{
  "id": 3905336,
  "title": "St. Louis Cardinals 4 Quality Catchers Becomes A Team Strength.",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/st-louis-cardinals-4-quality-catchers-becomes-a-team-strength",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-28T06:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/st-louis-cardinals-4-quality-060000865.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The St. Louis Cardinals have built a strong foundation at the catching position, possessing a depth of quality catchers that sets them apart from many other Major League Baseball teams. The Cardinals currently have four very viable catchers on their 40-man roster, with three of them currently playing on the 26-man major league team. The fourth catcher, Leo Bernal, is currently playing at Triple-A Memphis. Each of the catchers, aged 26 years or younger, has secured solid team control of their catcher room.\n\nThe starting catcher, Ivan Herrera, stands at 5-11, weighs 220 pounds, and is 26 years old. Herrera bats right-handed, and in his fifth season with the Cardinals, he has shown great potential, hitting 19 homers and driving in 68 runs last season. This year, Herrera is expected to hit around 17 homers, as he may not reach the 19 homers milestone.\n\nPedro Pagés, also 26 years old, is the team's backup catcher. Standing at 5-11 and weighing 245 pounds, Pagés bats right-handed and was selected by the Cardinals in the 6th round of the 2018 MLB draft. The Cardinals gave Pagés a $250,000 signing bonus, and he has demonstrated his defensive prowess as a backup, potentially getting 200 plate appearances this year.\n\nJimmy Crooks, the third catcher, is 25 years old and bats left-handed. Drafted by the Cardinals in the 4th round of 2022 out of the University of Oklahoma, Crooks brings a well-rounded profile that blends offense, defense, and leadership. As a backup to both Pagés and Herrera, Crooks could end up with 175 plate appearances this season.\n\nFinally, Leo Bernal, aged 22, is the fourth catcher and a switch-hitter. Signed as an International free agent out of Panama for $680,000 in 2021, Bernal enjoyed an outstanding season at Triple-A Memphis this year. Standing at 6-0 and weighing 245 pounds, Bernal has a solid hit tool, power, and solid defense behind the plate. Rated a Grade 60 for his arm strength, Bernal has been named the No. 7 prospect in the Cardinals organization.",
  "summary": "Catcher is a difficult position to find and develop in Major League Baseball. The St. Louis Cardinals have done a good job providing depth to that critical position.",
  "key_points": [
    "Cardinals have four quality catchers on 40-man roster.",
    "Three catchers currently play on 26-man major league team.",
    "Leo Bernal, 22, is youngest catcher and No. 7 prospect."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}