The Cardinals announced that outfielder Matt Koperniak has been designated for assignment, a corresponding 40-man roster move following the official signing of right-hander Dustin May.
Koperniak, who turns 28 in February, has been part of the organization since signing as an undrafted free agent in 2020. From 2021 through 2023, he delivered steady production while advancing through the minor leagues, accumulating 1,399 plate appearances. During that span, he posted a solid 10.1% walk rate and a 16.1% strikeout rate, while slashing .293/.375/.441. That performance translated to a 112 wRC+, marking him as 12% better than league average offensively.
He appeared to take a significant step forward in 2024 during his first full season at Triple-A, recording 20 home runs and producing a .309/.370/.512 slash line with a 128 wRC+. While that breakout was aided by a .351 batting average on balls in play, the Cardinals showed confidence in his progress by adding him to the 40-man roster in November to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.
Koperniak returned to Triple-A in 2025 on optional assignment, but his production declined. Despite logging 23 more plate appearances, his home run total fell to 14, and his BABIP normalized to .283. He concluded the season with a .246/.317/.382 line and an 85 wRC+.
With the Cardinals in a rebuilding phase and expected to prioritize younger players in 2026, Koperniak was unlikely to factor prominently into their plans following that season. As a result, he has been removed from the roster and placed in DFA status. The club will now explore potential trade interest; otherwise, he will be exposed to waivers. Koperniak still has minor league options remaining and is regarded as a strong defensive outfielder with experience at all three positions, making him a plausible depth acquisition for a club seeking Triple-A insurance and hoping for an offensive rebound.
