3 likely destinations IF Seattle Mariners trade Mitch Haniger

2. St. Louis Cardinals

Another team that makes a lot of sense for Haniger is the Reds division rival, the St. Louis Cardinals. Like the Reds, the Cardinals are entering this off-season as buyers and have the pieces to get a deal done. And like the Reds, they have an obvious need in their outfield.

Marcel Ozuna is almost certainly gone. Harrison Bader‘s bat took a big step back in 2019. Tyler O’Neill just hasn’t been consistently good in his MLB career yet, and Dexter Fowler has been a disappointment. In truth, the Cardinals need several outfielders.

We also know the Cardinals are unlikely to go for the top-flight players in free agency and their player development program is one of the games best. Their ability to get the most out of their prospects is nothing short of impressive.

The NL runners-up will certainly be looking for the pieces to put them over the top in 2020 and Haniger checks a lot of the boxes for St. Louis. The Cards have some interesting pieces for Seattle to consider, both on their current roster and in the minor leagues.

The Cardinals may not be able to match the prospect ranks of other contenders, but their willingness to get aggressive on the trade market makes them a threat for any team considering the addition of a young, cheap player.