Over the past year, the St. Louis Cardinals have been reshaping more than just their major league roster-they’ve been quietly building one of the most exciting farm systems in baseball. And now, with Baseball America’s 2026 preseason Top 100 prospects list officially out, that progress is front and center.
Four Cardinals prospects cracked the prestigious list, with three landing inside the top 35. That’s a major statement-not just about individual talent, but about the overall health and trajectory of the organization’s player development pipeline.
Let’s start at the top, where JJ Wetherholt is already turning heads before he’s even played a big league game. The 2024 first-round pick (seventh overall) comes in at No. 3 on Baseball America’s list, and it’s not hard to see why.
Wetherholt has been nothing short of electric since joining the organization, and he’s widely expected to break camp with the big league club this spring. He’s a polished hitter with elite bat-to-ball skills, a strong defensive profile, and the kind of intangibles that front offices drool over.
He’s not just a top prospect-he’s a potential franchise cornerstone, and an early favorite in the NL Rookie of the Year conversation.
But Wetherholt isn’t the only name worth circling.
Left-hander Liam Doyle, the Cardinals’ top pick in the 2025 draft (fifth overall), checks in at No. 33 overall and ninth among all pitching prospects. Doyle brings a high-octane fastball and a competitive edge that fits the Cardinals’ mold.
Coming out of Tennessee, he already looks like someone who could rise quickly through the system. His stuff plays, and the early development signs are encouraging.
Right behind Doyle at No. 35 is catcher Rainiel Rodriguez, who just turned 19 and is already making serious noise. Rodriguez had a breakout 2025 campaign, showcasing impressive power and a bat that’s well ahead of schedule for his age.
He’s got a chance to become a legitimate middle-of-the-order threat, and if the defense continues to develop, he could be a long-term answer behind the plate. The upside here is real.
Then there’s outfielder Joshua Baez, ranked No. 54.
A year ago, Baez wasn’t even on Baseball America’s top 30 list for the Cardinals. Now, he’s being recognized as one of the most improved prospects in the game.
That’s not just a bounce-back-that’s a full-on breakout. The former second-round pick has always had tools, but in 2025, things finally clicked.
He’s showing 30-30 potential, and if he keeps trending up, he could be a dynamic piece in the Cardinals’ outfield mix down the road.
Beyond the top 100, the Cardinals had five more prospects receive votes for Baseball America’s top 150, tying them with the Mariners and Dodgers for the sixth-most players to earn recognition. That group includes left-handers Quinn Mathews and Brandon Clarke, catchers Jimmy Crooks and Leonardo Bernal, and right-hander Tanner Franklin-another 2025 draftee.
Clarke, notably, was acquired in the trade that sent veteran starter Sonny Gray elsewhere, and he’s already drawing attention as a potential fast-riser. Franklin, meanwhile, brings a big arm and intriguing upside to a system that’s suddenly rich in pitching depth.
All told, that’s nine Cardinals prospects who either made the top 100 or received votes for the top 150. That’s not just a strong farm system-it’s one that’s surging.
Credit where it’s due: this turnaround didn’t happen by accident. After spending 2024 evaluating the organization from top to bottom, Chaim Bloom made sweeping changes to the Cardinals’ player development infrastructure.
The hiring of Rob Cerfolio as assistant GM to oversee player development and performance set the tone. The additions of Larry Day (director of player development), Carl Kochan (director of performance), and Matt Pierpont (director of pitching) followed, and together, this group has laid a new foundation for how the Cardinals develop talent.
It’s still early, of course. Prospects are just that-potential.
But the Cardinals are now positioned to bring waves of young, controllable talent to the big leagues over the next few seasons. That’s the kind of pipeline that can sustain success, especially when paired with a core of established big leaguers.
The challenge now? Turning promise into production.
But for the first time in a while, the Cardinals’ farm system isn’t just restocking-it’s reloading. And the rest of the league is starting to take notice.