Cardinals Pipeline Update: Top Prospect Pushing for Big League Call-Up

The St. Louis Cardinals opted for a big rebuild this offseason, so the focus of the season was going to be the young players like JJ Wetherholt and Jordan Walker, as well as the top prospects in the farm system.

The big league club has gotten off to a decent start this year, but they're unlikely to contend for a postseason spot or a division title in 2026. As a result, let's turn some of the focus on the farm system.

Here's a pipeline update for the Cardinals, including updates on three of their top 30 prospects.

Jimmy Crooks pushing for a big league call-up

St. Louis Cardinals catcher Jimmy Crooks — Sep 23, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Riley O'Brien (55) celebrates with catcher Jimmy Crooks (8) after a win against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

Catching prospect Jimmy Crooks is making a very aggressive push for a spot on the big league roster. The Cardinals have as much catching depth as any team in the league if you factor in their talent at the big leagues, all the way down to the top talent at the Low-A and High-A level.

Crooks might be the best defender of the bunch, and he's off to a very fast start at the plate. He's slashing .295/.415/.591 with an OPS over 1.000 and four home runs on the season. He's done a good job of being aggressive, though he's chasing a bit more than the Cardinals would like. Still, he's finding the barrel a lot and pulling the ball in the air, which often yields good results. He could find himself in the big leagues in the near future.

Steven Matz trade paying off in a big way with Blaze Jordan breakout

Worcester third baseman Blaze Jordan runs off the field at Polar Park July 29. | Rick Cinclair/Telegram & Gazette / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Last season, the Cardinals traded Steven Matz to the Boston Red Sox for slugger Blaze Jordan. Jordan hasn't been considered a top 10 prospect with the Cardinals, but he's certainly playing like one this season.

In 13 games, the 23-year-old is slashing .353/.389/.667 with four home runs. He's chasing a bit, but he doesn't swing and miss very often. He's being incredibly aggressive in the zone, running a 78.6 percent zone swing rate through 13 games. Pair that with his 90 percent zone contact rate and his .447 wOBA, and you have the making of a star slugger in the Cardinals farm system.

Liam Doyle is off to a very rocky start

Tennessee's Liam Doyle (12) pitches against Wake Forest at the NCAA college baseball Knoxville Regional final on June 2, 2025, in Knoxville, Tenn. | Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While the first two updates are good ones, the third one isn't so good.

Cardinals top draft pick Liam Doyle has struggled in the minor leagues this year. He's allowed 12 hits, seven earned runs, and a home run while walking two and striking out four across 3 2/3 innings in the minor leagues this season. This is a small sample size, so he could quickly turn it around, but it's still concerning to see.

Doyle is a project pitcher because he's very fastball-heavy with some work to do on his offspeed pitches. To this point, his fastball has been dominant enough to get him through college without having to fully develop the other pitches. He's going to need to adjust and develop for the Cardinals.

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