Cards add assistant GM as focus heading into 2025 starts to shift

ST. LOUIS -- Rob Cerfolio, who played a pivotal role in the Guardians becoming a perennial pennant contender in the American League in recent years, was hired by the Cardinals on Tuesday to be their assistant general manager, player development and performance.

Cerfolio is the first hire by advisor Chaim Bloom, who has been put in charge of revamping the franchise’s player development system and is set to take over as president of baseball operations in 2026 when longtime executive John Mozeliak steps down from his current position with the club.

Cerfolio, 32, worked with the Guardians for the past decade in a variety of roles. He was their director of player development from 2022-24 and their assistant of player development from 2019-21. Like Bloom, Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. and president Bill DeWitt III, Cerfolio is a graduate of Yale University.

“Obviously, Rob’s an impressive guy, and that’s an impressive [Guardians] organization,” Mozeliak said of Cerfolio. “What they’re able to do with the dollars that they spend from a payroll standpoint and then maximize drafting and development, it’s something we’ve always admired. When you’re looking to bring in new leadership, you’re certainly trying to identify people from successful organizations.”

Mozeliak reiterated on Tuesday that the Cardinals will be undergoing a massive shift in focus in 2025 – one that tilts more toward the development of their young assets and revamps their player development system in the Minor Leagues as opposed to competing for a World Series title.

That change will result in a decreased payroll in 2025, Mozeliak said, and it could involve the trading of high-priced veterans such as Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras or Steven Matz. Veteran pitchers Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn have team options that likely won’t be exercised. Also, Ryan Helsley, who set the franchise record for saves this past season with 49, is due a substantial raise in arbitration, and could be another candidate to be dealt as the Cardinals shift their focus to a core of young players going forward.

Mozeliak said on Tuesday that he has started having some of the conversations with veteran players about the organization's new focus for the season ahead.

“Ultimately, the direction that we’re going to be going, it’s going to be creating some opportunities for our younger players,” Mozeliak said, referring to Masyn Winn, Brendan Donovan, Jordan Walker, Nolan Gorman, Thomas Saggese, Andre Pallante, Michael McGreevy and others.

Cerfolio will lead the Cardinals search for a new Minor League director and director of performance to join the organization to replace Gary LaRocque, who retired in September following 41 years in player development and scouting. The Cardinals also announced the baseball operations promotions include Matt Bayer to senior director of baseball development, Kevin Seats to senior director of analytics, DC MacLea to manager of video technology and Brady Hall to player development, video and tech coordinator.

The Cardinals, who finished 83-79 in 2024 and missed the playoffs for a second straight season, hired hitting coach Brant Brown and 2011 World Series champion Jon Jay to join Oliver Marmol’s coaching staff on Monday. Jay, who played for the Cardinals from 2010-15 and was a 12-year MLB player, worked previously as first-base coach for manager Skip Schumaker, a two-time World Series champion in St. Louis and the Cardinals' bench coach in 2022.