Cardinals May Have Struck Gold With Sonny Gray Trade Addition

The Cardinals could see a breakout from one of their trade additions as early as this season...

Feb 25, 2026; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Richard Fitts (35) misses a pop-up that was ruled an infield single in the second inning against the New York Mets at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have made a lot of moves to push their team toward a rebuild this offseason. They've traded four of their best players in exchange for prospects over the course of the last few months. Brendan Donovan and Willson Contreras are among the players who have been moved.

As a result, the Cardinals are going to rely on the young players within their organization to carry the team toward a bright future. Players like JJ Wetherholt should be on full display this season, but the Cardinals will need the pitching staff to carry its weight, too.

Thomas Nestico of TJStats recently put together a list with a breakout candidate from each team in MLB for the upcoming season. For the Cardinals, Nestico suggested Richard Fitts, who was acquired in the Sonny Gray trade with the Boston Red Sox, would be the Cardinals breakout player.

Richard Fitts has a bright future with the Cardinals

Feb 16, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Richard Fitts (35) throws a pitch during spring training workouts at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

"Richard Fitts was my Red Sox breakout pick entering the 2025 season, but a combination of inconsistency and injury prevented that from coming to fruition," Nestico wrote. "Now with the Cardinals following the trade that sent Sonny Gray to Boston, Fitts is positioned to take on a meaningful role in one of the shallowest rotations in MLB. I identified Fitts as a breakout candidate last year due to his innate command and impressive Spring Training, where he showed a velocity spike and introduced two new pitches. Those same factors are why I have him tabbed as my Cardinals breakout pick for 2026. I expect his injury to be fully behind him and for Fitts to settle in as a backend starter in St. Louis."

Fitts hasn't spent enough time in the big leagues for his numbers to be indicative of future performance yet, but he has shown a lot of promise. Still, his stuff has looked better this spring than it ever has, which should bode well for his future.

Given the Cardinals don't have much proven pitching on their roster, it won't be long before they turn to Fitts. The righty will have plenty of opportunities to prove himself at the big league level, which will result in plenty of opportunities to breakout as a star. If he can post an ERA right around 4.00 or lower, it should be considered a success this year.