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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Retired Cardinals catcher and franchise icon will reunite with the organization this coming season, but he will not have a full-time coaching position. The Cardinals will afford him the flexibility to tend to family obligations and still have a role with the club.

President of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Molina, the former star and longtime catcher, is expected to be with the organization in “some capacity� in 2024.

Speaking in a suite at The Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center — the site of MLB’s winter meetings, Mozeliak said he and Molina have not yet hammered out the details of what that role will look like.

“It will not be an everyday (role),� Mozeliak said. “I think the reason he’s not joining our staff is specifically because he needs and wants to spend time in Puerto Rico with his family.�

Molina, who retired following the 2022 season, will not be confined to solely working with catchers, and he is not being brought back specifically to tutor current Cardinals starting catcher Willson Contreras.

Molina is one of the most highly regarded catchers in recent history. A 10-time All-Star, nine-time Gold Glove Award winner and owner of four Platinum Glove Awards, he became the modern defensive standard for catchers over a 19-year career for his ability to control and at times eliminate an opposing team’s running game as well as his aptitude for working with a pitching staff, calling games, framing pitches and blocking pitches in the dirt.

Molina also won a Silver Slugger Award during his career and was the backbone of the Cardinals’ two most recent World Series championships.

Molina’s return had been expected for several weeks, though the Cardinals had not previously confirmed that he’d have a position within the organization. Mozeliak had indicated that things appeared headed in that direction and stated that Molina would be welcomed back to the organization.

Last week, that he’d be joining the organization as a special adviser.

Mozeliak said he planned to meet with Molina’s agent this week to discuss a more concrete job description. Molina served as the manager of Team Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic in 2023.

“One of the things that makes the St. Louis Cardinals special is their connection with their alumni, with their red jackets, with guys that were Hall of Fame-type of players,� Mozeliak said.

“Depending on the speed Yadi wants to walk, I think it will really dictate how we think about the job description for him. But any positive impact he could have with pitchers, catchers would be something we would welcome.�

Shortly after last year’s winter meetings, the Cardinals officially announced that Contreras had been signed to replace Molina. Contreras, a three-time All-Star and 2016 World Series champion with the Chicago Cubs, signed a five-year deal to succeed Molina.

A former competitor of Molina’s, Contreras has been deferential to Molina and his legacy as the club’s longtime revered catcher. He even wore custom cleats on opening day as a tribute to Molina.

Contreras’ ability behind the plate came under fire early in his first season replacing Molina. In May, the Cardinals temporarily removed Contreras from the starting catching role amid apparent discontent from the pitching staff just days after starting pitcher Jack Flaherty told reporters pitchers were throwing pitches that “didn’t make sense.�

At the time, Contreras revealed to reporters that he’d even reached out to Molina for advice during those difficult first few weeks of the season.

Contreras returned to regular catching duties less than two weeks later after taking steps with the coaching staff to better adjust to the Cardinals system.

“I do feel like, from a team standpoint, we were a lot more comfortable with how Willson finished the year, his evolution through the season,� Mozeliak said. “We (management) were a bit naive in the terms of you had Yadi for 19 years and we just sort of did it.

“Now, we realize there are other things we need to be investing our time with and how we prepare and how we think about things. I do feel like the second half of the season, that investment of time and curriculum was helpful on both sides.�

Mozeliak said Contreras had “some proactive things he’s doing this offseason to improve.�

Mozeliak also acknowledged the club should have done a better job in how it handled the issues they were having with Contreras behind the plate.

“We probably should have just kept this more in house at first, not made any rash decisions that got out publicly,� Mozeliak said. “I think we probably could have had a little smoother transition in that, but lesson learned. Now, I think everybody involved kind of understands.�

The Cardinals non-tendered in November, which paved the way for the organization’s Minor League Player of the Year Ivan Herrera share catching duties with Contreras. Herrera showed strides this season at Triple-A as well as in two stints in the majors.

“Obviously, Willson will get the majority of the catching, but Herrera — we’re going to try to get at-bats where we can,� Mozeliak said. “We’re really excited about where he was from a defensive standpoint. I think his year of 2022 to what we saw in 2023 was impressive growth.�