A universal truth about baseball in 2026 is that a big league roster will churn through different players in the organization to get through a full 162-game season. The Cardinals will be no exception to that rule, especially in a season that is designed to see what the young talent in the organization can do as they continue to look towards contention in future seasons. Someone seems to have forgotten to tell the Cardinals that they aren’t contenders, already having secured their 20th win of the season on May 2nd. It’s unlikely the Cardinals’ front office will look to make big investments into the roster around this year’s trade deadline. Therefore, they will require the help of internal depth to push for anything meaningful in 2026 should the team continue to remain Cinderella’s carriage and avoid becoming the pumpkin everyone foresaw on March 25th.
Obviously, the Cardinals already have guys like Lars Nootbaar, Joshua Baez, Jimmy Crooks, Hunter Dobbins, and Brycen Mautz on the 40-man roster, so they don’t qualify for this discussion. If you’re going to surprise the industry all season long, the Cardinals are going to need some unexpected contributors to continue keeping oppositions off balance.
Here are five players who could contribute to the 2026 Cardinals:
1B/3B Blaze Jordan
So far, in 2026, Blaze Jordan is doing everything possible to get the Cardinals’ front office to say “uncle” when it comes to twisting their arm to add him to the big league club. Slashing .308/.357/.561 -> .918 OPS, 136 wRC+, and a .253 ISO. As you can see from the graphic via Prospect Savant, Blaze Jordan is hitting for average and power while not striking out or sacrificing swing and miss, like teammate Jimmy Crooks has thus far. Blaze Jordan doesn’t walk very much, and he’s very clearly there to swing the bat. If Blaze can continue doing what he’s done in the first month of the season, the Cardinals will have to find a way to make room for a hitter who could contribute even more offense.
LHP Quinn Matthews
It’s been a struggle for the 2024 MiLB pitcher of the year over the last 13+ months. Quinn Matthews has really struggled and battled with his command, and the transition to the big league ball has been a unique challenge that has taken an extended period of time for Quinn to get on the other side of. His last couple of starts for Memphis have been better in that regard, and if he can get his walk rate to a more reasonable level, then the swing and miss he has in his performance is something that the Cardinals are sorely lacking in, and Matthews could force the issue and make his long-anticipated debut.
RHP Max Rajcic
Former starter – turned multi-inning reliever, Max Rajcic, at only 24 years old, could give the Cardinals another bridge option for their bullpen. Similar to what Kyle Leahy was able to provide for the Cardinals last season, Rajcic has multiple uniquely shaped pitches and a sort of fringey fastball. In a season where the Cardinals will be searching all season long for answers to their innings questions, Rajcic could be an easy internal option who most fans probably aren’t keeping a very close eye on.
RHP Hancel Rincon
Another relief option that could be emerging for Memphis is Hancel Rincon. Rincon received a pretty significant look in spring action this year, and the Cardinals have clearly identified him as someone they like a lot and have been fairly aggressive in promoting him thus far. Rincon’s calling card is his changeup, which is very effective at killing spin, only generating 1354 RPMs. The fastball sits 94-95 with an expected BA of .184 but a HH% of 47%. That will require some attention, but the fastball shape is something that can be adjusted, and once it is, Rincon could become a real option for the big-league club down the stretch in 2026. His slider is the other option that Rincon features, and his command of the pitch is another area in need of cleanup, but the early returns are encouraging, and he could be a weapon for Oli Marmol in the near future.
2B/3B Ramon Mendoza
The fifth and final player is Ramon Mendoza, and this one comes with the need for some help in terms of a chain reaction of events. If the Cardinals move on from another Ramon (Urias), then Mendoza would similarly fit on the roster. Mendoza’s numbers don’t jump off the page, but if the Cardinals find themselves in need of a RH bat off the bench, then Mendoza could find his way to St. Louis. Looking back to spring, the Cardinals seemed to give Mendoza a lot of opportunities late in games, and the current coaching staff likely has a good idea of what Mendoza is and could be.
The 2026 Cardinals have some interesting depth on and off the back of the 40-man roster this year, and how and when they choose to deploy it, and get a feel for what they might have moving forward, will be an interesting dynamic to watch unfold. For now, we can enjoy the unexpected ride of a team that is playing above its expectations and can wait a little while longer for the future.
-Thanks for reading
