Cardinals Could Aid Pitching Woes By Calling Up Top Prospect Amid Breakout Season
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The St. Louis Cardinals have limped out of the gate this season, largely due to unreliable pitching.
The Cardinals lack high-end pitching talent both in the present and in the long-term view -- Miles Mikolas and Steven Matz are the only starters signed through 2024.
With the season underway and the trade deadline months away, the Cardinals will have to look within for help. Fortunately, their second-highest-rated pitching prospect is on fire.
Matthew Liberatore -- the Cardinals' No. 6 prospect according to MLB Pipeline -- appears to be putting it all together.
The 23-year-old is 3-0 with a 1.06 ERA, 24-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .175 batting average against and 1.00 WHIP in 17 innings for Triple-A Memphis across three outings.
Liberatore's pedigree combined with his early dominance is enough to warrant attention -- but his last start was truly eye-popping.
"During his most recent start Wednesday, (Liberatore) reached 97.5 mph on his sinker and averaged 95.4 mph with his fastball," St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Dan Guerrero wrote. "His final pitch of his 97-pitch, 10-strikeout outing against Gwinnett was a 96-mph fastball."
The Cardinals could use some help and Liberatore could finally be ready now that his velocity is starting to tick up. One young hurler is not going to solve all of the issues that led St. Louis to a 5-8 start, but he might help steady the rotation.
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