Exciting Cardinals All-Star Among Most 'Overlooked' Players In NL Central

St. Louis has plenty of talent to make a run at a playoff spot

Aug 14, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras (40) hits a single against the Cincinnati Reds in the sixth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports / Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

There's a lot to like about this St. Louis Cardinals despite despite a recent cold stretch.

St. Louis currently has a 61-63 record but there still is some time left in the 2024 Major League Baseball regular season to make up some ground in the standings. If the Cardinals are going to make up some ground, one of the reasons likely will be the success of catcher Willson Contreras.

When Contreras is going right, the Cardinals are a significantly better baseball team. He is one of St. Louis' most prolific hitters and was called an honorable mention as one of the most "overlooked" players in the National League Central by CBS Sports' Mike Axisa.

"Honorable mention: Joey Bart, owner of a .277/.351/.532 slash line, has found a home with the (Pittsburgh Pirates) after failing to gain traction with the (San Francisco Giants) as the No. 2 pick in the 2018 draft," Axisa said. "Righty Tobias Myers has been a godsend for a (Milwaukee Brewers) team that has churned through an MLB-high 17 different starting pitchers. He's pitched to a 2.81 ERA in 88 1/3 innings. Also, Willson Contreras has been really, really good for the Cardinals. He had a forgettable first year in St. Louis in 2023 and he missed time with an unfortunate injury earlier this year, but catchers with a .850 OPS are hard to find."

Contreras is an offensive game-changer and that is exactly what St. Louis needs. If the Cardinals want to have any chance of making the playoffs, they are going to need Contreras to shine.

More MLB: Ex-Cardinals Slugger Likely Won't Land Large Deal; Could Door Be Open To Reunion?