Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals Quietly Landed Intriguing Hurler From Mets Farm System Prior To Opening Day

Hopefully, St. Louis' latest move will pay dividends someday soon
Nate Hagerty|
Jul 13, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a New York Mets hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the eighth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Jul 13, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a New York Mets hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the eighth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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St. Louis CardinalsNew York Mets

The St. Louis Cardinals completed an under-the-radar low-level trade with the New York Mets on Tuesday to bolster their farm system before beginning their 2025 season.

After missing the playoffs for a second consecutive year in 2024, St. Louis dedicated its future plans to rebuilding the franchise's broken player development system, which Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak's successor, Chaim Bloom, has already begun doing.

In a move that was likely influenced by Bloom's guidance, the Cardinals landed a former Mets right-handed pitcher who could have tremendous upside.

"The Mets traded (Sean) Harney to the Cardinals in exchange for cash considerations Tuesday," CBS Sports' RotoWire Staff wrote Thursday shortly before St. Louis' 2025 Opening Day matchup against the American League Central-rival Minnesota Twins. "Harney joined the Mets organization in December after being traded from the (Tampa Bay) Rays. It was believed that he could begin 2025 in Triple-A Syracuse for the Mets, but the Cardinals assigned him to Double-A Springfield following the trade."

Harney was selected by the Rays in the eighth round of the 2022 draft and pitched in their farm system for 2 1/2 seasons -- climbed his way up the ladder to Double-A Montgomery but never reached Triple-A.

The 26-year-old RHP logged a respectable 7-1 record with a 3.90 ERA, 124-to-44 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .231 batting average against and a 1.18 WHIP in 124 2/3 innings pitched throughout his time in Tampa Bay's minor-league system.

Although Harney doesn't have a large sample size to defend his worth, he's shown enough in the minors to solidify himself as a project worth pursuing, especially for the Cardinals, who recently committed to heavily focusing on improving their player development system.

It could be a while before Harney earns his big-league debut but hopefully, being traded to the Cardinals will someday prove to be a blessing in disguise for the Boston native and St. Louis.

More MLB: Cardinals Predicted To Undergo 'Busy Trade Deadline' With Hazy Future Looming

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Nate Hagerty
NATE HAGERTY

Nate Hagerty joined “Inside The Cardinals” as a content creator to spread knowledge about his favorite childhood team. A hometown native of Boston, Hagerty chose at an early age of six years old to follow the St. Louis Cardinals. The miraculous season of 04’ for the Red Sox did not deter Hagerty from rooting against his hometown team, nor did it in 2013 against the Red Birds. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu 

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