The winds of change are blowing through Busch Stadium, and 2026 spring training is shaping up to be less about the past and more about what’s next. With the St. Louis Cardinals shifting into a full-scale rebuild, the spotlight is turning toward the future-and that future is arriving fast.
JJ Wetherholt: The Crown Jewel of the Rebuild
All eyes will be on JJ Wetherholt this spring-and for good reason. The 22-year-old infielder isn’t just the Cardinals’ top prospect; he’s ranked No. 5 in all of baseball, per MLB Pipeline. That kind of hype doesn’t come lightly, and Wetherholt’s performance so far has backed it up.
After a midseason promotion to Triple-A in 2025, Wetherholt slashed .314 with 10 home runs, 25 RBIs, and nine stolen bases. That’s a loud introduction to the upper levels of the minors, especially for a player with just 138 professional games under his belt. The question now: is he ready to make the leap to the big leagues on Opening Day?
The Cardinals have a decision to make. On one hand, Wetherholt looks like the kind of player who could anchor their infield for years.
On the other, rushing a prospect-even one as polished as Wetherholt-comes with risk. Either way, fans in Jupiter, Florida, are going to get a close look at the team’s most exciting young talent this spring.
Quinn Mathews: Rotation Piece in the Making
Left-hander Quinn Mathews is another name Cardinals fans should get familiar with. After a breakout 2024 campaign that saw him named both Minor League Pitcher of the Year and Minor League Debut of the Year, Mathews climbed from rookie ball all the way to Triple-A in a single season. His combined numbers were eye-catching: a 2.76 ERA and a 202-to-49 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 26 appearances.
In 2025, Mathews settled in at Triple-A, making 22 of his 24 starts there. His ERA rose to 3.93, and his walk numbers ticked up-74 free passes against 107 strikeouts suggest command is still a work in progress.
But the stuff is there, and so is the poise. He enters 2026 as the Cardinals’ No. 6 prospect, and while he may start the year back in the minors, his path to a rotation spot in St.
Louis seems more like a matter of “when,” not “if.”
Ixan Henderson: A Sleeper Lefty on the Rise
While Mathews may be closer to the majors, Ixan Henderson is quietly carving out his own path. The left-hander was named Texas League Pitcher of the Year in 2025 after a stellar season at Double-A Springfield, where he posted a 2.59 ERA with 134 strikeouts in 134 innings.
Henderson didn’t reach Double-A in his first pro season, but his smooth transition and strong numbers-highlighted by a 2.44 career ERA and a 244-to-96 K/BB ratio-suggest he's developing into a legitimate rotation candidate. He’s not quite knocking on the big-league door yet, but Triple-A is likely the next step. If he continues trending upward, don’t be surprised if he forces his way into the conversation sooner than expected.
Blaze Jordan: Power Bat Looking to Find His Groove
Blaze Jordan arrived in St. Louis at the 2025 trade deadline, coming over from the Red Sox organization. Known for his raw power, Jordan split last season between Double-A and Triple-A, finishing with a .270 average, 19 home runs, and 99 RBIs across 129 games.
But the transition to the Cardinals’ system wasn’t seamless. In 41 games with their Triple-A affiliate, Jordan hit just .198, though he still managed to slug seven homers and drive in 37 runs. Now, with a full offseason under his belt and a spring training invite in hand, Jordan has a fresh opportunity to reset and show what he can do.
The power is real-there’s no question about that. But if Jordan can find more consistency at the plate this spring, he could put himself in position for a call-up sooner than expected. The Cardinals need pop in their lineup, and if Jordan starts connecting, he might be too tempting to leave in the minors for long.
A Glimpse into the Cardinals’ Future
This spring isn’t just about getting reps or rounding into shape-it’s about laying the foundation for the next era of Cardinals baseball. With Wetherholt, Mathews, Henderson, and Jordan all in camp, fans will get a front-row seat to the early stages of a rebuild that’s loaded with potential.
The results might not come overnight, but the talent is undeniable. And if these young names start clicking, the Cardinals could be turning the page on a new chapter faster than anyone expected.