Ivan Herrera News: Will prep as catcher this offseason

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Saturday that Herrera will prepare exclusively as a catcher this offseason, Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Herrera last saw action at catcher June 19, as he's been used as a full-time designated hitter since then. The move was made in order to help keep Herrera healthy, but also due to his defensive shortcomings. Per Jim Hayes of FanDuel Sports Network, Herrera will undergo elbow surgery this offseason to correct an issue that's prevented him from getting his arm in the proper position to make throws to second base. In addition to recovering from surgery, Herrera will focus on improving his game-calling. Marmol noted that Herrera's chances of sticking at catcher will "play out" during spring training, but the team is heading into the offseason expecting him to factor into the picture behind the plate. Herrera will finish 2025 with 14 games at catcher, so he won't have eligibility at the position in most leagues next season. However, it appears he'll have a good chance to regain that eligibility early on in 2026.