St. Louis Cardinals All-Star Willson Contreras will be playing a new position this season, as the team is shifting the veteran catcher to first base. This change comes after the 32-year-old battled multiple injuries last season, limiting him to just 84 games. The move is intended to keep Contreras healthier and allow him to focus more on his offensive contributions as the Cardinals aim to rebound in 2025.
Contreras shared his thoughts on the switch with MLB.com’s John Denton, stating, “I have plenty of time to do everything now.” He explained that the change to first base will reduce the demands of catching, giving him more time to concentrate on his hitting, which could boost his offensive production.
In a lighthearted moment, Contreras joked about having a record-breaking season in the home run department, especially after adding 12 pounds of muscle during the offseason for the position switch. “I was joking with my brother, and I said, ‘I’m going to hit 62 [home runs] this year,'” Contreras laughed. “It’s just a joke. I don’t have any numbers in mind. Whatever comes to me, I’ll take it.”
It will be intriguing to see how Contreras performs at the plate with his new role. While hitting 62 home runs may be a stretch, he could certainly surpass his career-high of 24 homers, which he set with the Chicago Cubs in 2019.
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