Sep 5, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of the hat and glove of St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman (not pictured) before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Cardinals Get Much-Needed Ivan Herrera Update

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Curt Bishop | Last updated Mar 17, 2026 7:36 AM ET

The St. Louis Cardinals are preparing for year one of their rebuild under Chaim Bloom. Their roster looks a lot different after a flurry of offseason activity, but they have at least kept a few key pieces around to lead the way.

Catcher and designated hitter Ivan Herrera is still with the team. The Cardinals are building around their young core, which he is a part of, but he has missed a little bit of time due to right knee inflammation.

However, the Cardinals received good news on their slugger on Monday, as was reported by Bill Ladson of MLB.com.

Cardinals receive encouraging update on Herrera

Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

"Cardinals catcher/designated hitter Iván Herrera is expected back on the field on Tuesday against the Astros. He hasn’t played since March 6 against the Orioles because of an inflamed right knee," Ladson wrote.

"Herrera started baseball activities last week. He was seen on the back fields at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium swinging the bat against Minor League pitching, doing catching drills and running the bases without any problems."

This is good news for the Cardinals, who need Herrera's presence in their lineup, especially with Willson Contreras, Nolan Arenado and Brendan Donovan all gone after a flurry of trades.

Last season, Herrera hit .284/.373/.464 with 19 home runs, 66 RBI and an .837 OPS. They'll need him to stay healthy this year. He missed over a month of the 2025 season due to a knee injury.

But as long as he is healthy, he should be a key piece of the Cardinals' lineup. Having him ready for Opening Day will be extremely important.

Herrera will see time behind the plate, but will mostly be used as a DH to start the season, but as long as the Cardinals have his bat in the lineup, they should be just fine.

The 25-year-old is a big part of the Cardinals' young core, and if he can replicate his success at the plate from 2025, then the Cardinals could be in a much better position than expected.

Herrera brings power from the right side of the plate and is somebody the Cardinals can build around in the near future. Getting him back should be a big boost for St. Louis as they prepare for the season and hone in on their young core.

It will be interesting to see what Herrera can do this year if he can stay off the injured list.

This article first appeared on St. Louis Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: