One Prospect to Watch at Each Position Group This Spring
Credit: anexismorales on Instagram
Spring training is one of the most unique times of the year, as it is the only time when you will see players 2-3 years away from the majors playing on the same field as some of the game’s best stars, and this makes it a really fun time to see how these young players hold up against better competition. In recent years, we have seen Cardinals prospects who have strong springs leap to the big leagues, and now, in a rebuild, I wouldn’t be surprised if another name or two makes a jump that allows them to make the big league roster or set themselves up for an early-season call-up. Today, I will be sharing one prospect I have my eye on in each position group this spring.
Catcher: Jimmy Crooks
The catching situation is something I wrote about in my last article, which has four main players: Ivan Herrera, Pedro Pages, Jimmy Crooks, and Yohel Pozo. I think it is likely that the Cardinals carry three catchers to start the season, with Ivan Herrera’s status as a full-time catcher still a big question mark. Pedro Pages is a solid defensive catcher that pitchers like and a glue guy in the clubhouse, making him a lock for a spot, which means the last spot comes down to Pozo or Crooks. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Crooks is clearly the better defender behind the plate (even with Pozo losing 33 pounds), and for a franchise that loves solid defensive catchers, that is a big leg up for Crooks. What Pozo has is a solid right-handed bat, which is something the Cardinals lack, and a personality that both teammates and fans love. Crooks is also a respected leader who understands game-calling well (probably better than Pozo). Both will have to perform this spring with the bat, and whoever doesn’t will likely be packing for Memphis to split time with up-and-comer Leonardo Bernal, who himself will be a name to watch this spring.
Infield: Blaze Jordan
Everyone knows that JJ Wetherholt is the most intriguing player in camp as he starts his likely bid for the Opening Day second base spot, and enough people have talked about him that I have decided to go a different direction with this selection in 1B/3B Blaze Jordan. As mentioned above, the Cardinals are looking for someone to provide some right-handed power to the lineup in 2026, and Blaze Jordan has shown the ability to do that in spurts. I’m interested to see what the Cardinals have decided to help him with over the winter. After coming over from the Red Sox in the Steven Matz trade, Jordan really struggled in Memphis, hitting under the Mendoza Line with only a .608 OPS and poor quality-of-contact numbers during his AAA stint between Memphis and Worcester, despite hitting 19 homers on the season. If Blaze can get to better quality of contact this season, he has a real chance at making an MLB debut with the Cardinals’ lack of right-handed hitters. He looks a bit slimmer this spring, and that could help him increase his defensive value, which would only increase his chances at a potential debut.
Outfield: Bryan Torres
While many people will be focused on breakout prospect Joshua Baez, and for good reason, I will be watching one of AAA’s top hitters, Bryan Torres, as he makes a bid to make the 26-man roster this spring. Torres hit .328 with a .441 OBP and a .905 OPS in 2025 for Memphis, leading the International League in on-base percentage. With Lars Nootbaar’s status to start the season unknown, I expect Torres to be in the thick of the battle with Nelson Velázquez, Thomas Saggese, and Jose Fermin for the starting LF spot if Nootbaar has to start the year on the injured list. Even if Torres doesn’t win that spot, there is still a chance that he makes the roster as a utility man, as he has played all three outfield spots along with 2B and 3B in recent seasons, making him more than a capable 26th man on the roster. His participation in the WBC could complicate his chance at making the roster, though if he performs well for Puerto Rico in the tournament, it could only increase his chances of making the team, in my opinion.
Starting Pitcher: Quinn Mathews
After a short stint in camp in 2025, manager Oliver Marmol said that the Cardinals will want to get a longer look at Quinn Mathews during 2026 camp. After a “down” 2025 (ERA+ was still 116 at AAA), in which Mathews posted a 3.93 ERA in 94 AAA innings after a shoulder injury kept him out for a month early in the season, he comes into camp looking to find both fastball command and velocity, the two main areas his injuries caused him to struggle with in 2025. The thing that makes me optimistic about Quinn’s future is the fact that his offspeed offerings were still elite at AAA, despite not having much of a fastball, with the changeup, slider, and curveball all generating whiff rates of 37.8% or above at AAA. He was forced to drop his fastball usage about 8%, and that caused his offspeed offerings to get even sharper, in my opinion, which should serve him well when he eventually finds more fastball command as he had in 2024. With more opportunity this spring, it will be interesting to see how healthy he is and which changes Mathews has made to maximize his potential this season. If he looks healthy and is pitching well, his ceiling should allow him to get to St. Louis fairly quickly, as swing and miss is still something the MLB rotation lacks, and something Mathews can provide.
Relief Pitcher: Luis Gastelum
If there is any relief prospect who can make a big jump and become an immediate impact reliever for the team, it is Gastelum, who features one of the best changeups in all of the minor leagues. Gastelum was one of the top pitchers in the Cardinals system last year, posting a 35.4% K rate, which ranked second among all Cardinals MiLB pitchers, and he led the system in K-BB% at 28.8%. Gastelum will get to pitch on the WBC stage as well this spring as a part of Team Mexico, where he will face both Team USA and Team Italy in Houston, giving him a chance to shine on the big stage. If Gastelum impresses this spring, it could put him right on the doorstep of an MLB debut, with an outside chance of him making the roster out of camp if he really shows out. I’m also watching his Springfield teammate, Austin Love, who found his footing as a reliever in 2025 and is another guy who could position himself for an MLB debut with a strong spring.
