Ex-Cardinals Gold Glove Winner Projected To Get $27 Million Contract

Where will the former Cardinals outfielder sign?

Oct 8, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets outfielder Harrison Bader (44) makes a catch against the Philadelphia Phillies in the eighth inning during game three of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

One former member of the St. Louis Cardinals will hit the open market this winter.

Former Cardinals outfielder Harrison Bader currently calls the New York Mets home, but that may not be the case once the 2024 season ends, no matter what happens in the playoffs. Bader will be a free agent, and there certainly will be at least a handful of teams that show interest in his services.

Bader is a very strong defender with offensive upside and is just 30 years old. He appeared in 143 games with the Mets this season and slashed .236/.284/.373 with 12 home runs and 51 RBIs while playing some stellar defense.

He spent the first five-plus years of his career as a member of the Cardinals before he was traded to the New York Yankees. He will hit the open market this winter and currently is projected to get a deal worth roughly $27 million over four years by Spotrac.

That certainly sounds like a fair deal for Bader. He won a Gold Glove Award in 2021 as a member of the Cardinals and has plenty of upside.

It's too early to know where he will land this winter, but there surely will be competition for his services. One team that should be ruled out, though, is the Cardinals. St. Louis is looking to cut salaries this winter, and reset the organization so it would be surprising to see them re-sign a player they traded away to a bigger deal,

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