The St. Louis Cardinals have long been the model of consistency in the National League Central-so when they decide to hit the reset button, it’s newsworthy.
After finishing no higher than third in the division over the past three seasons, the Cardinals are officially in rebuild mode, and they’re not tiptoeing into it. Under the leadership of Chaim Bloom, the club has executed a series of bold trades this offseason that signal a clear shift in direction.
Four major deals in four months. All aimed at one thing: stockpiling young, controllable pitching.
Let’s start with the backdrop. The Cardinals were the lone team to interrupt the Brewers’ dominance of the NL Central over the last five years, winning 93 games and the division crown in 2022.
But since then, the roster has aged, production has dipped, and the team has fallen off the pace. Now, Bloom-who’s no stranger to tough rebuilds after his tenure in Boston-is reshaping this roster from the ground up.
The Pitching Pipeline Begins
The first domino fell back in November when the Cardinals traded All-Star right-hander Sonny Gray to the Red Sox. In return, they picked up two arms: 26-year-old Richard Fitts, who has just 65 big league innings under his belt, and lefty Brandon Clarke, Boston’s No. 5 prospect at the time.
Clarke is still a few years away from The Show, but his profile is electric-triple-digit fastball, nasty slider. That’s the kind of upside you bet on during a rebuild.
Fast forward a month, and Bloom went back to the Boston well, this time sending catcher Wilson Contreras east. The return?
More young pitching. Hunter Dobbins, a 26-year-old righty who posted a 4.13 ERA in his rookie campaign, headlines the package.
He’s joined by Yhoiker Fajardo, Boston’s No. 23 prospect, and Blake Aita, a developmental arm with upside. Again, it’s clear what Bloom is prioritizing-arms, arms, and more arms.
Moving Money, Adding Depth
In mid-January, the Cardinals made another move that raised eyebrows: trading Nolan Arenado to the Diamondbacks. The return wasn’t flashy-2025 eighth-rounder Jack Martinez-but the move cleared significant salary.
Martinez, like every other piece acquired this offseason, is a pitcher. He’s a starter, and while he’s not expected to headline a rotation, he adds depth to a farm system that’s being rebuilt from the mound up.
The Arenado trade wasn’t about immediate talent-it was about long-term flexibility.
The Brendan Donovan Blockbuster
Then came the biggest swing yet. Just days after the calendar flipped to February, the Cardinals dealt All-Star utility man Brendan Donovan to the Mariners in a three-team deal that also involved the Rays.
Donovan, a fan favorite and one of the few stabilizing forces on a declining roster, is a significant loss. But the return?
It’s substantial.
Headlining the package is Jurrangelo Cijntje, a Top-100 prospect and one of the more fascinating arms in the minors. Known early in his career for pitching both right- and left-handed, Cijntje has focused primarily on his right side recently-and the results have been impressive. He posted a 2.67 ERA in Double-A last year, flashing upper-90s heat and the kind of polish that suggests he could move quickly through the system.
Joining him is Tai Peete, the 30th overall pick in the 2023 draft. Peete is a toolsy 19-year-old with legit pop-19 homers in High-A last season-and the speed to match (70 stolen bases over the last two years). He’s already slotted in as the Cardinals’ No. 15 prospect and brings versatility to the table, capable of playing both shortstop and center field.
The Cardinals also picked up two Competitive Balance Round B picks, one from Seattle and one from Tampa Bay. Beyond just adding more names to the draft board, those picks come with additional bonus pool money, giving St.
Louis more flexibility in the 2026 MLB Draft. For a team in rebuild mode, that’s a sneaky-big win.
Finally, there’s Colton Ledbetter, a 2023 second-round pick from Mississippi State who arrives from the Rays. He’s 24, has had a solid start to his pro career, and while he doesn’t crack the Cardinals’ Top 30 prospects list just yet, he’s another intriguing bat to watch as the system grows.
Short-Term Pain, Long-Term Vision
There’s no sugarcoating the short-term impact here. Losing Donovan stings.
He wasn’t just a Swiss Army knife on the field-he was often the guy keeping the Cardinals afloat as the roster crumbled around him. His bat at the top of the order, his glove wherever it was needed, his presence in the clubhouse-all of that mattered.
And in a division that’s gotten tougher this offseason, the Cardinals are going to feel his absence.
But this is what a true rebuild looks like. It’s not about patching holes-it’s about tearing down and building something sustainable. And Bloom is clearly betting on pitching to be the foundation.
The Cardinals have now added a wave of young arms, cleared salary, and positioned themselves for a strong showing in the upcoming draft. It’s a new era in St.
Louis. And while it may take a few years to see the results on the field, the early signs suggest the Cardinals are laying the groundwork for something that could last.
For the rest of the NL Central, that’s both a relief and a warning. The Cardinals are down-but they’re not staying down for long.