Cardinals have very interesting prospects becoming Rule 5 eligible this offseason

Ahead of an uncertain offseason around all of Major League Baseball, it's hard to know when (or even if) certain offseason events will happen. But assuming there is a Rule 5 draft at some point, the St. Louis Cardinals have at least four prospects who make very interesting cases to be added to their 40-man roster.

Any player who is Rule 5 elgible and not added to a club's 40-man roster prior to this offseason's deadline is subject to the Rule 5 draft, where an opposing organization may select that player to join their 40-man roster and must keep the player on their MLB roster for the entirety of that following season.

The Cardinals group of prospects who provide the most intrigue have a complicated layer: not quite being MLB-ready (outside of perhaps one name). All four could make a debut in 2027 if all goes well, but none of the three should be near the Opening Day roster. On one hand, this makes it less likely they'd be selected in the Rule 5 draft, but on the other hand, they have enough potential that risking losing them seems like a bad idea.

Here are four names who are Rule 5 elgible for the Cardinals this offseason

SS Jesus Baez

The biggest name on this list, Jesus Baez, had a huge season in his first full year with the Cardinals organization, mashing 39 home runs and driving in 109 runs in the minor league regular season this year.

Baez wrapped up his time this year with Double-A Springfield and could see himself on top 100 prospect lists ahead of the 2027 season. His huge 2026 campaign included a 1.034 OPS in 59 games at Double-A, and he's firmly placed his name in the mix for the Cardinals' third base job in the future. I would not be surprised at all to see him make his MLB debut next season.

My guess is the Cardinals would not risk the potential of another club selecting Baez, but it is a lot rarer to see a bat that's not really MLB-ready selected in the Rule 5 draft. But it's also rare to see a guy who has real MLB potential and over 40 home runs when you include postseason play available for selection.

OF Won-Bin Cho

Like Baez, Cho broke out at the plate during the 2026 season, slashing .271/.392/.501 with 20 home runs, 74 RBI, and 30 stolen bases in 110 games across High-A and Double-A.

Cho has a lot of work to do defensively, as those who watched him roam the outfield this year know well, but it's hard to ignore the potential he's shown with his bat. Even so, I'm not sure that offensive upside is high enough to make the jump to the Majors already.

LHP Ixan Henderson

Ixan Henderson threw just 13.2 innings in 2026 due to injuries, making him unlikely in my eyes to be selected by an opposing organization in the Rule 5 draft, but he is an arm that is close to making his MLB debut, so maybe another club would want to take a chance on him.

In 2025, Ixan Henderson posted a 2.59 ERA in 25 starts (132 innings of work), rising as a prospect in the system and proving he has potential to be a back-end starter or bullpen piece in the future. I fully expect Henderson to be a name the Cardinals watch closely early in 2027 for a call-up, but I don't think they need to protect him from the draft.

RHP Jacob Odle

This has to be the most interesting case on the list. Jacob Odle, who was drafted in the 14th-round of the 2023 MLB Draft, has always had big-time stuff but did not put things together until this season. In 24 games (22 starts), Odle has posted a 3.19 ERA in 96 innings across Low-A and High-A.

He has some of the highest upside of any pitching prospect in the Cardinals organization, but he is likely a few years away from making his MLB debut. But I could see an organization snagging Odle, trying to keep him in their bullpen for 2027, and then developing him as a starter in future seasons.

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