6 biggest 'ifs' toward success for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2025

Several young pitchers need to step up IF the Cardinals want to be successful next year.

As things currently stand, the presumptive starting lineup for the Cardinals in 2025 will be some combination of Sonny Gray, Erick Fedde, Andre Pallante, Miles Mikolas, and Michael McGreevy. The bullpen will definitely consist of Ryan Helsley, Matthew Liberatore, JoJo Romero, John King, and Ryan Fernandez. The remaining three spots have yet to be determined.

This is where the young crop of Cardinals' prospects come in handy.

Players like Michael McGreevy, Riley O'Brien, Gordon Graceffo, Zack Thompson, Quinn Mathews, Sem Robberse, Ian Bedell, Cooper Hjerpe, Matt Svanson, and Drew Rom could hear their names be called next year. Of this bunch, only McGreevy, O'Brien, Graceffo, Thompson, and Drew Rom have made their professional debuts.

In order for the Cardinals to be successful, at least two of these pitchers must be promoted AND pitch well next year. Every one of these pitchers has ample minor-league experience, and some have been quite successful at the highest level of the minors.

Quinn Mathews was voted the minor-league pitcher of the year by Baseball America, Matt Svanson led the Texas League in saves, and Michael McGreevy finished with a 1.96 ERA in 23 innings in the majors last year. These three alone could be knocking on the door of the majors.

Injuries are inevitable in a baseball season. Sometimes, these injuries occur in spring training. If that's the case, these young pitchers better be ready to answer the call and step up to provide meaningful innings at the highest level of baseball. Whether it be in the rotation or the bullpen, the Cardinals will need to see progress from their young pitchers next year.

We don't need to see them become aces for the staff. In fact, the Cardinals don't even need them to pitch as well as Andre Pallante did last year. In a perfect world, two or three of these prospects prove to the organization that they are cut out for the majors in one way or another.

The long-term health depends on multiple pitching prospects making progress and proving that they can play in the majors in 2025. Miles Mikolas, Erick Fedde, and Steven Matz will all be gone at the conclusion of the 2025 season. Consider this year an audition for these young pitchers.