6 Key “Ifs” for the St. Louis Cardinals’ Success in 2025
For the St. Louis Cardinals to find success in 2025, several factors must align in their favor.
The 2024-2025 MLB offseason is almost complete, and the Cardinals have made minimal moves. While the team has signed some minor-league players, there has been little activity in terms of trades or free-agent acquisitions.
This was expected. At the club’s season-ending press conference, both John Mozeliak and Bill DeWitt Jr. made it clear that this offseason would differ from previous ones, where the team addressed roster gaps through veteran free agents, significant trades, and took steps toward fully competing.
However, some improvements have been made. Chaim Bloom has been working on strengthening the team’s player development system. Rob Cerfolio, formerly the Cleveland Guardians’ Director of Player Development, is now the Cardinals’ Assistant General Manager for Player Development and Performance. Soon after, Matt Pierpont, the former minor league pitching coordinator for the Seattle Mariners, was named the team’s Director of Pitching.
Brant Brown, hired as the new hitting coach for Oli Marmol’s staff, and former Cardinal Jon Jay, who will serve as an assistant coach, bring valuable experience. Though Brown’s Mariners team didn’t excel offensively last season, players who’ve worked with him during the offseason have been positive about his influence. Jon Jay and Daniel Descalso will offer insights from their playing careers to help coach the team.
Off-the-field additions didn’t stop there. Larry Day has been appointed Director of Player Development, Carl Kochan will serve as Director of Performance, and several new minor league coaches, including Ryan Barba, Jose Leger, Austin Meine, and Ethan Goforth, have joined the organization.
One high-ranking executive has kept busy this offseason, though John Mozeliak’s activity has been more limited due to constraints from ownership.
The offseason naturally fosters optimism. Fans can look at offseason workout footage and envision their team performing well, hoping the offseason progress translates to regular-season success. Yet, for every ounce of hope, there’s an equal chance things could go wrong—especially in a 162-game season.
In 2024, the Cardinals ended the year with an 83-79 record, 10 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for the NL Central title, but only six games shy of a Wild Card spot. A few more wins and they could’ve made the postseason.
To succeed in 2025 with largely the same roster, the Cardinals will need several things to go in their favor. Oliver Marmol is getting another opportunity to guide the team to the playoffs, a place they’ve missed for two years. While the odds are tough, there is a narrow window where the Cardinals can reclaim the division title and hope for some postseason fortune.
For the Cardinals to succeed in 2025, there are several key “ifs.” These are the six most significant “ifs”they face right now.