Cardinals Take a Flier on 23-Year-Old Ole Miss Slugger

The St. Louis Cardinals are bringing an intriguing slugger prospect to town.

Ole Miss outfielder Tristan Bissetta (32) kisses his hand after hitting a grand slam in the ninth inning during a NCAA baseball game between Tennessee and Ole Miss at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on April 18, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The St. Louis Cardinals are adding another intriguing prospect into the mix.

On Tuesday, popular X account Redbird Farmhands shared that the Cardinals signed undrafted free agent Tristan Bissetta out of Ole Miss to a minor league deal.

"The Cardinals are signing Ole Miss OF Tristan Bissetta (23) to a UDFA deal," the post shared. "Bissetta slashed .272/.382/.601 for the Rebels with 23 bombs in 56 games. Bissetta features massive power with a 93.9 mph average exit velocity and a 111.6 mph 90th ev."

The Cardinals are signing Ole Miss OF Tristan Bissetta (23) to a UDFA deal

Bissetta slashed .272/.382/.601 for the Rebels with 23 bombs in 56 games. Bissetta features massive power with a 93.9 mph average exit velocity and a 111.6 mph 90th ev. The swing and miss is some of… https://t.co/St9KFYeYYo

— Redbird Farmhands (@RedbirdFarmhand) July 14, 2026

Who Is Tristan Bissetta?

Jun 14, 2026; Omaha, NE, USA; Mississippi Rebels right fielder Tristan Bissetta (32) runs home to score on a double by center fielder Hayden Federico (not pictured) during the first inning at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Bissetta is a 23-year-old outfielder out of Greenville, South Carolina. He started his college career at Clemson and played three seasons over there. He landed with Ole Miss ahead of the 2026 season, his final one in college baseball. He played in 64 games with Ole Miss and slashed .272/.382/.601 with a .983 OPS, 23 homers, 61 RBIs, eight stolen bases, 39 walks, 11 doubles and 56 runs scored. On the negative side, he struck out 87 times in those 64 games.

In 2026, he showed a massive increase in power. Before the 2026 season, the most homers he had hit in a college season were seven in 2024 with Clemson. In 2025, he played in only 31 games and hit three homers. In 2026, he really took off.

The Cardinals are getting a lefty slugger who strikes out a lot, but has upside. He saw time at all three outfield spots throughout his college career. At 23 years old, the Cardinals are bringing in a prospect a bit on the older side, but there really is no downside to a move like this.

The power makes him intriguing. If it carries over to the lower levels of the minors, maybe he can shoot his way up. He's a lottery ticket-type prospect. If the power translates, maybe one day he'll look like a steal coming over after going undrafted. If the power doesn't carry over and the strikeout totals are a problem, there's no harm whatsoever at the bottom of the farm system.

St. Louis has done a good job adding prospects over the last week. Of course, the MLB Draft came and went and that arguably went well for St. Louis. But that's not all. Now, the Cardinals have Bissetta. He isn't the first undrafted free agent to come to town. On Monday, St. Louis signed 23-year-old catcher prospect John Lemm. Chaim Bloom and the Cardinals' front office have been cooking, to say the least.