Three reasons why new Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras is the ideal replacement for Yadier Molina

Longtime Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras officially ended his tenure with the club by signing with rivals St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday. The strong-armed catcher signed a massive five-year, $87.5 million deal with the Cards, becoming the successor to Yadier Molina's throne, who announced his retirement following the 2022 season.

Contreras, who has spent his entire 14-year professional career with the Cubs (seven in the MLB), will find himself behind the plate for one of the league's top offenses. The star-studded St. Louis Cardinals feature reigning National League MVP Paul Goldschmidt and MVP finalist Nolan Arenado.

"Thank you for everything, Willson Contreras. 14 years as a Chicago Cub. Words cannot express how much Cubs fans appreciate you. You’re a Champion & Cub for life. Wishing you nothing but the best in the next chapter of your career. We will miss you. WC40 forever" - Cubs Zone

After a successful 2022 regular season, the Cardinals fell well short of expectations, losing to the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL Wild Card Round. The three reasons why Willson Contreras will bolster the Cardinals are his strong arm behind home plate, top-tier batting at the catcher position, and versatility on defense.

Willson Contreras, the offensive force

It was never going to be easy for someone to fill the shoes of Yadier Molina, who was one of the best and most consistent catchers of his generation. But Willson Contreras may be the best option in the league to do so.

Willson finished the 2022 season at the top of many statistical categories, even while missing time due to injury. Among qualified catchers, Contreras finished fourth in home runs (22), fifth in stolen bases (4), and sixth in walks (45). He also finished the regular season with 65 runs scored and 55 RBIs.

Contreras, the arm

While defensively, he may be nowhere near the level of Cardinals legend Yadier Molina, his throwing ability ranks him as one of the best in the league. Where he lacks in pitch framing and plate defense, he makes up for with his arm.

"Willson Contreras has an absolute gun for an arm" - uStadium Fantasy

In 2022, Contreras attempted more back picks than the second and third-place catchers put together. He has also equaled or beaten the league average in caught-stealing percentage in six of his seven big league seasons. While Yadier is one of the best in history at gunning down a runner, Contreras will at least be able to fill that hole on defense.

Willson's versatility

Coming up through the Chicago Cubs Minor League system, Contreras played every defensive position except for shortstop and pitcher. His ability to play in the infield and outfield will provide the Cardinals with more flexibility when determining their daily lineups.

While he may sparsely play elsewhere besides catcher or designated hitter, his ability to do so is a win for St. Louis, who also have Andrew Knizner projected to come off the bench when needed.