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<\/a><\/p>\nJUPITER, FLORIDA – MARCH 14, 2025: Quinn Mathews #68 of the St. Louis Cardinals throws a pitch during the first inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on March 14, 2025 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett\/Diamond Images via Getty Images) Diamond Images\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
There are four healthy pitchers who fit here and even within those four, they fit into two separate categories. The first category is MLB ready now, more or less. It would not be in the least bit surprising if they had entered the MLB rotation by the end of May, by whatever circumstances led them there.<\/p>\n
Hunter Dobbins (4.13 ERA\/3.87 FIP\/4.11 xFIP)<\/p>\n
Richard Fitts (3.97 ERA\/5.02 FIP\/4.66 xFIP)<\/p>\n
Quinn Mathews (#4 VEB prospect)<\/p>\n
Dobbins and Fitts already have experience in the majors leagues. Their MLB stats are in parentheses. Dobbins is technically on the MLB injured list and made his first rehab appearance on Tuesday (it went okay). Fitts has made 15 appearances in two separate seasons. He is making his second start today actually! So check that one out. And Mathews, who made 22 starts at the AAA level and is trying to conquer his control issues. He walked four in the first inning yesterday, so he\u2019s not quite there yet.<\/p>\n
If one of the categories has three pitchers who are clearly the plan to step in for a doubleheader or because of an injury, you can probably guess the other category is \u201cmaybe after the deadline.\u201d Unless things perfectly line up. Brycen Mautz (#13 VEB prospect) is on the 40 man roster, which helps a lot, but he\u2019s kind of fourth on the depth chart right now. If we have a surprise doubleheader and he\u2019s the pitcher who lines up, he\u2019ll probably get a start, but that\u2019s about it for now.<\/p>\n
Guys to pay attention to eventually are Ixan Henderson (#16 VEB prospect), on the 60 day injured list, Pete Hansen, mysteriously injured, Cooper Hjerpe (#15 VEB prospect) and Sem Robberse, both recovering from Tommy John. You\u2019ll have ample warning on all of these guys who will throw rehab appearances at a lower level before they pitch in Memphis.<\/p>\n
Stop what you\u2019re doing to watch them bat<\/p>\n
SPRINGFIELD, MO – JUNE 11: Joshua Baez #52 of the Springfield Cardinals runs home during the game between the Tulsa Drillers and the Springfield Cardinals at Hammons Field on Wednesday, June 11, 2025 in Springfield, Missouri. (Photo by Shanna Stafford\/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)<\/p>\n If you follow the minor leagues like I follow the minor leagues, you mostly ignore the game. That is until a player you\u2019re really interested in steps up to the plate. Might as well not even have the game on if you miss these players. Truly.<\/p>\n OF Joshua Baez (VEB #6 prospect)<\/p>\n C Jimmy Crooks (VEB #8 prospect)<\/p>\n C Leonardo Bernal (VEB #7 prospect)<\/p>\n Yes, the Cardinals have two top ten catching prospects in Memphis right now. We will see Jimmy Crooks soon enough if he keeps playing the way he\u2019s playing. Bernal just got to Memphis, so I\u2019d expect a longer wait. Both of them are potentially starting caliber catchers and how they do offensively in Memphis is actually very relevant because defense won\u2019t be the issue with either. Obviously, what they do in St. Louis is ultimately what matters but if they hit well enough in Memphis, we can probably expect them to hit in St. Louis too!<\/p>\n And Baez is certainly in potential star territory. But he\u2019s only flashed that for one season. How he does in Memphis is directly relevant to the future of the Cardinals. He hasn\u2019t come out guns blazing, but he also isn\u2019t striking out a bunch again. He picked up his first walk and first extra base hit yesterday, and only has three strikeouts in his first 19 plate appearances.<\/p>\n Tink Hence (VEB #10 prospect)<\/p>\n Velazquez isn\u2019t a prospect, but he fits this category. He has yet to get a hit yet. Four games played, not a single hit yet. Seven strikeouts though. The outrage over him not making the team is not going to age well I suspect. Ledbetter, well, he went 0 for 5 with five strikeouts yesterday so he\u2019s had better days. Jordan is off to a\u2026. blazing hot start. These three made the list because they are probable role players if things work out but they have just enough potential to maybe be more. Hence is currently in the bullpen and he\u2019s worth monitoring for sure, but he\u2019s a little less interesting than when he had a guaranteed start.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re watching Memphis Redbirds games to watch relief pitchers who are not on the 40 man roster, you\u2019re in the wrong spot. Clearly you do not need a casual\u2019s guide to the minor leagues. I like all three of these guys, I am not watching Memphis Redbird games to watch them pitch however. I will stick to looking at stats and watching them when they get promoted.<\/p>\n Watch if they\u2019re starting<\/p>\n JUPITER, FL – MARCH 19: Liam Doyle #38 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches during the game between the Washington Nationals and the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Thursday, March 19, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Jared Blais\/MLB Photos via Getty Images) MLB Photos via Getty Images<\/p>\n Liam Doyle (VEB #2 prospect)<\/p>\n Jurrangelo Cjintje (VEB #5 prospect)<\/p>\n These are nationally relevant pitching prospects, so while I have more names to give you, it feels like they should be singled out. These are the kinds of pitching prospects that national folks will watch though, not just dedicated Cardinals fans. I like Dobbins, I like Fitts, I like Mathews, but if you just want to wait for them to make MLB starts, that makes sense. These two you want to go out of your way to watch.<\/p>\n Also special shot-out to #9 VEB prospect Brandon Clarke, who is out until June, and I\u2019m putting him in the Springfield section, but he could very well be in the Peoria section. But he won\u2019t be seen for a good while for now.<\/p>\n Rincon, Lin and Davis are top 20 prospects somewhere – Rincon is by Fangraphs, Davis is by The Cardinal Nation, and Lin is by both sites. Molina isn\u2019t quite there, but he might be the most interesting arm the Cardinals received at the deadline, and for Phil Maton no less. At the very least, he\u2019s interesting just to see if that deadline bears fruit. Also besides Rincon, all of these guys had an argument to starting in Peoria, so it\u2019s a good sign that the Cardinals are putting them in Springfield.<\/p>\n Stop what you are doing to watch them bat<\/p>\n JUPITER, FL – MARCH 19: Deniel Ortiz #57 of the St. Louis Cardinals bats during the game between the Washington Nationals and the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Thursday, March 19, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Jared Blais\/MLB Photos via Getty Images) MLB Photos via Getty Images<\/p>\n Deniel Ortiz (VEB #18 prospect)<\/p>\n Yeah that\u2019s kind of it. Ortiz isn\u2019t really that kind of prospect either, but with the way he hit the ball last year, he could be soon enough. If anyone is going to follow in the footsteps of the previous 13th rounders who shall not be named, it\u2019s this guy. Who just destroyed baseballs and is getting a rather aggressive promotion to Springfield might I add!<\/p>\n In other words, the Springfield outfield. Davis is a former 1st round pick, Honeyman has rarely been healthy, and Levenson neglected to hit for a year. Not appointment viewing, but one of these guys will probably make the majors leagues at least.<\/p>\n Rivas is an all-defense, no hit shortstop. He got to Springfield rather fast, but he\u2019s been stuck there trying to gain some much needed power. Watson and Love are relievers who honestly could be in St. Louis later this year.<\/p>\n Watch if they\u2019re starting<\/p>\n JUPITER, FL – MARCH 19: Yhoiker Fajardo #35 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches during the game between the Washington Nationals and the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Thursday, March 19, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Jared Blais\/MLB Photos via Getty Images) MLB Photos via Getty Images<\/p>\n Tanner Franklin (VEB #12 prospect)<\/p>\n Yhoiker Fajardo (VEB #19 prospect)<\/p>\n I\u2019m not automatically listing top 20 prospects in this section, but you best believe I was going to list Fajardo considering he landed on my top 10. Fajardo is a teenager and will be a teenager all season and he\u2019s already in High A. Franklin goes without saying. He has the stuff to start, he just hasn\u2019t actually thrown more than a couple innings per appearance to prove it. Both players have one thing in common: they may be way higher on next year\u2019s list if they have a great season. Both are the \u201csee them before they were big prospects\u201d hipster picks.<\/p>\n Stop what you\u2019re doing to watch them bat<\/p>\n WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 22: Rainiel Rodriguez #88 of the St. Louis Cardinals at bat during a spring training game against the Houston Astros at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on February 22, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry\/Getty Images) Getty Images<\/p>\n Rainiel Rodriguez (VEB #3 prospect)<\/p>\n I\u2019m taking my description of this category quite literally. So apologies to Jesus Baez, who I believe in, but I\u2019m not going to stop what I\u2019m doing to watch him. So very into prospects Cubs fan will stop what they are doing to watch Raniel Rodriguez bat, that\u2019s how big of a deal he is. Watching Rainiel Rodriguez bat is why you get MiLB, or in my case, happen to have T-Mobile (you guys want to throw me a few bucks for the free publicity?)<\/p>\n For the record, Frank Ellisalt would be here, but he also appears to be injured. And good note in general: if there\u2019s a name that I don\u2019t mention and you\u2019re confused as to why, they probably are injured, because I am using the official press release of the rosters through the minor league teams Twitter accounts. I think Baez is closer to stop what you\u2019re doing than being a prospect sicko, but you guys did not rank him in the top 20, so clearly you don\u2019t agree with me.<\/p>\n Peete and Cho, at least in theory, have actual upside. They could always find themselves on a stronger level, and being a few levels away from the majors and quite young, they do have time. I find Aita interesting because he was in the Willson Contreras trade and I find Nate Dohm interesting because he was in the Ryan Helsley trade. And so was Jesus Baez actually.<\/p>\n Yes, Showalter appears to be healthy right now. He is listed on the active Peoria Chiefs roster. He has landed on a top 20 VEB list before and he\u2019s only 22. He threw 31 innings last season, so I imagine they\u2019d be pretty happy if he could throw 50-60 innings. But it\u2019ll probably be in the bullpen. Findlay was one of those draft picks selected when he was recovering from Tommy John surgery. Last year, he spent most of the year struggling, but finished extremely strong and dominated at this level to finish his season. I\u2019ll be curious if they\u2019ll transition him at starter at all. Kross was the catcher\/DH prospect who exploded in Palm Beach with a bunch of homers, but he didn\u2019t hit so much at Peoria.<\/p>\n Watch if they\u2019re starting<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n