Cards Testing Herrera Beyond the Plate

Cardinals Testing Herrera Beyond the Plate

Herrera’s Outfield Work Signals Roster Flexibility, Not Position Change

Multiple reports from camp indicate that Iván Herrera, the team's primary designated-hitter last year, who is currently projected as the Cardinals’ No. 1 catcher on the depth chart, has been taking reps in the outfield during Spring Training. On the surface, it raises eyebrows. Underneath, it reflects roster math.

Herrera is not new to defensive flexibility. He appeared in three games in left field last season, a quiet but telling experiment that suggests this is continuation — not improvisation. He also could potentially logged time at first base to further reinforce the club’s willingness to expand his defensive profile beyond catcher and designated hitter.

The optics this week were interesting. Herrera was seen shagging fly balls with a first baseman’s mitt — an unusual visual for outfield work. In structured spring drills, equipment sometimes follows the station rather than the position, but the image underscored the broader theme: this is experimentation, not a formal conversion.

The catchers were working through pop-time drills and throws to second base, while Herrera was shagging flys. The catcher drills are prohibited for Herrera as he continues his recovery from surgery to remove bone spurs in his right elbow, and exploring options other as the team's primary designated-hitter, working out at first and and in lelf makes sense to keep his bat in the lineup.

The underlying objective is clear.

Herrera’s right-handed bat profiles as playable — particularly against left-handed pitching — on a roster that features significant left-handed presence. If the Cardinals carry Pedro Pagés for defensive stability and Jimmy Crooks as a developing two-way option.

Adding corner outfield and first base versatility:
• Preserves his bat in the lineup
• Reduces physical wear behind the plate
• Justifies a potential three-catcher roster
• Provides matchup flexibility

This is not about turning Herrera into an everyday outfielder or first baseman, it is about maximizing offensive value without compromising depth.

In February, experimentation costs nothing. By April, roster decisions will reveal whether these reps were precautionary flexibility or part of a larger deployment strategy.

For now, it’s roster chess in the Florida sun.

Photo Credit - UPI.com