3 Cardinals Who Deserve an MLB Look With 2027 in Mind

The clock is ticking on the 2026 Major League Baseball regular season and at this point, there arguably are a few guys down in Triple-A worth getting a look at in the majors for the St. Louis Cardinals before all is said and done on the campaign.

St. Louis' elimination number is down to one. The Cardinals have a day off on Thursday but could be eliminated depending on how things shake out across the league. If not, then a loss on Friday would knock them out of contention for a playoff spot. The focus of the 2026 season has been on development and the Cardinals have done a very good job integrating young guys into the mix, like JJ Wetherholt, Joshua Báez, Leo Bernal, Quinn Mathews and Luis Gastelum, among others.

Still, with nine games left to go, the Cardinals should look to Triple-A Memphis to give a few other guys a shot in the big leagues before the campaign comes to a close.

Colton Ledbetter — Outfielder

St. Louis Cardinals prospect Colton Ledbetter — Memphis’ Colton Ledbetter (12) watches his hit during the game between the Memphis Redbirds and Nashville Sounds at AutoZone Park in Memphis, Tenn., on June 19, 2026. Memphis defeated Nashville 4-1. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Ledbetter may not be a big-name prospect in the Cardinals' fanbase yet, but this guy is good. He came to town in the Brendan Donovan deal this past offseason from the Tampa Bay Rays. At the time, he was the Rays' No. 24 prospect. Ledbetter has played in 109 games down in Triple-A and has slashed .265/.333/.430 with a .762 OPS, 13 home runs, 54 RBIs, 25 stolen bases, and 23 doubles. With Báez exiting early on Wednesday, it certainly wouldn't hurt to give Ledbetter a shot in the big leagues if the young slugger needs to miss any time.

Jurrangelo Cijntje — Starting Pitcher

Feb 16, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje throws the ball during spring training workouts at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Cijntje also came over in the Donovan deal as the headliner of it. The young switch-pitcher has made 11 starts in Triple-A and has a 4.61 ERA overall, but he has been red-hot lately. In his last eight games, he has pitched to a 2.95 ERA and a 48-to-14 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 39 2/3 innings pitched. In his last four starts, he has a 2.13 ERA and a 20-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 21 innings pitched. He's just getting better and arguably should get a start in the big leagues before the season ends. Then, when Spring Training gets here, he should be in the competition for a rotation spot.

Matt Svanson — Relief Pitcher

Jul 28, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Matt Svanson (49) pitches against the Chicago Cubs in the ninth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Cardinals have seen a lot of Svanson over the last two seasons. In 2025, he was a breakout hurler for the team with a 1.94 ERA in 39 appearances as a rookie. His sophomore season has been a different story. He has a 7.27 ERA in 41 big league appearances and hasn't been in the majors since the end of July. With just a few days left in the season and the bullpen thin, why not give him a chance to see if he can look like he did last year?

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