The St. Louis Cardinals may be in the middle of a transition, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to get excited about in 2026.
Sure, the offseason saw the departure of some major pieces-Sonny Gray, Nolan Arenado, and Brendan Donovan are all gone-but one player who’s still in town and trending in the right direction is Alec Burleson. And right now, he’s giving Cardinals fans a reason to believe there’s light at the end of this rebuilding tunnel.
Burleson, 27, is coming off a breakout season that earned him a Silver Slugger Award, and the numbers back up the hype. He slashed .290/.343/.459 with 18 home runs and 69 RBI over 497 plate appearances-production that firmly planted him as a key contributor in the middle of the Cardinals’ lineup.
But it wasn’t just the surface stats that impressed. Under the hood, Burleson showed real growth in key areas: his bat speed ticked up, his barrel rate improved, and he cut down on chasing pitches out of the zone.
He also increased his walk rate, a sign that he’s seeing the ball better and making smarter decisions at the plate.
That kind of progress isn’t just encouraging-it’s the kind of development that front offices dream about during a rebuild. When a player starts to put it all together like this, especially in his prime years, it gives the organization options. And in Burleson’s case, those options could lead in a few different directions.
If he continues to trend upward-and his track record suggests he might-Burleson could become a fixture in trade conversations come July. With three years of club control remaining, he’d be a valuable asset for a contender looking to add a proven bat. And if the Cardinals’ path back to contention looks like it’s still a couple of years away, it’s not hard to imagine them listening to offers.
But that’s just one possible outcome. There’s also a very real scenario where Burleson becomes a foundational piece for the next great Cardinals team.
His steady year-over-year improvement, combined with his age and offensive upside, makes him an ideal candidate to build around. If he keeps producing like he did last year-or even takes another step forward-he’s not just a Silver Slugger.
He’s in the All-Star conversation. Maybe even a dark-horse MVP candidate.
For now, though, the focus is on 2026, and Burleson is clearly a player to watch. He’s earned the spotlight with his performance, and he’s got the tools to keep it. In a season where the Cardinals are looking for answers and building blocks, Burleson stands out as both.