The Cardinals may have stars in the making with their May prospects of the month

While all eyes are on the St. Louis Cardinals' youth movement at the Major League level, Rainiel Rodriguez and Tekoah Roby deserve just as much attention with their play in the minor leagues this year.

The Cardinals announced Friday morning that Rodriguez and Roby were their Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Month for May after both players exploded for eye-popping numbers down on the farm. Rodriguez led all Cardinals minor leagueres in OBP, SLG, OPS, HR, XBH, R, and was top 10 in RBI, BB, and total bases. Rodriguez did most of his damage in the Florida Complex League, but just received a promotion to Single-A Palm Beach, where he slugged a massive home run in his first game at the level.

Roby was dynamic on the mound for Double-A Springfield, striking out 33 batters in 23.1 innings, posting a 3.86 ERA and 1.03 WHIP. Like Rodriguez, Roby ranked first among all Cardinals minor league pitchers in SO, SO/9, K/BB ratio, and third in WHIP as well.

Both players should have Cardinals fans' attention right now, as they could be emerging as future impact players for the organization

Rainiel Rodriguez and Tekoah Roby's hot months of May highlight their upside as prospects.

Neither guy is a top 100 prospect right now, but I'd be surprised if you don't see their names jumping onto lists like that in the very near future.

Rodriguez, who is just 18 years old, is showcasing major power potential right now, and while he's still far away from St. Louis and needs to show more to truly solidify himself as a top-end prospect, he was receiving hype going into the season by scouts around the industry, and his play this year is making it hard to deny how good he may become. Rodriguez is a catcher right now, and while there are questions regarding his future at that position, his bat could be so special that the position really doesn't matter.

Roby, who was acquired alongside Thomas Saggese in the Jordan Montgomery trade back in 2023, finally looks like the guy the Rangers were so high on before they dealt him, in large part due to him being healthy on the mound. Roby looks in control on the mound, trusting his dynamic stuff to produce swings and misses and attack hitters at a high level.

Both players have a chance to be a significant part of the Cardinals' core going forward. Rodriguez boasts 70-grade in-game power, something the Cardinals desperately need in their lineup moving forward (and frankly, every club wants that kind of power). Roby has that upside the Cardinals rotation lacks: elite swing and miss, while limiting damage as well.