The St. Louis Cardinals received a lot of clarity this season about their future , especially their catching situation. In all likelihood, Leo Bernal is going to be their starting catcher in 2027, and while Ivan Herrera's defense remains a bit of an issue, he too, took steps forward.
He caught much more frequently this season than he had in 2025, and the Cardinals do believe there is a future for him behind the plate. Herrera even says that his defensive preparation took steps forward and that if he can improve on his throwing, things will be different in 2027.
"I feel like this year my preparation behind the plate was so much better in terms of calling the game, knowing when to pitch to somebody, how to attack hitters, I think did a good job thanks to the Cardinals," Herrera said.
"Throwing I definitely need to improve, man. I definitely need to throw harder. If I figure that out, I'm going to be a really good catcher."
Sep 13, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Ivan Herrera (48) at bat against the Chicago White Sox during the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Le-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Herrera was one above average in blocks per game and two above average in pop time according to Baseball Savant. His throwing without a doubt needs some work, but the Cardinals saw improvement in a lot of other areas of his game behind the plate, and that should be encouraging for them.
Once Herrera figures out his throwing issues, then he very well could be a very good catcher in the future, possibly as soon as 2027. His bat remains his ultimate strength, and the Cardinals do need to have that bat in the middle of the lineup on a daily basis.
But improved throwing could create an interesting dynamic at the catcher position. Perhaps then, he and Bernal could rotate between the catcher and designated hitter positions. That would give the Cardinals two very solid options at those positions and perhaps a very solid tandem of catchers that could be considered among the best in Major League Baseball.
The key will be throwing for Herrera. If that can be improved, then the Cardinals all of a sudden have more options to choose from and different things they can do. They could get very creative with their catching and DH situations, and that sets them up well for the future as they decide who is going to be a part of their future plans.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/cardinals/onsi as Ivan Herrera Takes Bold Stance on Future as a Catcher .
