The St. Louis Cardinals are reportedly showing interest in free agent outfielder Austin Hays, according to Jon Heyman from The New York Post. This marks a significant development, as Hays has previously attracted attention from multiple teams this offseason, including the New York Yankees, New York Mets, and Kansas City Royals.
Chaim Bloom, the president of baseball operations for the Cardinals, mentioned over the weekend that the organization is open to adding a right-handed hitting outfielder. This statement emerged during a fan interaction regarding Harrison Bader, yet it appears that Hays aligns more closely with the type of player the Cardinals are seeking. While Bader is likely to command a multi-year contract with a team willing to utilize him daily in center field, the Cardinals may prefer to continue developing Victor Scott II in that position.
Hays is expected to sign a more affordable one-year deal and would serve primarily as a rotational corner outfielder. He is particularly effective as a platoon player, boasting a career batting average of .282 with a .340 on-base percentage and a .479 slugging percentage in just over 800 plate appearances against left-handed pitchers. In contrast, his performance against righties is slightly below average, with a .253 batting average and a .301 on-base percentage across 1,816 plate appearances. Last season highlighted these trends even further, as Hays recorded an impressive .949 OPS against left-handers, but only managed a .708 OPS when facing right-handers.
Currently, the Cardinals have Scott, a left-handed hitter, positioned in center field, along with another left-handed bat, Lars Nootbaar, set to take on left field. There is speculation that Nootbaar could be traded before the deadline, which seems increasingly likely. Alec Burleson, also a left-handed hitter with substantial corner outfield experience, is anticipated to step into the primary first base role following the trade of Willson Contreras.
Meanwhile, right-handed hitter Jordan Walker is expected to receive another opportunity in right field, although he still has a minor league option available and has yet to establish consistent success in Major League Baseball. The Cardinals also have prospect Joshua Baez, another right-handed option, along with left-handed depth players Nathan Church and Bryan Torres on their 40-man roster. Notably, Hays has predominantly played left field over the last couple of seasons. Additionally, the Cardinals are considering Miguel Andujar, who possesses a similar skill set to Hays but is likely to demand a higher salary after a strong finish to the 2025 season with the Cincinnati Reds.
