Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals Struck Gold, Landed St. Louis' Next Young Ace

Liam Doyle has all the traits of a superstar ace for the St. Louis Cardinals...
Zach Pressnell|
Feb 26, 2021; Jupiter, Florida, USA; A general view of the St. Louis Cardinals logo on the stadium at Roger Dean Stadium during spring training workouts. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images
Feb 26, 2021; Jupiter, Florida, USA; A general view of the St. Louis Cardinals logo on the stadium at Roger Dean Stadium during spring training workouts. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images | Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

In this story:

St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals are in the middle of a huge rebuild, but there's still a lot to be excited about for the team.

They have a few of the better prospects in baseball, including JJ Wetherholt and Quinn Mathews. Wetherholt is likely going to debut in St. Louis over the next few months. Mathews should make his way to the big leagues this season, but he's not even the Cardinals' most anticipated pitching prospect.

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

Just Baseball's Adam Akbani recently shared a lot of high praise for Cardinals prospect Liam Doyle and suggested he could make an impact in the big leagues as early as this season.

Liam Doyle could be the next star Cardinals ace

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Liam Doyl
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

"Fortune favored the Cardinals in the 2025 MLB Draft lottery, and they took advantage when Doyle, arguably the class’s best talent, fell to them at the fifth overall pick,"Akbani wrote. "Initially coming out of the ‘pen during his freshman year at Coastal Carolina, he transferred to Ole Miss for his sophomore year. He showed promise against SEC bats at Oxford, but struggled with command.

"Doyle eventually settled in at Tennessee for his junior season, where he was the ace of the reigning National Champions. In 95.2 IP, he recorded a staggering 42.6 K%, while limiting free passes to an 8.3% clip. It was this improvement in command and control, as well as an impressive 3.20 ERA, that vaulted him into the highest echelon of college arms."

Doyle dominated in college last season. He has the electric fastball and slider combination to keep hitters guessing, but it's his intense mindset and attitude that set him apart. He's a fiery competitor who seems to hate losing more than he likes winning.

There's a chance Doyle is fast tracked to the big leagues in the same way Paul Skenes and Chase Burns were over the last two years. Skenes and Burns were absurdly dominant in the minor leagues, which led to them being quickly moved up the ladder. If Doyle can dominate at the same level, he could be in the big leagues before we know it.

More MLB: Cardinals Star Top Prospect Could Be in St. Louis Before You Know It

Published
Zach Pressnell
ZACH PRESSNELL

Zach Pressnell has experience covering all major US sports at both the professional and collegiate levels. He’s produced content for FanSided, Blog Red Machine, The Game Haus, Bethany College Athletics and the Bethany College online newspaper, He graduated from Bethany College (WV) with a degree in Communications and Media Arts, specializing in Sports Journalism. Pressnell was also a four-year member of the baseball team where he earned himself All-PAC recognition as a pitcher (and a cool Tommy John surgery scar). Now, Pressnell specializes in NFL and MLB coverage for Sports Illustrated’s “On SI” network among others. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "St. Louis Cardinals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org

Home/St. Louis Cardinals News