The Cardinals will have a little bit of everything at the 2026 All-Star Futures Game: two of their top prospects, plus a familiar face from the big-league past.
MLB announced on July 1 that catcher Rainiel Rodriguez and pitcher Liam Doyle will take part in the July 12 showcase at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. For Cardinals fans, it’s a snapshot of where the organization is headed - and a reminder of where it’s been.
Rodriguez has surged into the spotlight quickly. With JJ Wetherholt no longer on last year’s prospect list after graduating, Rodriguez now sits atop MLB Pipeline’s Cardinals rankings and checks in 12th overall in baseball.
His first stretch after being promoted to Double-A Springfield in May was uneven, but June brought a big jump: five home runs and a .338 batting average. He’s still refining the defensive side of his game, though his arm has already shown up in a meaningful way.
Rodriguez has thrown out 11 of 33 attempted basestealers in Springfield.
That combination of upside and development questions is exactly why he’s viewed as such an important piece in the system. Among the Cardinals’ catching prospects, he has the most potential, and his quick climb could even push the club to move at least one catcher before the trade deadline.
Doyle, the Cardinals’ first-round pick in 2025, has had a tougher introduction to pro ball. The right-hander has posted a 5.82 ERA in 51 innings with Springfield, but the raw stuff still jumps off the page: 71 strikeouts.
St. Louis has already worked to reshape parts of his arsenal, which suggests the club may need more patience than usual as he develops into a potential frontline starter.
There’s another Cardinals prospect drawing plenty of attention, too. Outfielder Joshua Baez ranks third in the system and is already on the 40-man roster, leaving him a candidate to reach the majors at any time. The concern, though, is obvious enough: his strikeout totals and poor contact rate are giving the Cardinals reason to pause.
The Futures Game will also feature a blast from the recent past in Kolten Wong. The former Cardinals second baseman will serve as the first base coach for the National League side.
Wong won Gold Glove Awards with St. Louis in 2019 and 2020 and hit .261 across eight seasons with the club.
He was in spring training this year offering second-base pointers to Wetherholt, and the rookie has backed that up with elite defense at the position.
For Cardinals fans, the event offers a look ahead with Rodriguez and Doyle and a chance to remember Wong at the same time. The Futures Game will air on NBC at 11 a.m. Central time.
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He has been effective over his last six starts since May 22, and the numbers behind that run have only strengthened the argument that St. Louis might have another answer waiting in-house. The only real question now is how the club wants to use him if it does bring him up, since his profile leaves the Cardinals room to think beyond just one lane as they weigh their next pitching move. [Read more 🡒]