Evaluating 4 of the St. Louis Cardinals’ top prospects

The St. Louis Cardinals have been using their farm system more than usual this season. In doing so, how have their prospects done in the majors?

Entering this season, the St. Louis Cardinals were a wild card. This team fluctuated from being the best team in the National League Central, potential World Series contender, with some feeling that they would miss the playoffs.

My thoughts on the matter before the season was that the Cardinals should’ve done more to give themselves a chance at the World Series. My reasoning, simply, is because the teams that you will have to beat — the Dodgers, Padres, Giants and Brewers — didn’t get worse. But of course, this was at the beginning of the season. Now I understand why they didn’t spend the money on some of the free agents.

Over the course of the past couple weeks, the Cardinals have promoted a few of top tier prospects. However, this season has been one for the ages as far as prospects being promoted. Between Jarred Kelenic, Julio Rodriguez, Spencer Torkelson, Adley Rutschman, C.J. Abrams and Royce Lewis, it’s been pretty crazy seeing all of these young guys making the jump to the big leagues.

The prospects that the Cardinals have promoted include Nolan Gorman (MLB.com’s No. 27 ranked prospect), LHP Matthew Liberatore (MLB.com’s No. 36 ranked prospect) and C Ivan Herrera (MLB.com’s No. 99 ranked prospect). And the craziest part of all of this is that it all happened in the matter of a week.

While the Cardinals currently have their Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 6 rated prospects all in the major leagues, it doesn’t mean much if they don’t stay up there since Liberatore and Herrera are up because of injuries. So what can they do to stay up long-term?