Drafted, developed, and blocked: Cardinals’ dilemma with high-floor prospects

Cardinals' top prospects who are in their mid-20s

Quinn Mathews (October 4, 2000 /Age: 25-091d) - Mathews enters Spring Training as a legitimate contender for the Opening Day rotation, but he is at a crossroads. While he impressed in 2025 with a 3.73 ERA and 115 strikeouts in 99 innings at Triple-A Memphis, his season was marred by a dip in velocity and lingering shoulder issues that kept him from a 2025 call-up.

He will have plenty of opportunities, but also a lot of competition. Despite that competition, Mathews is the only lefty in the "prospect, MLB-ready" tier with elite strikeout stuff. 

Outlook: If he is not on the Opening Day roster, expect him to be the first man up.

Jimmy Crooks (July 19, 2001/Age: 24-168d) - Jimmy Crooks enters 2026 as the No. 6  prospect in the Cardinals' system, a left-handed-hitting catcher whose stock skyrocketed after a 2024 Texas League MVP campaign, only to be tempered by a challenging Cardinals debut in late 2025.

Crook's greatest strength is his ability to drive fastballs. However, his weakness is hitting off-speed stuff. His 156 wRC+ was fourth-best among 125 catchers with at least 300 plate appearances in the Minors. Defensively, he is an above-average blocker and framer; pitchers reportedly love his game-calling. During his September 2025 call-up, MLB pitchers exploited his "flat" swing, resulting in a .133 average and a 37% strikeout rate over 45 at-bats.

His biggest obstacle is his position. His competition will be Ivan Herrera, Pedro Pages, and Yohel Pozo. He also has on his heels, if he hasn’t already overtaken him, is the Cardinals’ number four prospect, the 21-year-old Leonardo Bernal. Waiting in the wings is the 18-year-old Rainiel Rodriguez, who is the Cardinals’ #3 prospect.

Outlook: Unless he comes into camp and takes over the starting job, it will be tough for him to make the roster. He is one of those players who would have a better chance with another team. It would make sense to package him as part of a trade. 

Cooper Hjerpe (March 16, 2001/Age: 24-293d) - In 2023, Hjerpe was a first-round draft choice and the seventh-highest prospect on the team. In 2025, he fell to fifteenth. His sweeping slider and tumbling changeup both generated whiff rates near 50% in the minors. However, his glaring weakness is durability. His delivery is high-effort and mechanically complex, which many scouts believe has directly contributed to his history of arm trouble. After a cleanup surgery in 2023, he missed nearly the entire 2025 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in April. He has logged fewer than 100 professional innings since being drafted four years ago. 

Because he is rehabbing from Tommy John, Hjerpe is expected to miss the first half of 2026, with a likely return to game action in July or August. Despite his injury, the Cardinals added him to the 40-man roster in November 2025 to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft—a sign they still value his "unicorn" profile.

Outlook: Hjerpe, because of the Tommy John surgery, will probably not be in the rotation this year. If he sees the majors, it’s possible he may be moved to the bullpen. With his durability issues, this may be his best path to a roster spot.