Monday, February 23 was Day 10 of the St. Louis Cardinals Minor League Depth Camp with 15 players joining St. Louis for its game in the main stadium. Brian Walton shares who’s assigned where. Guess who’s bat this is?
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Cardinals Minor League Depth Camp – February 21, 2026
Saturday, February 21 was Day 9 of the St. Louis Cardinals Minor League Depth Camp and the first opportunity for nine players to join St. Louis for its game in the main stadium. Brian Walton shares who is assigned where.
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Cardinals Minor League Depth Camp – February 20, 2026
Friday, February 20 was Day 8 of the St. Louis Cardinals Minor League Depth Camp and the final workout day for Major League Camp before their first game on Saturday. Brian Walton shares news and photos.
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Cardinals Sign Infielder Ramón Urías
photo: Ramón Urías (Frank Ramirez/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals were close to signing free agent infielder Ramón Urías, reported Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat on Friday evening.
On Saturday, the team confirmed the transaction, which is a contract for 2026 and a mutual option for 2027. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports the contract is for $1.5 million plus a $500,000 buyout for 2027. Urías also can earn $2 million in plate appearance incentives.
Urías, 31, was originally acquired by the Cardinals from a Mexican League team in January 2018. He progressed through the system, ranking as our 33rd prospect in 2019 and 26th heading into 2020. Urías reached St. Louis in September 2019, but with Tommy Edman and Edmundo Sosa ahead of him, his stay was short. The Baltimore Orioles claimed Urías off waivers in February 2020.
In December 2019, I wrote the following. “I see Urías’ best being somewhere between an up and down MLB player and a spot starter.”
In six calendar years in the majors, the right-handed hitter made 1,856 plate appearances, roughly three full seasons of time. Urías’ career slash line of .257/.321/.403/.724 translates to a 104 wRC+, 4% above average offensively.
However, his 2026 was a down year, as he moved from Baltimore to Houston at the July deadline. Urías’ .676 OPS translated to an 87 wRC+. Rather than pay Urías via arbitration, the Astros non-tendered him last fall.
Urías is a strong defender, with the 2022 AL Gold Glove Award at third base in his trophy case. He is also proficient at shortstop, second base and can even back up at first.
The Cardinals had been looking for a right-handed outfielder and may still get one if he becomes available. In the meantime, current infield reserves Jose Fermin and Thomas Saggese may see more time in left field helping to cover for injured Lars Nootbaar.
Urías and his brother Luis, also an infielder, are committed to play for Team Mexico in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
2/24 update
Ramon Urias will remain with the #stlcards and not join Team Mexico for the upcoming WBC. He and that team discussed his schedule after he signed this past week. #Cardinals #WBC
— Derrick Goold (@dgoold) February 24, 2026
St. Louis’ 40-man roster is full, so a player needed to be removed to accommodate Urías’ addition. That was right-hander Zak Kent, who just rejoined the Cardinals five days ago. He was placed on outright waivers.
For roster and player information
The team rosters here at The Cardinal Nation are kept up to date daily. To access them, click on “ROSTERS/PLAYERS/MOVES” located on the red menu bar on the left of the page beneath The Cardinal Nation site logo.
To see the Cardinals’ entire system by level and position on one page along with every player transaction for every club all year long, check out the always current Roster Matrix at The Cardinal Nation. It is kept updated daily and is accessible from the same menu as team rosters.
Now available – 2026 Cardinals Prospect Guide
The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its ninth year. It includes 275 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including over five dozen all-new player scouting reports by Kyle Reis. Order your PDF or spiral-bound printed book today.
All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!
Order The Cardinal Nation’s 2026 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide
Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation
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If you enjoyed this article, please consider joining The Cardinal Nation to receive the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.
Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com. Follow Brian and The Cardinal Nation on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.
© 2026 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Cardinals Minor League Depth Camp – February 19, 2026
Thursday, February 19 was officially Day 7 of the St. Louis Cardinals Minor League Depth Camp. Jurrangelo Cijntje and Andre Pallante were among 18 pitchers throwing bullpens. Brian Walton shares news and photos.
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Cardinals Minor League Depth Camp – February 18, 2026
Wednesday, February 18 was the Day of the Catcher in St. Louis Cardinals Minor League Depth Camp. Yadier Molina seemed the most popular individual in camp and was seemingly everywhere. Brian Walton shares news and over six dozen photos.
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Cardinals Pitching Prospect Brandon Clarke Sidelined
photo: Brandon Clarke (Greenville Drive)
Acquired from Boston in the Sonny Gray trade, minor league left-handed pitcher Brandon Clarke is expected to be out until June. It is the continuation of a concerning injury history for the 22-year-old top prospect. Free article!
Introduction
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The following news about Clarke was provided to TCN members in my daily camp report last Friday and discussed on TCN’s Members Forum. (TCN also shared the Ixan Henderson injury news with subscribers several days before others reported it.)
In fact, everything in this entire article was previously available to TCN members.
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Clarke out until June
Of the many Top 50 prospects the St. Louis Cardinals acquired during their very busy 2025-2026 off-season, former Red Sox farmhand Brandon Clarke is the second-highest-ranked, at no. 6 on The Cardinal Nation’s List for 2026. (Jurrangelo Cijntje is just ahead at no. 5a.)
We will not see the talented left-handed Clarke in game action until June. Prior to Minor League Depth Camp, the 22-year-old was diagnosed with an aneurism in his throwing arm that required a surgical procedure to correct. It was successful and there is no ongoing, long-term impact expected.
But Clarke’s first half-season in the Cardinals organization will be lost as a result.
Clarke’s checkered injury history
A review of Clarke’s injury record while still an amateur illustrates the inherent risk he carries and explains why he was a fifth rounder, not a first rounder, in the 2024 draft. Long before he signed with Boston, Clarke was well-traveled, and not just to see doctors.
He had Tommy John surgery in 2019 and was not drafted as a high schooler in Virginia. Clarke was originally recruited by the University of Alabama but was unable to pitch his freshman year of 2022 after surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome. TOS has been career-ending for some. It is caused by compression of nerves/vessels between the collarbone and first rib, leading to arm pain, numbness, weakness and tingling.
From there, Clarke backtracked, transferring to State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota and pitched just 3 2/3 innings in 2023. Clarke missed the remainder of his first season at the junior college due to a stress fracture in his shoulder.
In 2024, his only full-ish season to date, Clarke threw 74 2/3 innings over 14 starts. Both were Manatees team highs. He logged a 4.36 ERA, fanned an impressive 13 batters per nine innings and had a walk rate of 4.2 per nine. That was enough to gain the attention of the University of South Carolina, where Clarke committed to transfer prior to the draft.
Clarke did not make his professional debut in 2024.
Though Clarke officially opened his career in April 2025 at Low-A Salem, he wasn’t there long. On April 29, he was promoted to High-A Greenville after three dominant, but short starts. In 9 2/3 innings, he fanned 17, walked just two, gave up just two hits and one run.
With Greenville, Clarke made 11 starts but was unable to stretch out, averaging a Tink Hence-like 2 2/3 innings per outing. His 43 strikeouts in 28 1/3 frames drew attention, but so did his 25 walks and 11 hit batters, the latter two for the wrong reason. As a result, Clarke yielded more runs, 20 total (of which 16 were earned), than hits allowed, 15.
Due to nagging blister problems, Clarke sat out a full month from late May to late June. After August 8, he did not pitch again and he was officially placed on the injured list a week later.
Overall, Clarke made 14 starts in 2025 between the two Class-A stops with a 4.03 ERA, likely aided by a .227 BABIP. He struck out 60 over his 38 innings pitched, but he also put 39 runners on base due to walks and hit-by-pitches. Due to his short outings, he has yet to receive his first professional win. Of further note, Clarke’s ground ball to fly ball ratio was an exceptional 2.4 to 1.
Based on his new problems, Clarke will again be unable to put in a full season’s workload. In fact, duplicating his 38 innings pitched in 2025 is probably a more realistic hope for 2026.
For more
Kyle Reis and Brian Walton discuss this and other Cardinals pitching injury news in their current podcast, “Wednesday With Walton and Reis”.
Now available – 2026 Cardinals Prospect Guide
The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its ninth year. It includes 275 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including over five dozen all-new player scouting reports by Kyle Reis. Order your PDF or spiral-bound printed book today.
All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!
Order The Cardinal Nation’s 2026 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide
Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation
Quantifying The St. Louis Cardinals’ Focus on Adding Pitching
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If you enjoyed this article, please consider joining The Cardinal Nation to receive the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.
Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com. Follow Brian and The Cardinal Nation on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.
© 2026 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Cardinals Minor League Depth Camp – February 17, 2026
St. Louis Cardinals Minor League Depth Camp news and three dozen photos from Tuesday, February 17. After two days of little to no throwing, 21 minor league pitchers threw bullpens and live pens. Jacob Odle was among those who impressed.
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Cardinals Minor League Depth Camp – February 16, 2026
St. Louis Cardinals Minor League Depth Camp news and photos for Monday, February 16. On the first official day of big-league camp, Cardinals Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith and Yadier Molina were among the many in the house. Matthew Liberatore threw two strong innings of live batting practice.
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Cardinals Re-Claim Right-Hander Zak Kent
photo: Zak Kent (USA TODAY Sports)
The St. Louis Cardinals have claimed right-handed relief pitcher Zak Kent off waivers for the second time in three months. Another recent waiver addition, third baseman Bryan Ramos, has been designated for assignment.
St. Louis Cardinals release
The St. Louis Cardinals announced today (February 16) that they have claimed right-handed pitcher Zak Kent off waivers from the Texas Rangers and added him to their 40-player roster. Infielder Bryan Ramos has been designated for assignment to make room for Kent’s addition to the team’s Major League roster.
Kent, 27, re-joins the Cardinals organization after first having been acquired by St. Louis on December 5, 2025 in a waiver claim from Cleveland. Texas had claimed Kent off waivers from the Cardinals on January 9.
The 6-3, 205-pound Kent debuted with the Guardians in 2025 and posted a 1-0 record with a 4.58 ERA and 16 strikeouts over his 17.2 innings pitched in 12 appearances.
Originally selected by the Texas Rangers in the 2019 Major League Baseball Draft out of Virginia Military Institute, Kent has made 117 career minor league appearances (63 starts) while posting a 13-16 mark with a 4.13 ERA.
After pitching the entire 2024 Spring Training season with the Rangers, Kent was traded to Cleveland on March 28 and sent to Triple-A Columbus. He was moved to a relief role for the entirety of the 2025 season with 34 appearances in Columbus, posting a 2-3 record with a 2.84 ERA and two saves.
Kent made his Major League debut with Cleveland vs. the New York Yankees on April 23, 2025, pitching a career-high 3.0 innings. His first Major League win came in his final appearance of the season, pitching 2.0 innings in a 9-8 win over his original drafting team, the Texas Rangers, at Progressive Field.
The Henrico, Va. native has allowed just one home run to 76 total batters faced in the Major Leagues, that coming in his final appearance of 2025. He held opposing right-handed batters to a .552 OPS.
Brian Walton’s take
All the waiver claims are just the tip of the iceberg. Kent’s transaction log at MiLB.com indicates that the 27-year-old was optioned to Triple-A at least six times during the 2025 season.
Even so, the Virginia native appeared in just 12 games for the Guardians, posting a 4.58 ERA in 17 2/3 innings. Kent struck out 16 but walked eight (4.1 BB per nine innings pitched).
The rest of 2025, the slider specialist was with Triple-A Columbus, posting a 2.84 ERA in 38 innings over 34 games. He fanned 50 but issued 21 free passes, a rate of 5.0 walks per nine innings.
Kent was originally Texas’ ninth-round pick in the 2019 draft from Virginia Military Institute (VMI). He moved up through the Rangers system and first reached Triple-A in 2022, but he then missed most of 2023 due to an oblique strain.
At the end of spring training 2024, the Rangers traded Kent to the Cleveland Guardians in return for international bonus pool space. After pitching in Triple-A, Kent was designated for assignment, cleared waivers and was released in early July 2024. He re-signed with the same organization a few days later and finished the season in Triple-A.
Kent pitched in the Arizona Fall League twice, for the Rangers in 2023 and the Guardians in 2024.
To open 2025, Kent came to camp as a non-roster invitee. On April 21, he received his 40-man spot back and joined the Guardians for the first time. The right-hander made his MLB debut two days later.
However, Kent will not be riding the Triple-A shuttle for the Cardinals unless he is later removed from the 40-man and clears waivers. The reason is that he first joined the Rangers’ 40-man roster in late 2022 to be protected from the Rule 5 Draft. In the meantime, he has exhausted all three of his minor league options.
So, either Kent will make St. Louis’ 26-man roster out of 2026 spring camp or it is not guaranteed that he will be around much longer.
Just 10 days ago, on Friday, February, 6, the Cardinals claimed Ramos off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles.
The 23-year-old was an Oriole for just five days, as his contract was acquired from the Chicago White Sox on February 1 for cash considerations. Ramos had been designated for assignment by the Pale Hose, with the cash deal likely done because Baltimore feared that Ramos would have been first claimed by another club with higher priority in the waiver process.
Especially given Ramos’ short time with them, the Orioles likely acquired him with the hope they could sneak him though waivers and stash him in Triple-A, reusing the 40-man roster spot on another player. Now, the Cardinals appear to be trying the same.
Ramos, a Havana, Cuba native, was a July 2nd signing by the White Sox in 2018. After reaching Double-A in 2022, he was selected to the 40-man roster that November to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. He spent all of 2023 at Double-A and also performed in the Arizona Fall League.
To open 2024, Ramos returned to Double-A, and in early May, made the unusual move from there straight to MLB. For the remainder of that season and all of 2025, he toggled back and forth multiple times between Chicago and Triple-A. In the process, Ramos used up all three of his minor league options. This is a crucial fact that limits flexibility of any team that employs him – unless they can get him off their 40-man roster.
In 169 career games at the Triple-A level, Ramos has slashed .235/.321/.404/.725 with 24 home runs. His K rate is 21.8% and walk rate is just 9.4%.
The Cardinals have seven days to trade or release Ramos. He will leave the organization if claimed off waivers or if he clears, he could be assigned to Triple-A Memphis.
St. Louis’ 40-man roster remains full.
For roster and player information
The team rosters here at The Cardinal Nation are kept up to date daily. To access them, click on “ROSTERS/PLAYERS/MOVES” located on the red menu bar on the left of the page beneath The Cardinal Nation site logo.
To see the Cardinals’ entire system by level and position on one page along with every player transaction for every club all year long, check out the always current Roster Matrix at The Cardinal Nation. It is kept updated daily and is accessible from the same menu as team rosters.
Now available – 2026 Cardinals Prospect Guide
The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its ninth year. It includes 275 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including over five dozen all-new player scouting reports by Kyle Reis. Order your PDF or spiral-bound printed book today.
All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!
Order The Cardinal Nation’s 2026 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide
Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation
Quantifying The St. Louis Cardinals’ Focus on Adding Pitching
Not yet a member?
If you enjoyed this article, please consider joining The Cardinal Nation to receive the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.
Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com. Follow Brian and The Cardinal Nation on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.
© 2026 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Quantifying The St. Louis Cardinals’ Focus on Adding Pitching
We know the St. Louis Cardinals are all-in on their farm system, with adding pitching the main focus. But how can we quantify it and at what quality? Brian Walton uses transaction data since the 2025 Draft and prospect rankings to answer these questions and more.
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Quantifying The St. Louis Cardinals’ Focus on Adding Pitching – Data Detail
Brian Walton lists every transaction since the 2025 Draft and prospect rankings in support of his companion article which quantifies how much and at what quality have the St. Louis Cardinals focused on pitching additions to improve their farm system.
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Cardinals Minor League Depth Camp – February 14, 2026
St. Louis Cardinals Minor League Depth Camp news for Friday, February 14. The quantity of live bullpens keeps ramping up, with 25 of them – 12 big-league campers and 13 minor leaguers, including Liam Doyle and Tanner Franklin.
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Cardinals Minor League Depth Camp – February 13, 2026
St. Louis Cardinals big-league and Minor League Depth Camp news and over five dozen photos for Friday, February 13. Jurrangelo Cijntje was among the many pitchers throwing live BP and Victor Scott continues to focus on bunting. Important injury news is also included.
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Cardinals Minor League Depth Camp – February 12, 2026
St. Louis Cardinals Minor League Depth Camp news and 48 photos for Thursday, February 12. Key throwers include Liam Doyle and Matthew Liberatore.
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Cardinals Minor League Depth Camp – February 11, 2026
St. Louis Cardinals Minor League Depth Camp news and 32 photos for Wednesday, February 11. Also, manager Oliver Marmol addressed the media on the eve of big-league camp officially opening.
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Cardinals Open 2026 Minor League Depth Camp with 69 Players
The St. Louis Cardinals’ focus on Player Development continues with an increase of 17 players in their Minor League Depth Camp over 2025. Of the 69 players invited for 2026, almost half are among The Cardinal Nation Top 50 Prospects, including three in the top six.
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Cardinals Minor League Depth Camp – February 10, 2026
Tuesday, February 10 marked the opening of the St. Louis Cardinals remodeled Jupiter facility for media. Much work is still underway, but players and coaches are already hard at work. Brian Walton shares it in photos and commentary.
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Cardinals Acquire Right-Handed Pitcher George Soriano in Trade
photo: George Soriano (Jerome Miron/USA TODAY Sports)
The St. Louis Cardinals acquired right-handed pitcher George Soriano from the Washington Nationals for right-handed pitcher Andre Granillo.
St. Louis Cardinals release
The St. Louis Cardinals today (Tuesday, February 10) acquired right-handed pitcher George Soriano in a trade with the Washington Nationals in exchange for right-handed pitcher Andre Granillo.
Soriano, 26, was originally signed as an international free agent by the Miami Marlins in 2015 out of the Dominican Republic. The reliever has appeared in 72 games over the past three Major League seasons making one start and made one scoreless postseason appearance in the 2024 Wild Card round against the Phillies. He was on the Marlins Opening Day roster each of the past two seasons.
The San Pedro de Macoris native has compiled a 3-1 record with a 5.95 ERA striking out 117 batters over 118.0 innings pitched in his Major League career. He’s converted three saves and has two Holds. Inherited runners have been stranded at a 38.2 percent rate (34 inherited runners/13 scored).
Soriano held right-handed batters to a .229 batting average (56-245) as opposed to left-handers, who hit .294 (63-214).
During the recent 2025-26 off-season, Soriano was claimed three times off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles (11/5/25), Atlanta Braves (1/9/26) and most recently by the Washington Nationals on January 30.
Soriano is first cousins with seven-time Major League All-Star Alfonso Soriano, who played for the Yankees, Rangers, Cubs and Nationals.
Granillo, 25, made 14 appearances for the Cardinals in 2025 posting a 1-0 record with a 4.71 ERA and one save.
Soriano will report to Cardinals Major League Spring Training camp as a member of the 40-player roster.
Brian Walton’s take
One similarity between the two relief pitchers traded for one another is that they had good minor league success but are still looking for big league consistency. Soriano has had more time to try to figure it out, but neither are there yet.
Soriano is the epitome of the last pitcher on a 40-man roster, with St. Louis his fifth organization in the last three months. He throws his slider and changeup about one-third of the time each, with his fastball and sinker covering the rest.
Granillo was a home-grown Cardinal, selected in the 14th round of the 2021 draft.
Since Soriano is out of minor league options, which Granillo is not, the Cardinals had better be sure he can make the club and stick. Otherwise, Soriano will be back on waivers by the end of spring camp with the worst-case scenario that St. Louis received nothing for two option years and five total years of potential control of Granillo. The latter was TCN’s 35th-ranked Cardinals prospect for 2026 and was a 2025 International League All-Star.
With MLB service time of 1.095, Soriano could remain under team control for four more seasons, assuming his club will want to pay him after he becomes arbitration eligible in two more years.
At least the two players won’t have to travel far to join their new teams, with the Nats training in nearby West Palm Beach.
But, in this trade, the Cardinals have limited their post-camp roster flexibility. Among primary pen contenders, only Gordon Graceffo and Matt Svanson have minor league options remaining.
For roster and player information
The team rosters here at The Cardinal Nation are kept up to date daily. To access them, click on “ROSTERS/PLAYERS/MOVES” located on the red menu bar on the left of the page beneath The Cardinal Nation site logo.
To see the Cardinals’ entire system by level and position on one page along with every player transaction for every club all year long, check out the always current Roster Matrix at The Cardinal Nation. It is kept updated during the offseason and is accessible from the same menu as team rosters.
Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation
TCN 2026 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect #46a – Colton Ledbetter
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If you enjoyed this article, please consider joining The Cardinal Nation to receive the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system, including access to every article in our 2026 Top Cardinals Prospects series.
Now available – 2026 Cardinals Prospect Guide
The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its ninth year. It includes 275 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including over five dozen all-new player scouting reports by Kyle Reis. Order your PDF or spiral-bound printed book today.
All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!
Order The Cardinal Nation’s 2026 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide
Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com. Follow Brian and The Cardinal Nation on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.
© 2026 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Cardinals Sign Minor League Pitcher Justin Militello
The St. Louis Cardinals continue to sign second-chance minor league pitchers who have improved with off-season private academy work. The latest is right-hander Justin Militello, who inked his deal on Friday, February 6.
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Cardinals Claim Infielder Bryan Ramos off Waivers
photo: Bryan Ramos (Jonathan Dyer/USA TODAY Sports)
MLB’s waiver churn game continued on Friday, February 6 as the St. Louis Cardinals claimed third baseman Bryan Ramos off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles.
The 23-year-old was an Oriole for just five days, as his contract was acquired from the Chicago White Sox on February 1 for cash considerations. Ramos had been designated for assignment by the Pale Hose, with the cash deal likely done because Baltimore feared that Ramos would have been first claimed by another club with higher priority in the waiver process.
Especially given Ramos’ short time with them, the Orioles likely acquired him with the hope they could sneak him though waivers and stash him in Triple-A, reusing the 40-man roster spot on another player.
This general approach across the game, with no minimum time on a roster required, has led to former Cardinals outfielder Michael Siani being claimed off waivers four times in the last three months alone.
Ramos, a Havana, Cuba native, was a July 2nd signing by the White Sox in 2018. After reaching Double-A in 2022, he was selected to the 40-man roster that November to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. He spent all of 2023 at Double-A and also performed in the Arizona Fall League.
To open 2024, Ramos returned to Double-A, and in early May, made the unusual move from there straight to MLB. For the remainder of that season and all of 2025, he toggled back and forth multiple times between Chicago and Triple-A Charlotte.
In the process, Ramos used up all three of his minor league options. This crucial fact limits flexibility of any team that employs him – unless they can get him off their 40-man roster.
With St. Louis, Ramos (at least for now) takes the 40-man spot vacated by the traded Brendan Donovan.
In 169 career games at the Triple-A level, Ramos has slashed .235/.321/.404/.725 with 24 home runs. His K rate is 21.8% and walk rate is just 9.4%.
In the majors, Ramos has had a tough time, with a line of .198/.244/.333/.577 in 119 plate appearances over 36 games with the Pale Hose in 2024 and 2025.
Brian Walton’s take
It is difficult to envision how Ramos could make St. Louis’ roster out of camp, barring significant injuries to others. The club already has on the 40-man roster Nolan Gorman, Thomas Saggese, Cesar Prieto and Jose Fermin plus top prospect JJ Wetherholt, all of whom can play the hot corner.
And with no minor league options remaining, Ramos would have to go back on waivers before having a chance to be reassigned to Memphis.
I don’t see Ramos as a good fit, short or long term, for the Cardinals as they are currently configured.
For roster and player information
The team rosters here at The Cardinal Nation are kept up to date daily. To access them, click on “ROSTERS/PLAYERS/MOVES” located on the red menu bar on the left of the page beneath The Cardinal Nation site logo.
To see the Cardinals’ entire system by level and position on one page along with every player transaction for every club all year long, check out the always current Roster Matrix at The Cardinal Nation. It is kept updated during the offseason and is accessible from the same menu as team rosters.
Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation
TCN 2026 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect #5a – Jurrangelo Cijntje
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If you enjoyed this article, please consider joining The Cardinal Nation to receive the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system, including access to every article in our 2026 Top Cardinals Prospects series.
Now available – 2026 Cardinals Prospect Guide
The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its ninth year. It includes 275 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including over five dozen all-new player scouting reports by Kyle Reis. Order your PDF or spiral-bound printed book today.
All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!
Order The Cardinal Nation’s 2026 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide
Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com. Follow Brian and The Cardinal Nation on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.
© 2026 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Cardinals Sign First Baseman-Outfielder Bligh Madris to a Minor League Contract
The St. Louis Cardinals made a minor league depth signing, adding first baseman-outfielder Bligh Madris on a 2026 contract. Brian Walton recaps the well-traveled 29-year-old’s career and forecasts his role for the coming season.
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Cardinals Send Donovan to Mariners in Three-Team Trade
photo: Jurrangelo Cijntje (Arkansas Travelers)
In return for All-Star infielder Brendan Donovan, the St. Louis Cardinals received three minor leaguers and two 2026 draft selections. St. Louis’ headliner is right-hander Jurrangelo Cijntje.
St. Louis Cardinals release
We have completed the following trade with the Seattle Mariners and Tampa Bay Rays: pic.twitter.com/Ue134ZuoWA
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) February 3, 2026
The St. Louis Cardinals announced this evening (Monday, February 2) that they have completed a three-team trade with the Seattle Mariners and Tampa Bay Rays, acquiring RHP Jurrangelo Cijntje, OF Tai Peete, OF Colton Ledbetter and two Compensation Round B Draft Selections, one from each team, in exchange for All-Star infielder Brendan Donovan.
“We are pleased that, because of this deal, we will add five more promising young players to the talent pipeline that has always fueled this organization’s sustained success,” stated Cardinals President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom. “We believe we’ve added exciting athleticism and upside on both sides of the ball, with more to come in this summer’s draft.
All of us here are so grateful for Brendan’s contributions to the Cardinals and to our community, which will last well beyond his time here. He is first class as both a player and a person, and that combination is rare. We wish him and his wonderful family well.”
Jurrangelo Cijntje (jurr-ANN-jel-oh SAIN-jah), 22, was originally drafted by the Seattle Mariners as an ambidextrous pitcher in the first round (15th overall) out of Mississippi State University in the 2024 MLB Draft. Born in Gravenhage, Netherlands, Cijntje was ranked as the No. 7 prospect in the Mariners organization by Baseball America entering the 2026 season. He posted a 5-7 record with a 3.99 ERA over 26 appearances, making 23 starts while advancing as high as Double-A Arkansas with the Mariners in his first professional season. Cijntje played for Curacao in the 2016 Little League World Series and his father, Mechangelo, played professionally as a catcher in the Netherlands.
Tai Peete, 20, the Mariners first round draft pick (30th overall) in the 2023 MLB Draft out of Trinity Christian School in Georgia, entered the 2026 season as the No. 10 prospect in the Mariners organization by Baseball America. The 6-foot-2, 193-pound, left-handed slugger walloped 19 home runs and drove in 63 over 125 games with High-A Everett in 2025.
Peete began his professional career with the Mariners in the Arizona Complex League before being promoted to the California League after 10 games as a 17-year-old. He has compiled a .247 batting average with 28 home runs, 154 RBI, 76 stolen bases, 54 doubles and 14 triples through his first 265 professional games. Peete carries defensive experience in the outfield and infield with 144 games primarily in centerfield, 24 games at third base and five at second base.
Colton Ledbetter, 24, was the Tampa Bay Rays 2nd round (55th overall) selection in the 2023 MLB Draft out of Mississippi State University. The left-handed batting outfielder advanced to Double-A Montgomery by his third professional season compiling a .269 batting average with 25 home runs, 126 RBI and 74 stolen bases in 94 attempts through his first 253 games. He has posted back-to-back seasons with 30 or more stolen bases and led Bowling Green (A) in stolen bases in 2024.
Cijntje and Ledbetter were teammates on the Mississippi State baseball team during the 2023 season.
The two Compensation Round B draft selections the Cardinals will receive from both the Mariners and the Rays are currently projected as picks No. 68 and 72 in the 2026 MLB Draft.
Donovan, 29, was drafted by the Cardinals in 2018 and played four seasons (2022-25) with St. Louis, earning his first National League All-Star selection in 2025. Donovan earned a Rawlings Gold Glove Award in 2022 as a utility player and was a Gold Glove finalist in 2024. In 2025, Donovan was a Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award finalist among N.L. utility players, an award that was won by the Cardinals Alec Burleson.
Brian Walton’s initial take
The Cardinals lost a true team leader in Donovan, but they had signaled their intention long ago. It seems the strategy was to wait to make the deal until their asking price was met.
While multiple Top 100 prospects would be ideal, the overall take the Cardinals received seems fair. One way to characterize it is that the Cardinals received a former first round draft pick, a Competitive Balance A pick, a former second rounder and two future picks in the top 72 in 2026 for the two final arbitration years of Donovan.
On paper, that is a tremendous haul. But not all those former early picks are sure future MLB contributors.
The best is Cijntje, who has received a lot of notoriety over the last decade for his switch-pitching. However, due to his greater effectiveness from the right side, the Mariners already disclosed their plan to limit him to throwing righty in 2026. We will see if the Cardinals follow through with that.
Update
In a media Zoom meeting late Tuesday morning, Cardinals President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom told us that his group would likely continue the Mariners’ plan to still have Cijntje pitch from the left side in practice. He also noted the player wants to continue to be a switch-pitcher. The Cardinals want to get to know him first before setting a specific plan with him.
Cijntje is a borderline Top 100 prospect in baseball. According to MLB Pipeline, he was ranked 90th last year and 91st currently. However, the 5-foot-11, 200 pounder did not make Baseball America’s list to open either 2025 or 2026. Cijntje did debut on BA’s national in-season ranking update at no. 100 in April 2025 but was back off the list by the end of the season.
Peete is a former high school shortstop signed as Seattle’s Competitive Balance A selection in 2024, and was later moved to center field. While the power potential is there, strikeouts have been a problem. Peete logged a K rate of over 30% in each of the last two seasons; granted they were at ages 18 and 19.
Ledbetter hasn’t yet lived up to his power potential, which will be key if the right-fielder is to make it in the majors. He did not place on BA’s Rays Top 30 the last two years, but Ledbetter was Tampa Bay’s no. 16 prospect in 2025 per Pipeline.
From this trade, I think I am most excited about the pair of Compensation picks, which will give St. Louis six selections in the top 86 in this June’s draft. The no. 68 overall comes from Seattle and the no. 72 was Tampa Bay’s.
As of now, the 40-man roster is at 39 players.
What is next
Much more commentary on this trade is coming just ahead on our Wednesday With Walton and Reis podcast, including where the new arrivals fit on our Cardinals Top 50 Prospect List.
Stay tuned!
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