Masyn Winn, the Cardinals’ shortstop, underwent surgery to remove a cyst from his hand after the season, according to president of baseball operations John Mozeliak, who revealed this at a news conference to welcome new hitting instructor Brant Brown and new assistant general manager Rob Cerfolio. Winn just had his stitches removed, and the small surgery is not expected to disrupt his summer regimen.
The 22-year-old Winn was a bright spot in a disappointing season, prompting the Cardinals to take a step back, focus on player development, and begin a new chapter. They’re largely expected to listen to offers for several players this summer, and Mozeliak has already declared that the club’s payroll would be reduced next year.
None of the Cardinals’ 2024 issues can be blamed on Winn. In his first full season in the majors, the rising star hit.267/.314/.416 with 15 home runs, 32 doubles, five triples, and 11 stolen bases (on 16 tries). He struck out in a significantly lower-than-average 17.1% of his plate appearances and combined a strong offensive game with superb glovework at shortstop. Winn struggled in the season’s last month (.196/.234/.382) but was hitting.283/.330/.424 by September 1. It’s unclear whether the cyst hindered his swing down the stretch, but it won’t be a concern moving forward any way.
On the injury front, Mozeliak delivered promising updates on right-hander Sonny Gray and left-handed reliever JoJo Romero (source: Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat). Gray spent the 2024 season on the injured list due to right forearm tendinitis, but he is projected to have a normal offseason. Romero, like Gray, had to sit out the rest of the season due to flexor tendon discomfort. He’s only recently begun a throwing regimen, which will shape the rest of his offseason. According to Mozeliak, the Cardinals do not anticipate any future procedures beyond Winn’s minor procedure.
Given the Cardinals’ new direction, the health of Gray and Romero is especially intriguing. Both veterans might be dealt this winter. Gray is entering the second season of a three-year, $75 million contract and will have a vote in where or whether he is moved, as the agreement included a full no-trade clause. That, combined with the backloaded nature of the contract, could make him a difficult trade option. This past season, he earned $10 million of his $75 million guarantee.He’ll earn $25 million in 2025 and $35 million in 2026, with a $5 million buyout on an option for the 2027 season. Gray, the AL Cy Young runner-up for the Twins in 2023, had a 3.84 ERA in 166 1/3 innings in St. Louis this season.
Romero is a more easy example. The 28-year-old is arbitration eligible for the second time this winter, with MLBTR writer Matt Swartz projecting a $1.9 million salary, and he is under club control for another two seasons. He recently had a career-best 3.36 ERA, a 21% strikeout rate, a 6.6% walk rate, a 48.8% ground-ball rate, and 30 holds. Romero was unhittable against lefties (.181/.244/.250), but his numbers versus righties were significantly less encouraging (.264/.329/.466).Still, as an inexpensive and somewhat controllable lefty who averages 95.1 mph on his heater and has experience in high-leverage situations, he would undoubtedly pique the Cardinals’ interest as they seek to strengthen their farm system.
Changes in the Cardinals organization are only getting started. According to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the newly recruited Cerfolio will be responsible for appointing a new director of performance and a new farm director. Cerfolio will assist Chaim Bloom in managing both divisions. Goold observes that the player development and performance departments were formerly separate entities, but will now be more integrated.
“It never got to the point where we had 100% collaboration,” Mozeliak remarked of the previous player development and performance arrangement. Goold’s story includes remarks from Mozeliak on the appointments of Cerfolio, Brown, and outfield coach Jon Jay, discussing what drove the Cardinals to each and outlining plans for future hires. Fans of the Cards will want to read it for a complete preview of what to expect in the coming weeks and months.
With each public availability from their decision-makers, it becomes increasingly evident what path the Cardinals will go this winter in terms of the roster. According to Denton, Mozeliak has already informed several of the team’s veterans of his plans to deploy a younger roster. “Ultimately, the direction that we’re going to be going, it’s going to be creating some opportunities for our younger players,” Mozeliak told the crowd.
