After Yadier Molina retired, the St. Louis Cardinals found themselves in need of another catcher.
And so, they pivoted to a former division rival in Willson Contreras, who joined the team on a five-year, $87.5 million deal back in December.
With Contreras in the fold, a new era behind the plate in St. Louis has begun.
The slugger and 2016 World Series champion has the starting catcher job down cold, but there is still some uncertainty with the backup catcher position.
While many expected Andrew Knizner to serve as Contreras’ backup, that role is no longer his for the taking.
According to manager Oliver Marmol, Knizner is in a battle for the job with Tres Barrera, who signed a minor league deal with the Cardinals prior to the start of spring training.
#STLCards manager Oli Marmol made it clear today that the backup catcher’s job behind starter Willson Contreras is wide open. Incumbent Andrew Knizner and newcomer Tres Barrera are in a battle for the job. Barrera has impressed the coaching and pitching staffs.
— John Denton (@JohnDenton555) March 7, 2023
As John Denton of MLB.com put it in the tweet, Barrera has impressed the Cardinals pitching and coaching staffs and may end up being the favorite to claim the backup catcher job.
Knizner has been blocked for quite some time, having played behind Molina and not receiving many opportunities.
With Molina aging, the young backstop got a few chances in 2022, but his inconsistency at the plate cost him a chance to take the job.
While he still has a chance to claim the backup catcher job in spring training, it is far from certain that he will.
If the Cardinals are impressed by Barrera, then the job may end up being his for the taking.
Opening Day is nearly three weeks away, and the Cardinals will soon have some more clarity on who will ultimately win the job.
NEXT:
Cardinals Reveal Their Current Pitching Plan