Cardinals Sign 25-Year-Old Undrafted Right-Handed Pitcher

The makings of a very good pro ball story...

Apr 24, 2022; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; A view of St. Louis Cardinals players hats and gloves in the dugout during a game with the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-Imagn Images | David Kohl-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals are in the process of finding as many pitchers as they can to join a roster that won't likely compete for the playoffs in 2026, but hopes to do so perpetually in years to come.

In trades this offseason, the Cardinals have picked up promising pitchers like Hunter Dobbins, Brandon Clarke, and Yhoiker Fajardo. But they're also taking some shots on pitchers with less prospect capital, and on Tuesday, we learned that they'd picked up a 25-year-old right-hander who has yet to debut professionally.

According to Tread Athletics, a highly regarded pitching lab/training facility, the Cardinals have signed free-agent pitcher Robbie Knowles to a minor-league contract.

If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.

What Robbie Knowles brings to table

Apr 16, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; A general view of the St. Louis Cardinals scoreboard as a plane passes by during the seventh inning of a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Knowles' journey to Division I college baseball, let alone the professional ranks, has not been linear. He graduated high school in 2018, but didn't throw a D1 pitch until 2025, with two other college stops and Tommy John surgery along the way.

Knowles redshirted at the University of San Diego in 2020, did not appear in a game, then transferred to El Camino College in 2022. He only threw 1 2/3 innings that season before undergoing Tommy John surgery, and his name didn't resurface at the college ranks for two seasons thereafter.

However, this past spring at the University of Kansas, Knowles made 16 appearances, though it was somewhat trial by fire. He allowed 13 earned runs in 10 2/3 innings and walked 11 batters to 12 strikeouts.

Check out the Pro Day performance that helped him get signed! 🎥 pic.twitter.com/PvUdLCwRKY

— Tread Athletics (@TreadHQ) January 20, 2026

It's not hard to see what the Cardinals liked about Knowles. At his pro day for Tread, he was ripping off mid-to-high-90s fastballs, not an easy feat off an indoor mound, with extremely impressive peripheral data, including elite induced vertical break and a pretty filthy gyro slider.

Knowles' father, known as Rob E. Knowles, is an independent country music artist who also happened to play in the Cardinals' minor-league system. His uncle, Bryan Addison, played in the NFL.

More MLB: Cardinals, Red Sox May Not Match Up On 3rd Major Trade