Don’t expect the St. Louis Cardinals to focus on competing this winter. The team is closing the Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado era and shifting its focus to a new chapter built around their current young core. With the Dodgers poised to dominate the sport for years, now is an opportune moment for the Cardinals to hit the reset button. More importantly, it’s a chance to evaluate whether the current core fits the organization’s long-term vision or if changes are needed.
As this reset unfolds, here are five players who must prove their worth in 2025 or risk being excluded from the team’s future plans.
1. Nolan Gorman
Nolan Gorman was expected to make significant strides in 2024, especially after redefining himself as the team’s future second baseman in the wake of the Nolan Arenado trade. However, he ended up being the player who regressed the most.
In 2023, as a second baseman, Gorman posted an impressive 116 OPS+ with 27 home runs and a 2.4 WAR—a strong showing for a 23-year-old who had to adjust to a new position on the fly. Unfortunately, 2024 told a different story. Gorman’s performance plummeted to an 85 OPS+ with just 19 home runs, a mere 0.3 WAR, and a staggering 151 strikeouts. His strikeout rate of 37.6% became unsustainable, leading to a midseason demotion to Memphis.
With JJ Weatherholt and Thomas Saggese emerging as promising talents, and Brendan Donovan effectively filling in at second base, Gorman’s role on the team is becoming increasingly uncertain. To avoid being seen as expendable and landing on the trading block, he’ll need a strong bounce-back season in 2025.
2. Jordan Walker
Jordan Walker finds himself in a situation similar to Gorman’s. He has been demoted twice due to inconsistent offensive production and continues to struggle with elevating the ball to generate consistent power. The organization remains uncertain whether to utilize him as a platoon player or grant him regular playing time in the majors to work through his issues.
Hitting is supposed to be Walker’s primary strength, but without consistent offensive production, he offers little else to the team. His outfield defense is a significant liability, and he hasn’t had infield reps in years. If the Cardinals move on from Nolan Arenado, Walker might have a chance to compete for the third base job. However, until he proves he can contribute at the plate, his role on the Cardinals’ roster remains uncertain.
3. Matthew Liberatore
The upcoming reset is designed to determine who fits into the Cardinals’ future depth chart. With a surplus of pitching prospects vying for roster spots, this is a pivotal moment for Matthew Liberatore. He needs to prove whether he can secure a role as a starter or if his career trajectory will shift toward becoming a long relief pitcher.
Matthew Liberatore has repeatedly been given opportunities to step up as a starter when the team needed innings, but he has consistently fallen short, eroding the team’s trust in him for that role. However, he has shown promise as a reliever, suggesting a potential new path for his career. With prospects like Tink Hence, Quinn Matthews, Tekoah Roby, and Michael McGreevy all vying for spots in the rotation, this is Liberatore’s final chance to prove he belongs as a starter for the Cardinals.
4. Lars Nootbaar
Lars Nootbaar is a fan favorite for good reason. His energy and positive presence in the clubhouse inspire his teammates and ignite the crowd at Busch Stadium. However, the unfortunate reality is that fewer fans are showing up to Busch, largely due to the team’s underwhelming performance and struggles on the field.
While Lars Nootbaar’s energy and personality make him a fan favorite, his production on the field hasn’t helped the team turn the corner. Despite his fun name and appeal, his performance appears to have hit its ceiling. Unlike most players who develop further during their arbitration years, Nootbaar’s production remains remarkably consistent—essentially the same as his floor.
In 2023, he posted a 111 OPS+ with 12 home runs and a 1.4 WAR over 109 games, which isn’t terrible. However, those numbers align closely with his career averages: a 113 OPS+, 11 home runs, and 98 games played. His inability to stay healthy and his lack of impactful production make it difficult to justify keeping him as a regular starter. If Nootbaar doesn’t take a significant step forward, the Cardinals may need to explore other options for their outfield.
5. Gordon Graceffo
This might be the most significant disappointment in the entire organization. Gordon Graceffo once climbed into the Cardinals’ top 10 prospect rankings and was seen as one of the most reliable pitching prospects, expected to help reverse the trend of the team’s struggles with developing pitchers.
When given opportunities in St. Louis, however, it was a major disappointment. Over 7.2 innings, he allowed 7 hits, 4 earned runs, and posted a 93 ERA+. Some may argue that 7 innings isn’t enough to judge him as a failed prospect. But in 2023 and 2024, Graceffo struggled with an ERA in the high 4.00’s and a WHIP above 1.500. He hasn’t been able to succeed in either the Minor Leagues or the Majors. If he doesn’t turn things around in 2025, he may need to find success with a different team.