Cardinals Prospect Brandon Clarke Undergoes Surgery, Eyes Healthy Future After Addressing Arm Aneurysm
The St. Louis Cardinals have made it clear this offseason: they’re betting big on upside.
That means taking chances on arms with electric stuff-even if those arms come with a few red flags on the medical chart. And while names like Richard Fitts, Hunter Dobbins, and Dustin May have all had their share of injury setbacks, it’s left-hander Brandon Clarke who now becomes the latest-and perhaps most important-project in the Cardinals’ high-ceiling, high-risk rebuild on the mound.
Clarke, a 22-year-old southpaw who came to St. Louis in the deal that sent Sonny Gray to Boston, recently underwent surgery to address an issue that had been quietly nagging him: numbness in his fingers and recurring blisters.
According to reporting from Derrick Goold, the Cardinals’ medical staff helped identify the root of the problem-an aneurysm in Clarke’s left arm. The surgical fix?
A procedure through the armpit to relieve the issue. Not your everyday injury, but one that could have long-term implications if left untreated.
The good news? Clarke’s already feeling the difference.
The lefty has started his rehab and is expected to begin easing into a throwing program this spring. That timeline likely means a delayed start to his 2026 season, but this isn’t a short-term play for the Cardinals.
Clarke is viewed as a long-term investment-one with the kind of upside that doesn’t come around often.
Let’s talk about that upside. Clarke was the headliner in the Gray trade for a reason.
The Cardinals were willing to absorb a hefty chunk of Gray’s contract to make the deal work, and Clarke was the prize. Baseball America ranks him as the No. 6 prospect in the Cardinals’ system and just outside the top 100 in the game overall.
That’s despite the fact that he only logged 38 innings in his first professional season due to blister issues. When he was on the mound, though, he was electric-posting a 4.03 ERA and an eye-popping 14.21 strikeouts per nine innings.
What makes Clarke so intriguing is the arsenal. His fastball touches triple digits, and both his slider and sweeper have been described as elite by scouts.
That kind of raw stuff is what gets pitching coaches excited and hitters uncomfortable. But the key now is keeping him healthy enough to harness it.
There’s no rush here. Clarke is still at least a year-or more-away from sniffing the big leagues, and the Cardinals know it.
The focus this spring won’t be on results or radar guns. It’ll be on making sure his arm is sound, his delivery is smooth, and his body is ready to handle the workload of a full season.
This surgery might delay his timeline a bit, but if it means solving a problem that could’ve derailed his career, it’s a trade-off the Cardinals will gladly take.
For now, Clarke will continue his rehab and gradually build toward a return to the mound. The Cardinals are hoping this is the start of a clean bill of health for one of the most tantalizing arms in their system.
And if all goes well, this winter surgery could end up being the first big step in a long and successful career in St. Louis.