Tag Archives: John Mozeliak

Yadier Molina to Serve as Special Assistant to St. Louis Cardinals’ President of Baseball Operations

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Yadier Molina is trading in his uniform for a suit…

The 41-year-old Puerto Rican former professional baseball catcher will remain with the St. Louis Cardinals as a special assistant to John Mozeliak, their president of baseball operations.

Yadier MolinaThe announcement comes after the longtime catcher wrapped up his 19-year big league career in 2022.

Molina was a 10-time MLB All-Star and nine-time Gold Glove winner who played all 2,224 games of his career for St. Louis. That included 2,184 games behind the plate, the most by any catcher for one team in major league history.

“We are excited to welcome Yadi back to the St. Louis Cardinals,” Mozeliak said in a statement. “He will provide invaluable help at the major league level, as well as spend time with our minor league teams in his new role with the team.”

Molina trails only Stan Musial, who played 22 seasons for St. Louis, for the most with the club. Along the way, he helped the Cardinals reach four World Series and win championships in 2006 and 2011. His longevity coupled with the success of those Cardinals teams are a big reason why he retired as the team’s career postseason leader in hits (102) and games played (104).

Molina, a fourth-round pick of the Cardinals in the 2000 first-year player draft, served as the manager of Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic in 2023. He also managed Navegantes del Magallanes in Venezuela.

Giovanny Gallegos Agrees to $11 Million, Two-Year Contract with St. Louis Cardinals

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It’s Lucky No. 11 for Giovanny Gallegos…

The 31-year-old Mexican professional baseball pitcher and reliever has agreed to an $11 million, two-year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals, a deal that includes a club option for 2025 and escalators that could make it worth $20.5 million over three seasons.

Giovanny GallegosGallegos, a right-hander, is 3-5 with a 2.91 ERA and 14 saves in 20 chances this season. He has 72 strikeouts and 15 walks in 58⅔ innings.

“I feel so happy,” Gallegos said Monday before the Cardinals played the Pirates in Pittsburgh. “I don’t have the word for exactly how I’m feeling.”

He was obtained from the New York Yankees in July 2018 along with left-hander Chasen Shreve in the trade that sent first baseman Luke Voit to New York. Gallegos is 14-15 with a 3.02 ERA and 34 saves in six major league seasons.

“Since joining the Cardinals organization in 2018, Gio has been a consistent and significant contributor to our bullpen, and we look forward to him continuing to be an important piece moving forward,” Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said in a news release.

Gallegos gets a $500,000 signing bonus and salaries of $4.5 million next year and $5.5 million in 2024. St. Louis has a $6.5 million team option for 2025 with a $500,000 buyout.

His 2025 option price can increase by up to $3.5 million for games finished in 2024: $500,000 each for 20-25 and 26-30 and 31-35, and $1 million apiece for 36-40 and 41 or more.

He would get $250,000 for winning the Rivera/Hoffman reliever of the year award, $50,000 for All-Star selection and World Series MVP and $25,000 for League Championship Series MVP.

Gallegos has a $2.41 million salary this year.

He was eligible for salary arbitration and is potentially eligible for free agency after the 2024 season.

Tejada Signs One-Year Contract with the St. Louis Cardinals

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Ruben Tejada will be flying high in St. Louis…

The 26-year-old Panamanian professional baseball player has signed a one-year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals. The deal is worth $1.5 million, according to multiple reports.

Ruben Tejada

The announcement comes just days after Tejada was released by the New York Mets.

St. Louis needed another infielder after losing shortstop Jhonny Peralta for the first few months of the season with a torn ligament in his left thumb, which required surgery to repair.

“We do feel like there is an opportunity to add depth, because Tejada was recently released, and for us it made sense to pursue this,” Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said, according to MLB.com. “I just think it makes our club stronger overall, and ultimately it then gives (manager) Mike (Matheny) the flexibility to utilize the different infield positions until Peralta gets back.”

Tejada had returned healthy this spring training after suffering a fractured fibula in his right leg on a slide from Chase Utley of the Los Angeles Dodgers during Game 2 of the National League Division Series.

Tejada hit .261 with three homers and 28 RBIs in 360 at-bats last season.

Had he not been released by the Mets, Tejada was due to earn $3 million this season. By releasing him more than 15 days before Opening Day, the Mets were obligated to pay him slightly less than $500,000.

Tejada became expendable with the Mets because they added middle infielders Neil Walker and Asdrubal Cabrera during the offseason and also have Wilmer Flores to handle shortstop.

Beltrán Signs with the St. Louis Cardinals…

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Carlos Beltrán will be flying high with the St. Louis Cardinals next season…

The 34-year-old Puerto Rican slugger has signed a two-year contract with the reigning World Series champions, pending the results of a physical, according to team sources.

Carlos Beltran

A formal announcement on the deal, which the Associated Press reports is worth $26 million over two years, is expected after the holidays.

The move to add Beltrán would bolster the team’s lineup following the departure of Albert Pujols, who recently signed a $254 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels.

“Beltrán is a proven outfielder who obviously has been a tough opponent against the Cardinals for many years,” St. Louis general manager John Mozeliak said in a statement. “It is going to be nice to have his bat and competitive nature working for us instead of on the other side of the field for the next couple of years.”

Beltrán batted .300 with 22 home runs, 84 RBIs and a .385 on-base percentage for the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants this year. He likely will be the opening-day right fielder for the Cardinals next season. Lance Berkman is expected to move to first base, taking Pujols’ spot.

A six-time All-Star, Beltrán began his career with the Kansas City Royals in 1998, three years after the team drafted him in the second round. The switch-hitter has a .283 career batting average with 302 home runs and 1,146 RBIs.