Ivan Herrera News: Likely slotting in at DH initially

Published on March 3, 2026

The Cardinals do not expect to know by the end of spring training how often Herrera will be used at catcher this season, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Coming back from offseason elbow surgery, Herrera started at catcher for the first time this spring in Sunday's Grapefruit League game versus the Pirates. The 25-year-old's goal is for catcher to be his primary position again in 2026 after elbow issues and defensive shortcomings limited to designated hitter for the final few months of last season. However, the Cardinals will not make Herrera a full-time catcher right away. Herrera appears poised to see the bulk of his early-season playing time at designated hitter, with Pedro Pages serving as the team's primary catcher. The setup could delay how soon Herrera picks up catcher eligibility in fantasy leagues, as he will initially be utility-only eligible in most formats.