise for the 23-year-old infielder.
“It’s rare that a player is so gifted defensively that anything he provides offensively feels like a bonus, but Winn fits that description and could become this generation’s Andrelton Simmons,” Reuter wrote. “That said, Winn posted a solid 104 OPS with 52 extra-base hits in 2024, proving he can make a real impact at the plate.”
Winn’s value begins with his glove. His elite defensive ability gives him one of the highest floors of any young player in the game. Even during offensive cold spells, his range, instincts, and arm strength ensure he remains a positive contributor. Simply put, as long as he continues to defend at an elite level, he will help the Cardinals win games.
Still, his bat shouldn’t be overlooked. While St. Louis hopes to see further offensive growth this season, Winn has already demonstrated legitimate potential. If he develops into a shortstop capable of producing an .800 OPS with 20 home runs annually, the Cardinals could have a cornerstone player anchoring their infield for the next decade.
