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Willson Contreras will be one of the few remaining veterans on the major league roster for the 2025 season. After nearly a decade behind the plate, he is being asked to move to first base, replacing fan favorite Paul Goldschmidt, who signed with the Yankees in free agency.
The St. Louis Cardinals’ off-season has been uneventful, to say the least. With their commitment to improving their player development, taking precedence over improving the major league roster. It’s no surprise they are looking to fill holes in the roster internally rather than dipping into the free agent market.
Contreras Keeps Positive Outlook
During the Cardinals’ Winter Warm-Up media session, Contreras seemed excited about the position change and the chance to be a leader in the clubhouse.
The slugger had this to say about his outlook on the 2025 season. “I love my teammates. I need to stick with them. It’s too easy for me to request a trade, be a coward, and leave everything behind. But I like challenges, and I love the team.”
With the organization’s goal of lowering payroll, it wasn’t a given that the veteran catcher would be returning for the 2025 season. Especially after calling out the team’s front office at the end of the 2024 season. However, Contreras felt better about the situation after speaking to manager Oli Marmol early in the off-season.
“When I said what I said last year, I had a lot of doubts in my mind that I was going to stay here,” said Contreras. “The first call, he said, ‘We don’t want to trade you. We love you here, and we want you to stay here.’ I was like, “Yes!”
Position Change Opens the Door for Young Catchers
The slugger has three years left on his current deal and feels he has more to accomplish in St. Louis.
“The first thing I said when I signed here is I want the team to be better when I leave than when I started,” said Contreras. Furthermore, he believes the move to first base will make that happen.
Contreras also stated, “If I move to first base, I open the opportunity to create a better roster. We need Ivan’s at-bats and Pagés‘ defense.”
The slugger is hopeful the move gives the young catchers more opportunities to contribute on a regular basis. Additionally, he said that he plans on attending catcher’s meetings so he’s ready if needed.
Contreras Confident He Can Handle the Transition
The veteran has already been working with Stubby Clapp on the fielding aspects of playing first base. Staying focused is also something that may be a challenge for him. Since the first baseman isn’t involved with every pitch. Contreras had this to say about the transition.
“I don’t think the transition is going to be too difficult, but when I say that, I don’t want to say it’s going to be easy. I need to find a way to stay focused in the game as I was before. When you’re catching, you focus on calling pitches and the strike zone. This year, I think I’m going to have the same mindset, but at a different position.”
Low Expectations are a Motivator
One thing that can never be questioned is that Contreras is a fiery competitor. Also, he is aware of the low expectations for the team this upcoming season. The poor predictions will undoubtedly motivate him even more.
“When I signed here, we were supposed to win,” said Contreras. “When people start doubting me or doubting the team, that’s what I hate. It’s a challenge for me to stay here and prove people wrong. To prove to people that we’re going to be able to turn it around, going to be able to reach back to October and win the World Series.”
Obviously, it would be a shock to many if the Cardinals end up making a run for a post-season birth in 2025. With such a young roster, many would view the upcoming season a success if they manage to play .500 ball. The fiery clubhouse presence of Contreras will undoubtedly be a good thing for the young players. Especially during the rough stretches that a rebuilding team will experience. However, unlikely as it is that they will be a post-season contender, there’s always a chance the young players will step up given the opportunity.
