Since Yadier Molina rode off into the sunset of retirement (and on to a movie career?), the Red Birds have been on the hunt for stability behind the plate. They tried power, they tried promise—but in 2025, they may have finally found the real deal in St. Louis Cardinals Catcher Pedro Pagés.
Pedro Pagés Steps Up as Defensive Anchor for Cardinals in 2025 Catching Revival
After Willson Contreras struggled to meet the sky-high expectations left by Molina’s legendary tenure—and was eventually shifted over to first base—the Cardinals turned to Iván Herrera, a promising bat with developing defensive skills. While Herrera showed he could hit at the major league level, his arm didn’t hold up against aggressive baserunners. His shaky defense left more questions than answers. He’s since taken most of his reps as a designated hitter.
Then came the next man up—and Pagés has run with it.
Thrust into an everyday role following Herrera’s leg injury, Pagés has quietly become one of the league’s most reliable defensive catchers. In fact, Sports Info Solutions named him one of their three Defensive Players of the Month for May. A well-earned honor that puts him in elite company.
According to their metrics, Pagés led all MLB catchers in Defensive Runs Saved (8) for the month, trailing only Patrick Bailey and Alejandro Kirk on the season. He’s also thrown out 8 of 32 attempted base stealers. That’s an above-average 25% caught stealing rate, and has earned praise for his game-calling. Particularly when paired with ace Sonny Gray, who boasts a stellar 2.32 ERA when Pagés is behind the dish.
Cardinals Catcher Pedro Pagés Hasn’t Hit Well… Yet
His bat hasn’t lit up the stat sheet—he was hitting .239 through May 16 before entering a cold streak—but his value transcends offensive numbers. Pitchers trust him, coaches love him, and teammates have rallied around his upbeat, team-first mentality. In short, he’s become a glue guy, and those matter just as much in October as they do in May.
As the Cardinals continue to defy expectations in the NL Central, Pagés’ steady presence behind the plate is a major reason why. And with a pipeline full of young catching talent, it’s worth noting that the quiet, reliable option already in the clubhouse might just be the long-term answer the Cardinals have been looking for all along.
