Evaluating the last 10 hyped prospect debuts for the St. Louis Cardinals

Matthew Liberatore

Matthew Liberatore may be known forever as "the player whom the Cardinals got for Randy Arozarena". It may be unfair to judge Liberatore by that bar, as position players typically advance quicker and have more success earlier than pitchers. Liberatore's first start came on May 21st, 2022 against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

In 4.2 innings in Pittsburgh, Libby allowed 4 runs on 7 hits, had 3 strikeouts, and walked 2 batters. He did not factor in the decision of the game, but the Cardinals did pull off a win. Liberatore's next start was much more promising; he threw five innings, walked 3, struck out 6, and did not give up a run. He got his first career win in that game.

Liberatore is still only 23 years old. He has shown promise in some of his starts, but consistency would be great to see from the tall lefty. He will be fighting for a spot in the rotation next year, so the hope is that he finishes the 2023 season strong. His big curveball paired with a decent off-speed pitch could help him. Fastball velocity will be key to his success in the majors.