Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals Phenom Could Shock St. Louis, Per Insider

There's a lot to like about St. Louis right now...
Patrick McAvoy|
Sep 5, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of the hat and glove of St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman (not pictured) before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Sep 5, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of the hat and glove of St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman (not pictured) before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals had a great week.

Even without playing any games, the Cardinals thrived thanks primarily to the 2025 Major League Baseball Draft. St. Louis had a great draft on paper and it started with flamethrower Liam Doyle with the No. 5 overall pick.

Doyle already has gotten a lot of praise and ESPN's Kiley McDaniel projected that he will be the first new prospect to the big leagues for St. Louis.

"Quickest to the big leagues: Liam Doyle (No. 5 overall). He could be up there tomorrow, but the Cards haven't taken a lot of pitchers like him in the past, so I'm not sure how they'll handle him. His teammate Tanner Franklin is likely to be developed as a starter, too, but could move quickly as a reliever...

"One big thought: The first draft with the influence of incoming president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom looks a little similar to some past drafts (Mitchell, Crossland, Young, Matt Miura, Payton Graham, Ryan Weingartner all feel like guys they would've taken before Bloom arrived) but Doyle at the top (stuff over command, starter/relief question) was a different type and you could argue the same with Franklin. I like the evolution, for the record."

With mock drafts popping up ahead of the draft, Doyle didn't seem like a likely option to be available. Luckily, he was. Will St. Louis get him up to the big leagues quickly? The 2026 season seems like the earliest possible.

More MLB: Could Cardinals Follow Tigers Footsteps With Deadline Swap?

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Patrick McAvoy
PATRICK MCAVOY

Patrick McAvoy's experiences include local and national sports coverage at the New England Sports Network with a focus on baseball and basketball. Outside of journalism, Patrick also is pursuing an MBA at Brandeis University. After quickly rising as one of the most productive writers on the site, he expanded his reach to write for Baseball Essential, a national baseball site in Sports Illustrated Media Group. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu

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