It is no secret that the Cardinals have stockpiled minor league talent, but how did that talent develop in 2026? Let’s take a look at every player who started the season as a ranked prospect in the system.
Here are the rules:
- Only players who started the year in the organization will be considered, so trade deadline acquisitions and the 2026 draft class are out of scope.
- I will use the preseason FanGraphs list since it goes 53 deep and casts the widest net of any prospect list.
- Every player must be given one of four designations:
- Stock Up = the player improved at least one grade tier (e.g. 45+ to 50 Future Value)
- Stock Ticking Up = the player had a positive season, but not enough to change their grade
- Stock Ticking Down = the player had a negative season, but not enough to change their grade
- Stock Down = the player regressed at least one grade tier
I will go in reverse order of the FanGraphs preseason ranking. I am not including the future value tier that FanGraphs assigned to each prospect because I do not want to muddy the waters with debating where the player should have ranked coming into the year. For example, I would not have ranked Pete Hansen in my top-20 Cardinals prospects with a 40+ FV, as FanGraphs did. So, my evaluation for Hansen of “Stock Ticking Up” means that I think he had a positive season, not that I agree with his FanGraphs grade. Said another way, I’m not re-grading every prospect, just judging which direction each one moved, regardless of where he started. Clear as mud. Alright, on to the list!
53. Branneli Franco, RHP, Low-A – Stock Ticking Down
Franco was terrible in the Complex League, but then put together 15 solid innings in Palm Beach as a 19-year-old. He showed impressive stuff with a fastball in the mid-to-upper 90s, but the 7.54 season ERA is ugly.
52. Sebastian Dos Santos, SS, Low-A – Stock Up
Dos Santos put together the second-best age-18 season of any Cardinals hitting prospect in the last two decades. He already has great plate discipline and an ability to drive the ball in the air and should be hitting national top-100 lists early next season.
51. Carlos Carrion, SS, DSL – Stock Ticking Down
Carrion was the Cardinals’ second-biggest international signee after Emanuel Luna, but missed most of the season with injury and was unproductive in his 10-game cameo in the DSL.
50. Chase Davis, CF, Triple-A – Stock Ticking Down
Davis made it to Triple-A and showed off above-average plate discipline and incredible exit velocity metrics. Unfortunately, he still has not figured out how to turn this skill set into production as he struggled to an 81 wRC+ in Memphis.
49. Won-Bin Cho, OF, Double-A – Stock Up
Cho had a breakout year, finally cracking the High-A level on his third try and earning a promotion to Springfield. He more than doubled his ISO to .231 and improved his K/BB rate substantially to give the Cardinals a hard 40-man roster decision this offseason.
48. Jack Gurevitch, 1B/3B, Double-A – Stock Up
Gurevitch advanced from Palm Beach to Peoria and finally to Springfield while swatting 32 home runs and carrying a 127 wRC+. He has real big swing-and-miss issues, but he definitely juiced his prospect status with his in-game power results.
47. Bryan Torres, UT, MLB – Stock Ticking Up
Torres completed his personal odyssey to triumphantly reach St. Louis. He might have just enough versatility to stick around in some capacity.
46. Colton Ledbetter, OF, Triple-A – Stock Ticking Down
Ledbetter salvaged his season after a stint on the development list and ran a 125 wRC+ over his last 68 games. He improved offensively while advancing a level, but it may not be enough to earn him a 40-man spot this offseason.
45. Randel Clemente, RHP, Double-A – Stock Ticking Down
Clemente improved his BB%… from 26.1% to 19.9%. He has some of the best stuff in the system but is running out of time.
44. Yordy Herrera, LHP, Low-A – Stock Down
Herrera was released in July.
43. Matt Pushard, RHP, MLB – Stock Down
Pushard did not stick in St. Louis after being selected in the Rule 5 draft.
42. Frank Elissalt, RHP, High-A – Stock Down
Elissalt, part of the return package for Ryan Helsley, missed the entire season with an injury, but at least he has returned to action in the AFL.
41. Mason Molina, LHP, Triple-A – Stock Up
Molina was one of the biggest risers in the system as he dismantled Double-A and finished the season in Memphis in his age-22 season. His 150 strikeouts ranked 12th in MiLB, and he now looks like a potential back-of-the-rotation arm as early as next season.
40. Ethan Young, RHP, Low-A – Stock Ticking Down
Young only managed to pitch 31 innings, but ended the year healthy. Despite a 7.26 ERA, he had decent underlying numbers and flashed good stuff at Palm Beach.
39. Jack Martinez, RHP, High-A – Stock Ticking Up
Martinez struck out 121 batters in 93.2 innings at the Low-A and High-A levels. His slider was ranked as one of the best in the minors by Baseball America.
38. Skylar Hales, RHP, Triple-A – Stock Down
Hales walked too many and carried a 6.34 ERA at Memphis while losing a tick off his fastball. He is Rule 5 eligible and seems unlikely to be protected.
37. Jose Davila, RHP, Double-A – Stock Down
Davila converted to relief and posted decent, if unspectacular, numbers while finishing in Double-A.
36. Braden Davis, LHP, Double-A – Stock Ticking Down
Davis held his own in Double-A and cut his walk rate from 16.6% to 14.4%, but his strikeout rate fell from 33.8% to 28.3%.
35. Blake Aita, RHP, Double-A – Stock Ticking Down
Aita advanced to Double-A and threw over 100 decent innings on the year, but did not distinguish himself in a loaded system and struggled to keep the ball in the yard.
34. Nate Dohm, RHP, Double-A – Stock Down
Dohm battled injuries and command problems while pitching to a 7.19 ERA over 61.1 innings. He still has huge stuff and potential upside, but 2026 was a setback.
33. Yhoiker Fajardo, RHP, Double-A – Stock Up
Fajardo was one of four teenagers to pitch in Double-A across all of baseball and one of the biggest risers in the system. His fastball is not overwhelming, but he rode his off-speed pitches to a sensational 22.3% K-BB% on the year.
32. Austin Love, RHP, Triple-A – Stock Down
Love struggled to a 6.52 ERA at Springfield and Memphis and walked almost a batter per inning after his promotion.
31. Luis Gastelum, RHP, MLB – Stock Ticking Up
Gastelum carried a mediocre 4.64 ERA and 19/12 K/BB ratio through his first 18 Triple-A games before turning into a terror, posting a 0.00 ERA and running a 30/5 K/BB ratio over his final 18 games. He started off rocky in St. Louis but pitched to a 2.31 ERA with a 34/7 K/BB ratio over his final 23.1 innings.
30. Emanuel Luna, OF, DSL – Stock Ticking Up
Luna turned heads in just nine games by hitting three DSL bombs, carrying a 226 wRC+, and hitting a ball 115.8 mph. It is an incredibly small sample size, but his K% of 18.2% was encouraging as well.
29. Juan Rujano, C, CPX – Stock Down
Rujano entered the season with some hype from the third-party outlets after a solid DSL debut in 2025, but struggled to a 68 wRC+ in the Complex League in his stateside debut.
28. Leonel Sequera, RHP, High-A – Stock Down
Sequera had decent strikeout and walk numbers, but for a player with a questionable fastball, the 1.92 HR/9 and 7.23 ERA are too much to overlook.
27. Cesar Prieto, IF, MLB – Stock Ticking Down
Prieto had the best Triple-A numbers of his career in 2026, but was downright horrible in his St. Louis cup of coffee.
26. Blaze Jordan, 3B, MLB – Stock Up
Blaze crushed Triple-A with a rare blend of power and contact, had solid underlying offensive metrics in 58 major league games, and graded out above average defensively at third. After being left exposed to the Rule 5 draft last offseason, he put himself back in the team’s plans with a strong 2026.
25. Nathan Church, CF, MLB – Stock Ticking Up
Church ended with a slash line remarkably close to his preseason ZiPS projection, so this is a tough one. His status as the presumed starting center fielder shows the Cardinals have confidence in him beyond his surface-level numbers, so that will be the tiebreaker.
24. Tanner Franklin, RHP, Double-A – Stock Up
Franklin has been an up-arrow guy since the day he was drafted. Recently, Baseball America argued that he might have the best stuff of any pitcher in the minor leagues.
23. Cade Crossland, LHP, High-A – Stock Ticking Down
Crossland was a strikeout and walk machine in Palm Beach, but showed improved control at the end of the season in Peoria. He averaged only 92.1 mph on his fastball after topping out at 98 mph in college, so his ceiling may be more limited than we thought on draft day.
22. Sem Robberse, RHP, Triple-A – Stock Down
Robberse had a second season mostly wiped out by injury.
21. Cooper Hjerpe, LHP, MLB – Stock Ticking Up
Hjerpe successfully returned from Tommy John and earned his call-up by striking out 13.07 per nine across 42 minor league innings. The control and health remain huge question marks, but it was a positive year for Hjerpe.
20. Jesus Baez, SS, Double-A – Stock Up
Baez entered the year as a nice lottery ticket with tools to dream on. He leaves it with 39 home runs and underlying metrics that ranked him as the second-best 21-year-old hitter in the minors according to Baseball America’s HIT+, trailing only Josue De Paula.
19. Pete Hansen, LHP, Triple-A – Stock Ticking Up
Hansen actually posted decent numbers in Memphis with ERA, FIP, and xFIP between 4.18 and 4.53 across 101.1 innings. His upside seems limited to a John King-type career, but he will probably debut for someone at some point.
18. Hancel Rincon, RHP, MLB – Stock Ticking Up
Rincon followed up his breakout 2025 campaign in Springfield with a nice run at Memphis that led to his St. Louis debut and a 40-man roster spot. He has already moved to the bullpen, but his 21.4% K-BB% was the best in Triple-A for pitchers who threw 70+ innings.
17. Brycen Mautz, LHP, MLB – Stock Down
Mautz looked like a back-end rotation candidate with upside following his 2025 breakout in Springfield. After a rough season, you would be thrilled if he turned into a meaningful relief piece.
16. Ixan Henderson, LHP, Triple-A – Stock Down
Henderson started the year injured, made it back for one start at Memphis, and then landed back on the 60-day IL. His status going into next year is unclear, but this year was an unfortunate setback for one of the big 2025 breakout prospects.
15. Chen-Wei Lin, RHP, Double-A – Stock Ticking Up
Lin had a solid season behind the more heralded pitching prospects in the Springfield rotation, cutting his BB% from 17.5% to 11.2% across 102.2 innings. It wasn’t a full breakout, but it was progress for a pitcher with substantial upside.
14. Tai Peete, CF, Double-A – Stock Up
Peete started to translate his raw power into game power in 2026, posting an ISO of .254 while advancing to Double-A. His hit tool is still a question, but he improved his contact rate in Springfield and is obliterating the AFL.
13. Ryan Mitchell, OF, Low-A – Stock Ticking Up
Mitchell is still a bit of a project and will need to add strength to keep advancing through the system. Still, he held his own in full-season ball as a 19-year-old who had limited exposure to elite competition in high school.
12. Tekoah Roby, RHP, Triple-A – Stock Ticking Up
Roby missed the entire season, as expected, so you cannot dock him for that. Back on the mound in the AFL, he has struck out 13 in 9.2 scoreless innings while topping out at 99 mph.
11. Tink Hence, RHP, Triple-A – Stock Down
Hence was injured and ineffective while losing his 40-man roster spot.
10. Quinn Mathews, LHP, MLB – Stock Ticking Up
Mathews showed marginal improvements in his second go at Memphis, but the walks were still concerning. His first nine starts for St. Louis were impressive, and if the improved control sticks, he will be a fixture in the rotation for years.
9. Leo Bernal, C, MLB – Stock Up
Bernal continued his methodical climb through the minors with an excellent showing in Triple-A as a 22-year-old. His impressive major league debut was enough to finally put him on the national radar and in top-100 prospect lists where he belongs.
8. Yairo Padilla, SS, High-A – Stock Ticking Up
Padilla showed off exceptional Statcast data in the Florida State League, posting above-major-league-average exit velocity numbers as a 19-year-old shortstop. Injuries limited him to 37 games and kept him from having a true breakout, but I was highly encouraged by the improvements we saw.
7. Joshua Baez, OF, MLB – Stock Ticking Up
Baez gave up some of the contact gains that fueled his 2025 breakout, but showed the power was real, hitting 41 home runs between Triple-A and the majors. His productive 30-game MLB trial run is enough for me to come away feeling positive about his season overall.
6. Brandon Clarke, LHP, Double-A – Stock Ticking Down
Clarke was electric in limited innings and seemed to be improving his control as the season went on. Still, he threw only 29.2 innings, failing to alleviate the biggest concern in his profile.
5. Jurrangelo Cijntje, RHP, Triple-A – Stock Ticking Up
Cijntje quietly put together an excellent season and, unlike many recent Cards prospects, had no issue adjusting to Triple-A. Finishing second in MiLB in strikeouts and the strong finish at Triple-A are enough for me.
4. Jimmy Crooks, C, MLB – Stock Ticking Down
Crooks doubled his Barrel% and cut his chase rate by 5% in Triple-A while putting up video-game numbers. But he is already 25 and failed to prove it in St. Louis in his second cup of coffee.
3. Rainiel Rodriguez, C, Double-A – Stock Up
Rodriguez had huge expectations coming into the season and was largely living up to those in the first half, earning a promotion to Double-A after tearing up the Midwest League. Then in July he went ballistic and hit .390 with 16 bombs over his final 44 games to establish himself as the best hitting prospect in the minors.
2. Liam Doyle, LHP, Double-A – Stock Ticking Down
Doyle had an adjustment period to Double-A but finished strong over his final 11 starts with a 1.78 ERA, a 30.3% strikeout rate, an improved 12.4% walk rate, and only 0.49 HR/9. He basically held serve throughout the season, but since he has nudged down slightly on top-100 lists, we will be conservative.
1. JJ Wetherholt, 2B, MLB – Stock Up
Wetherholt’s offensive performance was in line with preseason projections and his defense wildly exceeded expectations. His .029 gap between expected and actual wOBA was the third unluckiest among qualified hitters.
And finally, here are the players who were not ranked coming into the year who should be ranked in the Cardinals’ top 30 heading into next season.
Miguel Hernandez, SS, Low-A
After a successful run in the Complex League, Hernandez bashed out a 163 wRC+ over 103 plate appearances in Low-A as an 18-year-old. Like Dos Santos, he will start making noise on national lists with a good start to 2027.
Deniel Ortiz, 1B/3B, Double-A
Ortiz was criminally omitted from the FanGraphs preseason prospect list, but that surely won’t happen again. He improved his contact rate by 10% while moving up to Double-A and mashed a 120 wRC+, despite a wrist injury that sapped some of his power.
Jacob Odle, RHP, High-A
It was Jacob Odle, not Tanner Franklin or Liam Doyle, who graded out as having the best starting-pitcher Stuff+ in the system by Baseball America (sixth in MiLB). Odle will need to improve on his 15.5% BB%, but his 34.1% K% was the best in the system.
Xavier Cruz, RHP, Low-A
Cruz came out of nowhere in 2026, flashing an upper-90s fastball and insane spin rates in the Complex League and at Palm Beach. In Jake Wood’s excellent podcast earlier this week, Moises Rodriguez compared his arm talent to that of Tanner Franklin.
The Final Tally
Stock Up: 12
Stock Ticking Up: 15
Stock Ticking Down: 13
Stock Down: 13
Brycen Mautz and Nate Dohm were the two I was highest on who took a step back this year. You are always going to have some pitcher injuries, and Elissalt and Henderson both losing a year was disappointing. Tink Hence is really in a separate category since his decline started in 2025 and he just did not bounce back the way we hoped. The rest of the prospects who slipped a full grade, by my evaluation, were lower-impact.
The raw numbers understate just how successful this season was from a development perspective. Top prospects’ performance has an outsized impact on the health of a system. The Wetherholt, Bernal, and Rainiel seasons alone would have been enough to make this a pretty positive season for the system. No players in the preseason top 10 performed poorly enough to move them down a FV tier. When you add the Franklin, Fajardo, and Molina breakouts on the pitching side along with the emergence of Dos Santos, Jesus Baez, and Miguel Hernandez on the hitters’ side, you have to be incredibly happy with the results.
Final Grade: A+
Now, the important part. Which player evaluations do you disagree with? Who did I miss?
