As the Cardinals begin to determine the club's leadership on and off the field for the upcoming season and prepare for a new direction and a younger roster, they are staying true to the trend of bringing back familiar faces to guide the players.

Jon Jay, a World Series champion with the Cardinals, will join manager Oliver Marmol's coaching staff, a source close to the team said.

Jay spent the last two seasons on Skip Schumaker's staff in Miami as first base coach and outfield coach.

The Cardinals have not confirmed the hiring because the agreement and details of Jay's role have not yet been finalized, multiple sources report. An announcement could come as early as this week.

Jay, 39, was the Cardinals' second-round pick in 2006 out of the University of Miami. He became a starter in the majors in 2011, earning a starting spot in the outfield and facilitating the midseason trade for center fielder Colby Rasmus. This deal helped catapult the Cardinals toward their World Series championship, and in 159 games that season, Jay hit .297 with an on-base percentage of .344 and a slugging percentage of .424.

He scored seven runs in the Cardinals' six-game NLCS win over Milwaukee.

Jay spent six seasons with the Cardinals before playing six more seasons with six other teams: the Diamondbacks, Padres, Cubs, Royals, White Sox and Angels. In 12 big league seasons, he posted a .283/.348/.373 triple slash line.

Jay has been a close friend of returning Cardinals bench coach Daniel Descalso since he was a junior in the Cardinals system and then a key member of the postseason teams.

During widespread layoffs across the entire major league staff and baseball operations in Miami, Jay was one of the coaches the club approached with a request to remain with the Marlins. During his time in Miami, Jay built his reputation within the game due to his teaching skills and his ability to connect with players – elements of the mentorship role he held in the final days of his playing career.

The Cardinals are also working to make big-name hires ahead of the MLB general managers meetings in early November. The Cardinals are searching for candidates to become hitting coach after deciding not to renew Turner Ward's contract when it expires at the end of this season. Other Marmol employees had contracts through the 2025 season.

The Cardinals are also close to hiring for a new assistant general manager position, which they have advertised as director of player development. In this role, he will work with advisor Chaim Bloom to improve and update the team's player development program and infrastructure in the year prior to Bloom's transition to president of baseball operations.

The farm director position is open following the resignation of Gary LaRocque from a 12-year term leading the system. The Cardinals also have additional hires planned for the farm system.