Knizner, others vying for 'extremely important' backup backstop job

LAKELAND, Fla. -- While the legend and lore of Yadier Molina will undoubtedly live on forever in Cardinals annals, the days of one catcher manning the position for 135 games a season are over in St. Louis.

Three-time All-Star starter Willson Contreras was lured away from the rival Cubs with an $87.5 million free-agent contract to serve as the primary replacement for the retired Molina. With Contreras catching more than 100 games just three times in his career, suddenly the Cardinals backup catcher position -- a forgotten spot in St. Louis for nearly two decades as Molina proved largely indestructible -- is a spot of high interest.

Accordingly, Cardinals manager Oli Marmol said he has raised his expectations for the backup job behind Contreras, and thus he has thrown open the competition at the position. Andrew Knizner is the incumbent at the position, and he is a favorite among several pitchers on staff with his in-depth preparation and verbal skills, but newcomer Tres Barrera has opened eyes with his bat and his ability to handle the staff. Iván Herrera, MLB Pipeline’s No. 9-ranked prospect in the system, Triple-A catcher Pedro Pages and 2022 fourth-round pick Jimmy Crooks III have also gotten spring looks as potential future options.

“It is a competition,” Marmol said bluntly when asked if he had made up his mind about the backup job behind Contreras.

“It's very similar [to competitions in the outfield and with bullpen slots],” Marmol said later. “When you go into it and say there's real competition as to who's going to be the backup, I think that's fair to those guys behind Contreras. … That position is extremely important, and the backup catcher is a spot you need high trust in. He’s usually a high-trust/low-maintenance guy that understands his role. [The backup catcher position] will change a little bit and that’s why we want to make sure we’re not viewing this as, ‘Hey, this is [Knizner’s] job.’ No, guys are competing for it and we’ll make a decision once we break camp.”

Not only did Molina win nine Gold Gloves as the Cardinals backstop for 19 seasons, he also caught at least 120 games nine times in a 10-year stretch from 2009 through 2018. From 2015-17, Molina caught 134, 146 and 133 games, almost rendering the backup catching position an afterthought. During a career that will likely take him to the Hall of Fame, Molina nabbed 41 percent of would-be basestealers and led the Majors in that category four times.

Contreras comes to the Cardinals with a much lower caught-stealing percentage [33 percent], but he is baseball’s league-leader in catcher pickoffs since his debut in 2016 with 28. With basestealing expected to make a dramatic rise this season now that new MLB rules limit the number of pickoffs, Marmol praised the addition of Contreras by saying recently, “We got the right guy for that.”

The Cardinals fully expect an offensive upgrade from Contreras, who is coming off back-to-back 20-plus home run seasons in 2021 and '22. They certainly could use more production from their catching core following last season, when Molina, Knizner and Herrera ranked 23^rd in batting average (.209), 26^th in home runs (nine), tied for 27^th in RBIs (48) and 28^th in OPS (.552).

Knizner, who worked 90 games when Molina struggled with knee pain last season, hit .280 in July and .303 in August, but he also slumped badly in June (5-for-48) and September (4-for-40). Where he might have an edge in the competition is his likability among the staff and the way he prepares for games. Knizner, 28, said Molina indirectly affected the prep he poured into games.

“I take a lot of pride into that aspect of my game,” Knizner said. “When you play behind one of the best catchers of all time, especially on the game-calling and mental side like Yadi was throughout his whole career, I have to do whatever is necessary, plus the extra credit to even be close to gaining that respect. Pitchers see I go about my business the right way, I'm prepared and I'm working with everybody.”

Knizner knows the bar is raised at the position because there will be more opportunities with Molina retired. Now, St. Louis' manager wants to see a sharp increase in production.

“Does that position need to produce at a higher level than before because you're going to get more time? The answer is 'Yes,'” Marmol said flatly. “Yadi played almost every game and Willson, in his own words, is prepared to do the same. There are opportunities, because of Willson's bat, to rest him in the DH spot. It’ll look a little different and that allows someone to catch more often.”