Cardinals Struck Gold With Dustin May-Brewers Deadline Swap

The St. Louis Cardinals traded two key pieces within the division in a surprise move ahead of the 2026 Major League Baseball trade deadline.

The 2026 trade deadline was Chaim Bloom's first one leading the Cardinals as the team's president of baseball operations and the club did a very good job. St. Louis traded Dustin May and JoJo Romero within the division to the Milwaukee Brewers and dealt Lars Nootbaar to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

It's always tough for a fanbase to see a sale, but the Cardinals got serious value back in return, especially from the Brewers. For Romero and May, the Cardinals got No. 4 prospect Alexander Frias and Double-A outfielder Josiah Ragsdale.

The Cardinals Did Well In Their Deal With Milwaukee

The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers’ Josiah Ragsdale (4) against the Peoria Chiefs during their baseball game at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute, Wis. on Wednesday, April 15, 2026 in Grand Chute, Wis. The Timber Rattlers defeated Peroria 7-4. Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Frias got the most buzz of the two initially, but that doesn't mean that Cardinals fans should forget about Ragsdale. He has the potential to really help this club out in the long run, and quicker than Frias. Ragsdale has played in just one game in the Cardinals' organization and already showed what he can do. Ragsdale made his Double-A Springfield debut on Wednesday and smashed a homer in his first at-bat.

HOME RUN FREAKING JOSIAH RAGSDALE!!!
110 MPH OFF OF THE BAT
OVER THE VIDEO BOARD pic.twitter.com/7ZlwrYpCy7
— Kyle Reis, 58% Neanderthal (@kyler416) August 6, 2026

Overall, he went 2-for-4 in his debut in the Cardinals' organization with one homer, one RBI and one run scored. With his homer, he now has 20 on the season overall. Last year, he didn't hit a single home run after being selected in the seventh round of the 2025 MLB Draft and playing in 22 games in the Brewers' organization.

What makes him stand out is the fact that he does a bit of everything. It's just Aug. 6, and yet he already has 20 homers, 31 stolen bases, and 21 doubles. Already having a 20-20-20 season at this point in the campaign, and in his first full season of professional baseball, is a bit absurd.

Overall, he's slashing .319/.442/.589 with a 1.031 OPS, 20 homers, 31 stolen bases, 21 doubles and 52 RBIs in 87 games played. That production will certainly play. And to get him, plus the club's new No. 4 prospect, all the Cardinals had to give up was Romero, who is a pending free agent, and May, who is very likely also going to be a free agent as well.

You can't ask for much more from a deadline deal while trying to bring prospects to town. Every prospect is a gamble. There's no way to know whether either could live up to the lofty potential right now. But the fanbase should be very excited about both.

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