Ex-Cardinals Slugger Reportedly Available; Would Reunion Make Sense?

Should the Cardinals consider a reunion with a former top prospect?

The St. Louis Cardinals are going to have some decisions to make before the 2024 campaign rolls around. 

There's still plenty of time left in the 2023 campaign, but the Cardinals already are turning their focus to next season. St. Louis was forced to be sellers ahead of the trade deadline for the first time in recent memory and unloaded pitchers Jordan Montgomery, Jack Flaherty, Jordan Hicks, and shortstop Paul DeJong to name a few of the club's moves. 

When the 2023 season comes to a close, the Cardinals are going to have plenty of holes on the roster to fill in free agency or through trades. At this point, it wouldn't hurt to add as much depth as possible to get a head start. One former member of the Cardinals who recently became available and could make sense to reacquire is outfielder Stephen Piscotty. 

Piscotty was drafted by the Cardinals in the first round of the 2012 Major League Baseball June Amateur Draft and made his big league debut with the club in 2015. The 32-year-old spent the first three seasons of his big league career in St. Louis and slashed .268/.346/.438 to go along with 38 home runs and 163 RBIs in 323 games. Piscotty was traded to the Oakland Athletics ahead of the 2018 campaign and remained with the club through the 2022 campaign. 

So far this season, the outfielder has spent time in the San Francisco Giants and Chicago White Sox organizations but hasn't appeared in a big league game. Piscotty was released by the White Sox on Thursday. 

Although the Cardinals currently have an outfielder logjam with Jordan Walker, Lars Nootbaar, Dylan Carlson, Alec Burleson, and Tyler O'Neill all vying for time, it may make sense to add more minor-league depth. It wouldn't be too surprising to see Carlson, Burleson, or O'Neill traded this upcoming offseason. Rumors were swirling all season but none of the trio were dealt. At this point, it wouldn't hurt to add more minor-league depth and Piscotty already has experience in the St. Louis organization. Maybe a reunion makes sense. 

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