Cardinals prospect Tanner Franklin seen as a possible 2027 debut by top talent evaluators

The St. Louis Cardinals seem to have something special in right-handed pitching prospect Tanner Franklin, and Baseball America believes he could make it to the Majors next season.

Named as one of 11 prospects to live up to their spring training hype by Baseball America, Franklin responded to his pre-season buzz with a 3.94 ERA in 25 starts across High-A and Double-A, striking out 29.8% of the batters he faced in 105 innings of work.

When I spoke to people within the Cardinals organization prior to the 2026 season, Franklin's name always came up as someone to keep a very close eye on. Drafted out of the University of Tennessee in the second round of the 2025 MLB Draft, Franklin was a bullpen arm in college but made the jump to starting this year. Franklin showed all of the tools necessary to thrive in that role, and he had a big season because of it.

The production and potential Franklin showed this year was so encouraging that Geoff Pontes of Baseball America even believes he could make his MLB debut before the end of next season.

Tanner Franklin could join the Cardinals rotation in 2027

Franklin's stuff speaks for itself, as he boasts a fastball in the upper-90s with very encouraging off-speed offerings as well. His fastball is a true 70-grade pitch because of the mixture of his velocity, movement, and release traits, and it's a pitch that can carry him a long way. Franklin uses his cutter and slider off of that pitch to keep hitters guessing, and both offerings have improved a ton since his time in college.

Franklin also rises for big moments. In his first-ever postseason start down at Double-A, Franklin struck out nine hitters over 6.1 innings of work, allowing just two runs on seven hits. He's got the presence and arm talent to headline a rotation in the future, and the Cardinals have to be pumped about the idea of him and his Tennessee teammate, Liam Doyle, pitching together in St. Louis.

Franklin is on track to begin the 2027 season in Triple-A, which would put him on the doorstep of an MLB debut next year. It is always worth noting that the baseball changes when you get up to Triple-A, as that level actually uses the MLB ball, unlike other levels. Franklin will have to show he can get results and have good specs on his pitches with that new reality, but it's hard to imagine him not figuring it out at some point.

The Cardinals are likely to return Kyle Leahy, Michael McGreevy, Andre Pallante, and Quinn Mathews to their rotation next season, with the likes of Cooper Hjerpe, Richard Fitts, Jurrangelo Cijnjte, and Doyle fighting for opportunity as the year goes on. Franklin has the talent though to force the issue and end up in St. Louis very, very soon.

Overall, it's hard to have asked for a better year from Franklin, and the right-hander figures to be a big part of the Cardinals future, whether that is in 2027 or soon after.

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