Cardinals Trade Closer Helsley, Leaving Herrera as Longest-Tenured Player

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — The St. Louis Cardinals completed a significant trade at the deadline, sending closer Ryan Helsley to the New York Mets on July 30. This move marked the end of an era for the team’s bullpen and shifted the landscape of the organization.

Helsley, who was drafted by the Cardinals in 2015 as a fifth-round pick, celebrated a decade with the franchise earlier this season. With his departure, the title of longest-tenured Cardinal now belongs to catcher and designated hitter Iván Herrera, who joined the team nine years ago.

At 25 years old, Herrera is the only active player in the organization who was signed, drafted, or traded for before 2018. He has a promising future with 4.5 years of team control remaining. This season, Herrera has proven to be a valuable addition to the roster. In 56 games, he has a batting average of .299 with an on-base percentage of .381 and a slugging percentage of .473, along with nine home runs.

With a 143 wRC+, Herrera leads the team among players with more than 100 plate appearances this year. His .854 OPS also tops the roster. Currently batting as the No. 2 hitter in the lineup, he gets favorable opportunities between leadoff man Brendan Donovan and left fielder Alec Burleson.

Originally signed for $200,000 out of Panama, Herrera represents the Cardinals’ success in developing young talent. As he is under team control through the end of the decade, he could serve as a key player as the team looks toward its next period of contention.

Other players with notable tenures include Brendan Donovan, Lars Nootbaar, Nolan Gorman, Luken Baker, and Kyle Leahy. Additionally, international free-agent signings like Ramon Mendoza and Darlin Moquete were technically tenured longer but joined the organization later.