The Cardinals may be reeling, but the Marlins just reminded everyone that a bad stretch can always look a lot worse.
St. Louis is coming off a brutal series against the Phillies, one that should have gone differently. The Cardinals held late leads in two of the three games and still got swept by the second Wild Card team, a result that leaves the season in real jeopardy.
Even so, there’s at least a sense that Chaim Bloom still has a grip on the long-term plan. Miami, despite being three games over .500 and sitting above the Cardinals in the standings, appears to be heading in a very different direction. Bob Nightengale reported that the Marlins let go of their entire pro scouting department.
The entire pro scouting dept was let go https://t.co/2bpDeUCLKw
- Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) August 24, 2026
That move was followed by a Foul Territory post saying Miami wants to lean on “more video” in its scouting approach. Video has long been part of advanced scouting and mechanical work, but wiping out an entire department and replacing it with technology is a different kind of overhaul. It stands in stark contrast to what Bloom has done since taking over the Cardinals’ baseball operations structure.
One of the first things Bloom targeted, according to Katie Woo during the offseason, was the minor league system. After several years of reducing staff at the lower levels, he moved to bring back old roles and add new ones. Two drafts and 1.5 trade deadlines into his full-time run, that old-school emphasis on having people physically out there scouting has started to pay off.
Baseball America’s updated farm system rankings after the draft and trade deadline reflected that progress. The Cardinals climbed all the way to No. 2, trailing only the Tampa Bay Rays.
BA had four St. Louis prospects inside its top 100, including two players in Double-A and another who has already made an historic MLB debut this year.
The upper levels are moving too. Memphis won the Triple-A first half, and Springfield has opened its Double-A second half hot.
Put that together with the steady development of young big leaguers, the fast-track promotions of prospects who earned them, and the way the organization has evaluated amateur talent, and the picture around St. Louis looks a lot brighter than the standings do right now.
Bloom has built a staff that blends baseball people with people who can run and study the numbers, and the result has been one of the most improved player development operations in the league. For the Cardinals, that points in the right direction. For the Marlins, it’s a very different story.
In Other News...
Cardinals Lose Masyn Winn As Former Top Prospect Gets Another Shot
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Nolan Gorman is also headed back to the major league roster, giving the club a familiar name with a different kind of upside. The former top prospect has struggled at the plate, but he still brings defensive versatility and power potential, which is enough to make this another meaningful shot at carving out a role as the Cardinals sort through their infield depth. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Trade Debate Looks Different After Early Returns Elsewhere
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Cardinals Bullpen Need Could Force An Overlooked September Call-Up
With the Cardinals still sorting through the back end of their bullpen, Hancel Rincn has emerged as a name worth watching in Triple-A Memphis. The right-hander has turned in strong performance metrics since July 1, and with St. Louis carrying open spots on its 40-man roster, there is a clean path if the club decides it wants another arm for the stretch run.
September 1 is the date to circle if the Cardinals want a closer look, since roster expansion gives them room to evaluate Rincn at the major league level without much procedural hassle. A move involving Hunter Dobbins to the 60-day injured list could also clear another opening, which only adds to the possibility that an overlooked bullpen candidate gets a real chance to prove he belongs in St. Louis. [Read more 🡒]