St. Louis Cardinals: 5 Reasons for Optimism -

With Fangraphs projecting the St. Louis Cardinals to end up finishing 75-87 and at the bottom of the NL Central, what do fans have to look forward to this year?
I found five things that should lessen the blow of an otherwise potentially poor season.

1. JJ Wetherholt
The 2024 7th overall pick is confirmed to be the Redbirds’ starting second baseman heading into 2026, and you’d probably struggle to find a fan who’d argue against it.

The Cardinals’ top prospect hit just above .300 and boasted a .931 OPS across his first full professional season in which he split time between Double-A and Triple-A.

Scouting reports believe the middle infielder is someone who possesses a potential All-Star calibre bat, with good enough speed to steal bases confidentially as well as a solid glove, although not one good enough to dethrone current shortstop Masyn Winn.

If the reports are to be believed and Wetherholt can reach his 20/20 potential in future, it certainly lessens the impact of the loss of a key player in Brendan Donovan.

However, fans and front office alike need to be careful not to put too much pressure on the 23-year-old, as expecting too much too soon could lead to stunting the development of the #12 overall prospect.

2. Chaim Bloom
The former Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer is now handed the reins in the St. Louis front office, officially becoming President of Baseball Operations after the retirement of John Moleziak.

Bloom, who has been in Major League Baseball since 2005, is praised by many fans for finally giving the team some direction, especially as many would say the Cardinals have seemed to be coasting the last few years.

The new hire made the key decision of moving on big money players early in the offseason, as Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt, Willson Contreras and Sonny Gray were all traded, with the latter two players going to Bloom’s former home of Boston.

The big decisions didn’t stop there, with former Gold Glove winner Donovan being swapped with Seattle in return for a strong prospect haul, including switch pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje.

It’s now clear where priorities lie for the Cardinals heading into the future: rebuild, develop the youth and grow rather than sign big money contracts.

3. They can let the kids play!
Speaking of rebuilding and development, 2026 will be a key year for many players on a roster which only has three players over 30.

Plenty of key players 25 or under will be taking the field this season, but I think these 5 are worth keeping an eye on in particular:

Ivan Herrera – More time at DH should keep him healthier and allow the full potential of his bat to shine and help him grow into his role as a key hitter for the team.

Nolan Gorman – His power is promising and complements his 25.1% rate of batted balls that he managed to pull in the air in 2025. The 25-year-old is projected to slug .416 and hold a .300 OBP. The team’s starting third baseman injects some much-needed pop into a lineup with home runs potentially in short supply.

Victor Scott II – The speedster had 17 outs above average in 2025 and the 2nd highest sprint speed in the league behind only Trea Turner. This will allow him to cover good ground in a roomy outfield, which can be ideal for a less experienced rotation who will be thankful to have a Gold Glove finalist behind them.

Masyn Winn – The 24-year-old is a Gold Glover projected to have a power surge this year at a premium position, with Fangraphs expecting him to hit 15 round trippers. With many likely expecting Winn to be defensively elite again, the power will be a welcome addition and shows how Winn could develop further into a top shortstop in future.

Michael McGreevy – The 25-year-old pitcher has a good fastball and had a very low BB% in 2025. The former first-round pick is solid when it comes to inducing groundballs, which is helpful as the Cardinals are expected to have a defensively sound middle infield.

4. Jordan Walker is just 23.
The former first-round pick has his issues, but I think there is still a reason to believe in the Georgia-born talent.

The outfielder struggles with pitches low and away, and it’s no secret, however he has become slightly better at laying off these pitches compared to his rookie year.

However, he still makes poor decisions when swinging down the middle and inside, pitches he normally hit well throughout his career, swinging at these pitches 13% less than in 2023.

However, his outfield defence has improved; he recently recorded a career high hard hit % at 50% and possesses top 5 bat speed in the league.

If he can manage to return to a 2023 level of contact on pitches in the zone and limit swinging strikes by laying off the low outside pitches, all hope may not be lost.

Working at driveline, Walker discovered he had swing issues sapping power, however pitch recognition is still likely the main issue here. Walker can become a serious force if he gets these problems under control.

5. Oli Marmol Extension

Even though many fans previously wrote off the former bench coach after he made his transition to major league management, Marmol recently signed a 2-year extension with a club option for 2029.

He has 9 seasons total on the major league coaching staff, meaning he’s built relationships and understanding of how the Cardinals have historically developed players and what is required.

Current players may want as minimal a change as possible in what is a crucial transition year. Marmol sticking around will mean he can leave a real imprint on the club’s key players. He has also been very open about still being keen to work on players like Walker and has the backing of the new man in charge, Chaim Bloom.

“He is invested in the progress of our young core and is unafraid to challenge himself and to help those around him grow,” said Bloom.

Article by Fraser Russell – you can find him at @frastalks on Instagram