Cardinals promote dynamic duo to Double-A ahead of trade deadline

The St. Louis Cardinals are reportedly promoting breakout prospects Tai Peete and Tanner Franklin to Double-A Springfield, per Franklin’s father, Jim Franklin, and MiLB Central. 

This season has seen a multitude of prospects rise to the occasion, ascend in rankings, and transform the Cardinals' farm system. Franklin and Peete might be two of the headliners. 

The Cardinals are giving Tai Peete and Tanner Franklin overdue promotions to Double-A

Franklin, 22, was the Cardinals’ second-round pick in 2025 out of the University of Tennessee. 

They bought into his big fastball, tenacious mound presence, and strikeout upside in college–and it’s more than paid off. 

Franklin first introduced himself to Cardinals’ fans during the Spring Breakout games amidst Spring Training. Of all Cardinals’ prospects to take the mound, Franklin stood out and had the most measurable success. 

Since his eye-catching performance, he’s mustered a 4.21 ERA through 72.2 innings and is striking out 11.3 batters per nine innings–though he’s been even better as of late. 

In a post on X by Aidan Gray, he highlighted just how dominant the right-hander has been since the beginning of July: 

Specifically, Franklin’s strikeout-to-walk ratio is electrifying. His ability to command the zone with conviction at such a young age is a big reason why St. Louis is bumping him up. 

Franklin currently ranks as the Cardinals’ number-four prospect according to MLB Pipeline. His 70-grade fastball can’t make it to St. Louis quickly enough. 

Subsequently, Peete is also getting a shot at the next level, and his chance was also overdue. 

This season, the left-handed slugger has made a name for himself as one of the organization’s biggest breakout prospects. 

Acquired in the Brendan Donovan deal with the Seattle Mariners, Peete has a slash line of .283/.356/.583 on the season. Good for an OPS of .939. 

Peete first familiarized himself with the St. Louis faithful with an outlandish performance en route to his first cycle of the season. 

THEN, instead of banking on that for a singular popularity boost, Peete doubled down on his cycle fantasies and logged ANOTHER ONE on August 1. 

He’s an extra-base hit machine, runs well, and has enough swag to supplement an entire roster of dreary pre-deadline Redbirds. 

Peete slots in as MLB Pipeline’s 16th-best Cardinals’ prospect and has an ETA of 2028. At a spritely 20 years old, he’s already turning heads and making Chaim Bloom look like a genius in the process. 

His ability to impact a game with his bat, legs, and arm should provide the Cardinals with plenty to work with moving forward.

St. Louis called this season a rebuild, and then it started winning. Amidst so much chaos at the MLB level–sell or don’t sell, extend or trade, and a flurry of deadline-inspired questions–the baby birds continue to trudge upwards quietly. 

It’s not flashy, and it doesn’t invoke immediate confidence. However, Bloom’s reconfigured farm system is calculated, ascending, and gushing with talent.

Peete and Franklin have definitely become staples for the Redbirds’ long-term plans, either as avid contributors or elite trade chips for the right piece. 

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