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Utility Player Proved Worth to Cardinals by Thriving at Seven Positions
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- Utility Player Proved Worth to Cardinals by Thriving at Seven Positions
Growth, as St. Louis Cardinals' manager Oliver Marmol pointed out repeatedly over the final month of the 2026 season, can be measured in a variety of ways.
One way, of course, is the standings – an area where the Cardinals fell back a win from 2025 (78-84) to 2026 (77-85), one that was somewhat expected with the widespread youth on the roster and the club selling off veteran pitchers JoJo Romero and Dustin May for prospects at the MLB Trade Deadline.
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Instead, the Cardinals tried to evaluate areas of growth in non-traditional ways in a non-traditional season in St. Louis.
Growth was having a defined core group of players – Alec Burleson, Jordan Walker, JJ Wetherholt, Ivan Herrera, Masyn Winn, Michael McGreevy, Kyle Leahy and Riley O'Brien – take major steps in their games and evolve into building blocks.
Growth was seeing Leo Bernal, Joshua Baez, Quinn Mathews, Cooper Hjerpe and Nathan Church live up to the hype that followed them from the Minor Leagues and show signs they can be depended on going forward.
Growth was giving utility fielder Jose Fermin a chance at the big-league level and then seeing him play seven positions defesnively, lead the Cards in pinch-hits and tie for the team lead in sacrifice flies.
Utility fielder Jose Fermin led the Cardinals in pinch hits and tied for the team lead in sacrifice flies in 2026. -- John Hefti-Imagn Images
Growth was Andre Pallante and Gordon Graceffo shaking off the struggles of 2025 and showing the fortitude to change the trajectory of their careers.
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"This is a really young group, but there's been a lot of progress with so many of these guys," Marmol said. "You can go up and down the lineup and you see growth from so many of our guys. Then, go to the rotation and what McGreevy, Pallante and Leahy did this season, and the bullpen as well. Our staff has really enjoyed pouring into that group. They are hungry for information and they want to be coaches, so that's made it a lot of fun."
However, as president of baseball operation Chaim Bloom reminds, the Cardinals still have major gulfs between them and MLB's top teams. The National League champion Brewers, after all, finished 26 games ahead of St. Louis and battered the Cards in 11 of 13 head-to-head meetings. Much more growth is needed for the Cards to better navigate the difference the rebuilding and contending.
With growth being the focus, let's look back at the performances by individual players in the 2026 season and how they will figure into the Cards' plans going forward in 2027 and beyond:
Player name:Jose Fermin
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Age:27
How acquired:The Cardinals purchased Fermin's rights from the Cleveland Guardians on Nov. 9, 2022
2026 statistics:118 games, .248/.309/.355/.664, 33 runs, 81 hits, 17 doubles, six home runs, 41 RBI, 50 strikeouts, 30 walks, eight stolen bases in eight tries.
Key numbers:After working to expand his versatility to the outfield, Fermin played 46 games in left field, 23 games in center field, three games in right field, one game at first base, 21 games at second base, 35 games at third base and five games at shortstop.
Looking back to 2026:Finally getting the chance to show that he could help an MLB team on an everyday basis, Fermin proved to be the Cardinals' most versatile defender and one of its most clutch hitters. How about this for clutch? In situations defined as "late and close," Fermin hit .345 with eight RBI. Also, he led all Cardinals pinch-hitters with six base knocks in those situations. Also, he tied with standout shortstop Masyn Winn for the team lead in sacrifice flies on the season (seven).
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Looking forward to 2027:Fermin, one of the most popular players in the Cardinals' clubhouse because of his positive spirit and his willingness to play any position, proved himself deserving of an MLB roster spot in 2026. He featured surprising pop with 17 doubles and six homers, and he crushed left-handed pitching (.265 batting average, four homers, 17 RBI). Fermin also showed incredible bat-to-ball skills and discipline at the plate. His whiff rate ranks in MLB's 96th percentile, while his 22.1 percent chase rate and his 13.5 percent strikeout rates rank in MLB's 91st percentile.
Denton's analysis:Fermin's strength is his versatility, his high baseball IQ and his willingness to do anything to help his team win a game. He spent time at seven different positions in 2026, and he even offered to pitch one game when the Cardinals fell behind by eight runs. On a Cardinals' franchise that demands positional versatility, Fermin is a weapon for manager Oliver Marmol to deploy at almost any position late in games. His vastly improved offensive production in 2026 should make him even more valuable to the Cards in 2027.
