Spring Training 2025 has begun! Games are underway. Before long, our St. Louis Cardinals will be home hosting the Minnesota Twins to start the 2025 season. Of course, we are aware that 2025 may not be a great season to be a Cardinals. However, that does not mean there will not be fun players to watch. Today, we will look at five Cardinals who could be All-Stars in 2025.
#5 Mason Winn
Winn should have been an All-Star last season. However, there was such a strong pool of deserving All-Stars in the National League that someone was going to be on the outside looking in. That was Winn last year.
Winn enters his second full season in the majors, looking to build off the success in 2025. The shortstop gave the Cardinals a speedy spark at the top of the batting order, who could also connect with a long ball. While Winn’s speed did not quite equate to the stolen base totals we would like to see (just 11 stolen bases last year), his speed is demonstrated in the double play column. In 137 plate appearances last year, Winn only grounded into one double play. On the defensive side, Winn was one of the best defensive shortstops in baseball.
Winn probably still has a long shot of being an All-Star. It will be easy to overlook Winn in a league with Mookie Betts, Trea Turner, and others at short. However, he enters the new season as one of the game’s top shortstops. We can never say never.
#4 Nolan Arenado
Arenado may be coming off two tough seasons. Still, the third baseman has the name recognition that he could win the fan vote to be the NL’s starting third baseman.
However, Arenado may still earn it with his play. Arenado has a great deal to play for this season. If he can bounce back, that could increase the number of suitors who could trade for him. Not to mention, Arenado wants to prove he can still be an elite third-baseman. Name recognition combined with an incentive to bounce back could result in another All-Star appearance for the future Hall of Fame third baseman.
#3 Sonny Gray
From 2014-2024, the Cardinals have sent starting pitchers to the All-Star Game six times. That could continue this year with Gray. Had Gray not missed last year’s first month of the season, he may have had a case to be an All-Star. His 2024 numbers were better in most categories than his 2023 numbers when he was an All-Star.
However, Gray did have a 3.84 ERA last season. Even with 13 wins, an ERA that high does stand out as far as separating the best from the “very good.” Last season, Gray was excellent. However, with a standard spring not hampered by injuries and a typical start to the new seasons, Gray could make that jump back to a star.
#2 Brendan Donovan
Last season was a career year for Donovan. The utility player hit .278 with 14 home runs and 75 RBI. He played second base and the outfield and played good defense in both roles. He showed that his Gold Glove in 2022 was not a fluke.
Donovan will be a legitimate All-Star candidate if he can continue this success this year. Furthermore, his status as a utility player could help his cause. Even though the All-Star Game no longer determines home-field advantage in the World Series (thank goodness), managers like having someone on the All-Star roster who can play multiple positions if needed.
Dave Roberts, if you are reading this, consider placing Donovan on the roster this summer.
#1 Ryan Helsley
The two-time All-Star has the best chance of any Cardinal of being an All-Star this season. The new single-season saves leader for the Cardinals has emerged as one of the best closers in baseball. His fastball is dangerous. His off-speed pitches have good movement. Lastly, he has an entrance that should be in the same category as Mariano Rivera, Trevor Hoffman, and Joakim Soria.
Barring injuries and/or ineffectiveness, it feels like a lock for Helsley to be an All-Star this summer. The only frustrating about his success is that the rest of the team is not good enough to take advantage of Helsley’s talent. Helsley has a convincing case to be a top-five closer in franchise history. We may have that conversation another day.
