ST. LOUIS – After nearly a decade of MLB experience behind the plate, Willson Contreras is set to trade his catcher’s gear for a first baseman’s glove this season.
This move comes as the St. Louis Cardinals navigate a cost-cutting organizational reset, a time of transition in which Contreras will stick around as one of the team’s few veteran voices.
Contreras is not only eager for the position change but also the opportunity to lead the younger Cardinals.
“I love my teammates. I need to stick with them,” said Contreras during his Cardinals’ Winter Warm-Up media session on Monday. “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.”
Contreras will take over first baseman duties primarily handled by Paul Goldschmidt over the last six years. Goldschmidt and several veteran pitchers have departed this offseason to accelerate the Cardinals’ youth-driven reset.
However, with the Cardinals insistent on a lower payroll this season and also exploring trades for veteran third baseman Nolan Arenado this winter, it wasn’t certain Contreras would return. Not that he didn’t want to, but because of some unexpected remarks he made at the end of last season, calling out the Cardinals’ front office.
Contreras ultimately felt reassured about his place with the team after an early-offseason chat with manager Oli Marmol.
“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 [from Marmol, after that], he said, ‘We don’t want to trade you. We love you here, and we want you to stay here.’ I was like, “Yes!”
Contreras has three years left on his current contract, the richest deal the Cardinals have ever awarded (5 years, $87.5 million) to a free agent who didn’t previously play for the team. With that in mind and coming off an injury-riddled 2024 season, the 32-year-old Contreras feels he still has plenty to prove.
“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.
Right now, he believes his move to first base could help make that happen.
“If I move to first base, I open the opportunity to create a better roster,” said Contreras. “We need Ivan [Herrera’s] at-bats and [Pedro] Pagés’ defense.”
Contreras, Herrera, and Pagés were all in a gridlock last season, each staring nearly one-third of the Cardinals’ games at catcher. Contreras is hopeful the move gives the younger backstops more opportunity to emerge into impact players. He also plans to attend catcher scouting report meetings and be ready as an emergency catcher if needed.
“[Contreras] called me as soon as that news came out [of him switching to first base],” said Pagés. “We’re just messing around, talking, and he was like, ‘Yeah, man, I’m still going to be part of everything. I still want to help out.’ If I have to ask him a question about a game, I know he’ll be there to help me. I’m glad I’ve built that relationship with him.”
Occassionally, Contreras could join Pagés and Herrera with pitchers during mound visits to offer some fresh perspective on challenging opponents. That’s one of several new adjustments he’s preparing for, along with the fielding aspects of first base. He’s working diligently with Stubby Clapp to improve his technique and positioning.
“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,” said Contreras. “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.”
One thing that’s certain not to change? Contreras’ competitive fire. He’s well aware of the doubt surrounding the Cardinals’ potential this season. He hopes that doubt will fuel the team for years to come.
“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.”