5 prospects the Cardinals could consider trading even in a rebuild

All options are on the table in a full organizational rebuild
Springfield Cardinals v Amarillo Sod Poodles
Springfield Cardinals v Amarillo Sod Poodles | John E. Moore III/GettyImages
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Tekoah Roby

Very similar situation to Tink Hence that applies to many pitchers within the Minor Leagues. Tekoah Roby is a very electric arm that has failed to stay healthy across multiple organizations. Roby, acquired in the 2023 Jordan Montgomery trade with the Texas Rangers, showcased flashes of elite swing-and-miss makeup that appeared to develop into an effective middle-of-the-rotation arm. Instead, Roby has battled injury after injury, with 2025 being one of the more detrimental ones. He tore his UCL and required Tommy John surgery to miss most of the season, and he will miss most of the 2026 season. He has missed time with the Rangers due to an elbow injury and has missed time in both organizations with shoulder injuries. When healthy, Roby is extremely effective, posting a career 10.6 SO/9 and 4.41 ERA in the very tough Texas League. He could be more consistent with health, but we have yet to see this during his career. If Bloom thinks he is more of a liability than an asset, he could be headlining trade packages to help move veteran contracts to retain money.

Joshua Baez

The Cardinals have failed to develop a consistent power bat from their farm system for over a decade. Many prospects have looked promising before they faded out after getting their shot in St. Louis. Where John Mozeliak continually failed is shopping these players when their value was inflated for the brief moment in time. Tyler O'Neill is the prime candidate for this situation, and Mozeliak has even admitted to missing out on capitalizing on the moment. The next candidate for this situation could very well be Joshua Baez. The slugger had the best season of his career in Double-A Springfield in 2025 as part of the Texas League champions Cardinals team. He posted a slash line of .271/.374/.509 (.883) with 15 2B, 16 HR, 55 RBI and 34 SB across 79 games played. He showcased the desired skill set of speed and power, and even flashed the glove, making highlight plays.

His ascension during the 2025 season has many fans hopeful he can take the next step in St. Louis. While fans should be optimistic, realize the Cardinals have been in this situation before. It would be wise to see what his value truly is by calling teams or fielding offers for him during the offseason.

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