The St. Louis Cardinals are less than two weeks from their home opener when they host the Minnesota Twins, and the roster is beginning to take shape with players being released or optioned to minor league camp.

Bailey Horn DFAd, traded to Tigers

The Cardinals’ first transaction of 2025 came when they claimed left-handed reliever Bailey Horn off of waivers after he was designated for assignment by the Detroit Tigers in early January. The team was hoping for a low-cost addition to the bullpen in Horn, who struggled in his first taste of the majors last season but had solid numbers in the minor leagues. The move simply did not work out as planned. In Horn’s 2.1 innings this spring, the 27-year-old gave up three runs on three hits and five walks with only one strikeout. Command has always been an issue for the hard-throwing reliever, and those concerns were apparent in his limited time with the Cardinals.

Horn was removed from the 40-man roster and again designated for assignment when the Cardinals made their first major-league addition of the season when they signed Phil Maton and they needed to clear a spot for the new addition. The Tigers are clearly intrigued by Horn’s potential, as they swooped in during the DFA period to bring him back to Detroit in a cash swap with the Cardinals. Horn has since been optioned to Triple-A Toledo.

Catching prospects helped ease Contreras’ position change

Reports on former catcher Willson Contreras’ position switch to first base have been positive. Beyond putting on 10-15 pounds of muscle, Contreras has looked comfortable and athletic at his new position. The switch was made in an effort to keep him healthy for a full season, as the wear and tear and injuries from the catcher position have limited his ability to stay in the lineup on a regular basis. When Contreras is healthy, he is one of the most productive hitters for a team that is seeking consistency from the middle of the order.

The position change also puts eyes on the future of the catching spot for the Cardinals, who are seeking a full-time replacement since Yadier Molina’s departure after the 2022 season. This season, Ivan Herrera and Pedro Pages are in a full-blown competition for the starting position, with each appearing ready for the spot, but John Mozeliak recently noted that beyond those two, other catching prospects making progress helped to make the decision. Jimmy Crooks and Leonardo Bernal are each mentioned as top 10 prospects in the organization, with Crooks receiving an honorable mention distinction for MLB.com’s top 100 prospect list and being ranked #88 by Baseball Prospectus. Bernal, a switch-hitting 21-year-old, is competing with Crooks for the starting gig in Memphis but has shown steady progress in his professional career