ESPN's latest list signifies that the Cardinals are on the fast track to respectability

The St. Louis Cardinals are a team on the upswing. The proud owners of the second-ranked farm system in baseball according to Baseball America, the Cardinals also boast talent at the highest level, and ESPN.com took notice, placing two members of the team in their list of the top 50 players of the 2026 season.

ESPN placed Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt 32nd on the list, deeming him to be in a "commanding lead" in the race for National League Rookie of the Year and noting that his numbers could be even flashier, as he's been unlucky on some balls in play. The blurb lauded his defense at the keystone, which has been elite and far better than advertised.

At 45th on the list is Jordan Walker, the right fielder who is capitalizing on his immense promise that he showed when ascending through the minor leagues. He clubbed 22 home runs in the first half of the season and added an exclamation mark by winning the Home Run Derby. It might surprise some fans that Walker isn't ranked over Wetherholt, but Walker hasn't rediscovered his power in the second half yet, hitting just one home run, and ESPN's Buster Olney said that Walker needs to improve his 3-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

The presence of Jordan Walker and JJ Wetherholt should expedite the Cardinals' rebuild

Prior to the 2026 baseball season, baseball writers and analysts were telling Cardinals fans to hunker down and brace for a year that many Cardinals supporters had never endured in their lives. But as the season unfolded and the Cardinals outperformed all but the boldest of predictions, fans began to hope that the formidable tunnel back to success was far shorter than it originally appeared to be.

Wetherholt and Walker could be the stars that the Cardinals have long failed to develop internally. The team has managed to churn out plenty of supporting parts, but not since Albert Pujols have the Cardinals concocted a bona fide stud. Now, with Walker owning the higher ceiling and Wetherholt the higher floor, the Cardinals have two players who could become franchise-altering icons. The hard part is done; the Cardinals now just need to find players like Brendan Donovan and Tommy Edman to complement them, and that's something they've historically excelled at.

The Cardinals have hoarded an envious stash of prospects, and it's likely that at least a few of them will become solid additions to the roster. But as the rebuild hurtles forward at a speed that few anticipated, President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom will need to decide when it's time to change course and start selling off some of those up-and-coming youngsters for established major league talent.

Before Bloom enters buying mode, though, he'll need to continue to address the pitching pipeline and see which of the myriad of hurlers in the minors can adjust to the big leagues. Quinn Mathews, Liam Doyle and Jurrangelo Cijntje are just a few of the names knocking on the door for a rotation spot sooner rather than later, and if one or more of them show they can handle the highest level, Bloom may need to trade for a true ace to get the team over the top. It will require a careful balance of being successful enough to buy pieces while still retaining a strong farm system so Bloom still has pieces that a team willing to give up a top-flight pitcher will covet.

Most players on the Cardinals have never been a part of a winning team in St. Louis, but with two young stars in Walker and Wetherholt leading the way, Bloom now has the pieces to form a competitor around. It will be fascinating to see when he decides to push in the chips.

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