# Cardinals Reach Contract Agreements With 3, Claim Bailey Horn From Detroit - Link: https://www.nyrdcast.com/cardinals-reach-contract-agreements-with-3-claim-bailey-horn-from-detroit/ - Published: 2025-01-09T15:49:51-06:00 - Author: Eugene Tierney ### **_CARDINALS REACH 2025 CONTRACT AGREEMENTS WITH HELSLEY, ROMERO & KING_** #### **_TEAM CLAIMS LEFT-HANDED PITCHER BAILEY HORN FROM DETROIT_** [⌊Cardinals News Header⌉⌊Cardinals News Header⌉[ **ST. LOUIS, MO., January 9, 2025 – **The St. Louis Cardinals announced today that they agreed to terms on one-year contracts for 2025 with relievers [Ryan Helsley](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/helslry01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2025-01-09_br), [JoJo Romero](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/romerjo01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2025-01-09_br) and [John King](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kingjo01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2025-01-09_br), thus avoiding salary arbitration.  The team did not come to terms with [Brendan Donovan](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/donovbr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2025-01-09_br), [Lars Nootbaar](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/nootbla01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2025-01-09_br) or [Andre Pallante](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/pallaan01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2025-01-09_br) prior to today’s deadline to exchange arbitration figures. The team also announced today that they have claimed left-handed pitcher [Bailey Horn](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hornba01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2025-01-09_br) off waivers from the Detroit Tigers. **Helsley** set a Cardinals single-season record with 49 saves in 2024 and was named to the National League All-Star Team, 1^(st) Team All-MLB and the recipient of the [Trevor Hoffman](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hoffmtr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2025-01-09_br) Award for National League Reliever of the Year. Helsley, 30, was a Cardinals 5^(th) round draft selection in 2015 and ranks T-6^( th) all-time among Cardinals in career saves with 84.  He led all of MLB with his 49 saves last season, converting 92.5 pct. and had a win (7) or save in 56 of the team’s 83 victories. **Romero**, 28, appeared in a career-high 65 games last season and posted a 7-3 mark with a 3.36 ERA in 59.0 innings pitched.  Romero had 30 Holds, becoming just the 2^(nd) Cardinals lefty to do so, trailing only [Ray King](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kingra01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.nyrdcast.com&utm_campaign=2025-01-09_br)’ s 31 Holds in 2004. **King**, 30, was one of six Cardinals relievers to appear in 50+ games in 2024, going 3-3 with a career-low 2.85 ERA in his 56 games (60.0 IP).  The southpaw recorded four or more outs in 17 of his appearances and logged 2.0 IP in six games. **Horn**, who will turn 27 on January 15, made his Major League debut in 2024 and appeared in 18 games with the Boston Red Sox.  The 6-2, 210-pound Horn also appeared in 21 games (one start) with Triple-A Worcester in 2024 where he went 3-2 with a 2.15 ERA. Horn, a native of Waco, Texas, was originally drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 5th round of the 2020 draft out of Auburn University.   He owns a career 15-12 record and 4.26 ERA over 129 career minor league games with 271 strikeouts in 213.1 innings pitched. **– STL – ** --- The Cardinals signed half of their arbitration class, and 2 of the 3 were above the [MLB Trade Rumors](https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/10/projected-arbitration-salaries-for-2025.html) projected amounts; we’re still waiting on what Romero is making. | Player | Pos | Service Time | Projected | Actual | +/- | | Brendan Donovan | UT | 3.000 | $3.6M | [No deal](https://x.com/JohnDenton555/status/1877461382276214961) | | | Ryan Helsley | RHP | 5.105 | $6.9M | [$8.2M](https://x.com/ByRobertMurray/status/1877416861756764603) | $1.3M | | John King | LHP | 3.145 | $1.5M | [$1.605M](https://x.com/AriA1exander/status/1877447025874120755) | $105k | | Lars Nootbaar | OF | 3.076 | $2.5M | [No deal](https://x.com/katiejwoo/status/1877423864923435092) | | | Andre Pallante | RHP | 2.145 | $2.3M | [No deal](https://x.com/dgoold/status/1877425176779915516) | | | JoJo Romero | LHP | 4.045 | $1.9M | [TBD](https://x.com/dgoold/status/1877461344569499831) | | John Denton reported this morning that the team and Donovan were working on a multi- year extension, but those talks fell apart as the morning went on. The team apparently approached Nootbaar about an extension as well. Historically, the Cardinals are a file and trial team; once the deadline has passed, they’ll wait for an arbitration hearing instead of negotiating with the player. Unless the Cardinals are planning on changing direction under Chaim Bloom, look for 3 hearings during spring training. On to Horn, who is a low risk, high reward type player. The lefty added a few MPH to his fastball with a move to the bullpen; he sits mid-90s and can touch 98. He’s got great spin on his change and curve; both are average right now, even with the spin. The main issue is control; Horn walks too many hitters to be effective right now. If he sees time in the Majors (this is his 3rd team this off-season), he’ll be in low leverage spots until the Cardinals know they can trust him. ### Share this: * [ Facebook ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/cardinals-reach-contract-agreements-with-3-claim-bailey-horn-from-detroit/?share=facebook) * [ X ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/cardinals-reach-contract-agreements-with-3-claim-bailey-horn-from-detroit/?share=x) * [ Email ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/cardinals-reach-contract-agreements-with-3-claim-bailey-horn-from-detroit/?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20Cardinals%20Reach%20Contract%20Agreements%20With%203%2C%20Claim%20Bailey%20Horn%20From%20Detroit&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nyrdcast.com%2Fcardinals-reach-contract-agreements-with-3-claim-bailey-horn-from-detroit%2F&share=email) * [ LinkedIn ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/cardinals-reach-contract-agreements-with-3-claim-bailey-horn-from-detroit/?share=linkedin) * [ Mastodon ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/cardinals-reach-contract-agreements-with-3-claim-bailey-horn-from-detroit/?share=mastodon) * [ Nextdoor ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/cardinals-reach-contract-agreements-with-3-claim-bailey-horn-from-detroit/?share=nextdoor) * [ Pinterest ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/cardinals-reach-contract-agreements-with-3-claim-bailey-horn-from-detroit/?share=pinterest) * [ Reddit ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/cardinals-reach-contract-agreements-with-3-claim-bailey-horn-from-detroit/?share=reddit) * [ Tumblr ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/cardinals-reach-contract-agreements-with-3-claim-bailey-horn-from-detroit/?share=tumblr) ### Like this: Like Loading… ### _Related_