All posts by The Cardinal Nation staff

Wednesday With Walton and Reis – Season 9, Episode 32

photo: Quinn Mathews studying his numbers (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The Cardinal Nation’s Brian Walton is joined by analyst Kyle Reis for a weekly discussion of St. Louis Cardinals news, with a focus on player development and the minor leagues.

The podcasts are quick hitting and timely, covering a short list of current topics in 30 to 45 minutes. More information on everything discussed can be found in articles here at The Cardinal Nation.

Brian and Kyle cover the news of the week across the St. Louis Cardinals system including promotions and awards. Topics include Quinn Mathews to St. Louis and back, Tink Hence, Tanner Franklin, Tai Peete, Yordalin Peña, Jesus Baez, Liam Doyle, Andrew Dutkanych and more.

(Note: Tuesday evening, after we recorded our podcast, the Cardinals announced an unusual second wave of transactions the same day.

All videos of episodes of Wednesday With Walton at The Cardinal Nation can be found here.

The video and audio are also simulcast each week via your favorite podcast apps: Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts IHeartRadio and YouTube. (Note: If you want chapter delineation, use the Spotify feed.)

Subscription details are here.

New Homes for Wednesday With Walton and Reis on Podcast Apps

Related podcast

Make sure you also check out this week’s special edition of our podcast from Monday, focused on the trade deadline and the four new Cardinals prospects acquired.

Special Trade Deadline Edition – Monday With Walton and Reis

20% off – 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.

The final copies of the printed book are on sale for 20% off!

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

The Cardinal Nation Prospect Interview – Outfielder Ian Petrutz

Not yet a member?

Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.

Kyle is one of the most informative and entertaining Cardinals related social media follows at @kyler416.

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.

Special Trade Deadline Edition – Monday With Walton and Reis

photo: Alexander Frias (Wilson Warbirds)

The Cardinal Nation’s Brian Walton is joined by analyst Kyle Reis for a weekly discussion of St. Louis Cardinals news, with a focus on player development and the minor leagues.

The podcasts are quick hitting and timely, covering a short list of current topics in 30 to 45 minutes. More information on everything discussed can be found in articles here at The Cardinal Nation.

In a special episode recorded just after the August 3 trade deadline, Brian and Kyle break down the deals that brought four prospects into the Cardinals organization – outfielders Alexander Frias and Josiah Ragsdale from Milwaukee plus pitchers Daniel Eagen and Sandro Santana from Arizona – where they fit into the organization and onto our Top 50 prospect list. Kyle closes with a rant about not addressing the catching position backlog.

Note: We will be back with our regular Wednesday edition, so that means two episodes in one week!

All videos of episodes of Wednesday With Walton at The Cardinal Nation can be found here.

The video and audio are also simulcast each week via your favorite podcast apps: Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts IHeartRadio and YouTube. (Note: If you want chapter delineation, use the Spotify feed.)

Subscription details are here.

New Homes for Wednesday With Walton and Reis on Podcast Apps

20% off – 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.

The final copies of the printed book are on sale for 20% off!

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

The Cardinal Nation Prospect Interview – Outfielder Ian Petrutz

Not yet a member?

Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.

Kyle is one of the most informative and entertaining Cardinals related social media follows at @kyler416.

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 Trade Nootbaar to Arizona for Prospects Eagen and Santana

photo: Daniel Eagen (Amarillo Sod Poodles)

The St. Louis Cardinals acquired two pitching prospects from the Arizona Diamondbacks, Daniel Eagen and Sandro Santana plus a player to be named later, for outfielder Lars Nootbaar.

St. Louis Cardinals release

The St. Louis Cardinals announced today (Monday, August 3) that the team has completed a trade deadline deal with Arizona, acquiring minor league prospects Daniel Eagen, Sandro Santana and a player to be named later in exchange for outfielder Lars Nootbaar.

Eagen, 23, is ranked by MLB Pipeline as Arizona’s No. 5 prospect and No. 13 by Baseball America. Santana, 21, is ranked by MLB Pipeline as Arizona’s No. 26 prospect.

DANIEL EAGEN – RHP

Daniel Eagen

23 years old – born November 23, 2002 in Fuquay-Varina, NC

  • 6-4, 206 lbs.                Bats: Right / Throws: Right
  • 13 prospect in the Diamondbacks organization by Baseball America and No. 5 by MLB Pipeline.
  • 2025 Diamondbacks Minor League Pitcher of the Year in his first professional season. Took part in 2026 Major League Spring Training with Arizona as a non-roster invitee.
  • 5-8 with a 4.95 ERA (87.1 IP) and 109 strikeouts in 20 starts for Double-A Amarillo. Boasts a 11.2 SO/9 IP ratio this season with a pair of 10-strikeout games.
  • 109 strikeouts leads all Dbacks minor leaguers and ranks 5th among all Double-A pitchers (3rd in Texas League) this season. He also led Arizona farmhands last season with 153 strikeouts.
  • Named 2025 Northwest League (A+) Pitcher of the Year, Post-Season All-Star. Selected as 2025 Baseball America Class High-A All-Star.
  • Originally selected by Arizona in the 3rd round (102nd overall) of the 2024 MLB Draft out of Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina.

SANDRO SANTANA – LHP

Sandro Santana

21 years old – born March 7, 2005 in Barahona, Dominican Republic

  • 5-10, 150 lbs.            Bats: Left / Throws: Left
  • #22 prospect in Diamondbacks system by MLB Pipeline.
  • Signed with Arizona as an international free agent in January 2023.
  • Owns a 2.14 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, .188 batting average against with 70 strikeouts across 46.1 IP in 31 relief appearances between Amarillo (AA) and Hillsboro (A+) this season.
  • Recorded a 37.0 SO% and 10.6 BB% and has allowed just seven extra-base hits on the season (.255 SLG% against).
  • Since June 24 promotion to Double-A Amarillo, has posted a 0.57 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and 36.2 SO% in 11 appearances.

For more information on these new Cardinals

Special Trade Deadline Edition – Monday With Walton and Reis

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.

20% off – 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.

The final copies of the 2026 printed book are being closed out at 20% off.

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

The Cardinal Nation Prospect Interview – Outfielder Ian Petrutz

Not yet a member?

Join The Cardinal Nation for 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 Trade May and Romero to Brewers for Prospects Frias and Ragsdale

photo: Josiah Ragsdale (Biloxi Shuckers)

The St. Louis Cardinals acquired two outfield prospects from the Milwaukee Brewers, Alexander Frias and Josiah Ragsdale, for pitchers Dustin May and JoJo Romero.

St. Louis Cardinals release

The St. Louis Cardinals announced today (Monday, August 3) that the team has completed a trade deadline deal this afternoon acquiring a pair of outfield prospects Alexander Frias and Josiah Ragsdale from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for pitchers Dustin May and JoJo Romero.

Frias, 18, ranks as a Top 100 prospect by three different publications and the No. 8 prospect in the Brewers system per Baseball America. Ragsdale, 22, ranks as Milwaukee’s No. 22 prospect by Baseball America.

ALEXANDER FRIAS – OF

Alexander Frias

18 years old – born March 10, 2008 in Rio San Juan, Dominican Republic

  • 6-2, 177 lbs.            Bats: Left / Throws: Right
  • Signed as an international free agent by Milwaukee in January 2025 out of Rio San Juan, Dominican Republic.
  • Currently ranked as a Top 100 prospect by Fangraphs (No. 43), The Athletic (No. 69) and Baseball America (No. 100). No. 8 prospect in Brewers system by Baseball America.
  • Slashed .441/.518/.678 with 18 extra-base hits, 34 RBI, 33 runs scored and 12 SB in 32 games with the Arizona Complex League Brewers before being promoted to Single-A Wilson on June 23.
  • At the time of his promotion, Frias led the ACL in batting average, on-base percentage and hits (52) while also ranking top 3 in slugging, OPS (1.196, 2nd), doubles (12, T-2nd), and total bases (30, 3rd).
  • In 28 games at Single-A Wilson, Frias owns a .746 OPS with 10 extra-base hits, 28 RBI and 7 stolen bases as the youngest player in the Carolina League as of July 25.
  • Younger brother of former Diamondbacks (2021-24) and Blue Jays (2024) pitcher Luis Frias.

JOSIAH RAGSDALE – OF

Josiah Ragsdale

22 years old – born December 21, 2003 in Vineland, NJ

  • 6-0, 185 lbs.            Bats: Left / Throws: Left
  • 22 prospect in Brewers system by Baseball America and No. 13 by MLB Pipeline.
  • Batting .316/.441/.581 (98-310) with 19 homers, 51 RBI, 31 stolen bases, and 1.022 OPS in 86 games between Wisconsin (A+) and Biloxi (AA) this season.
  • Among qualified full season minor leaguers this season, ranks 7th in OBP (.441), and 8th in OPS (1.022).
  • Has 10 HR in his last 13 games with Biloxi, most homers in all of MLB or MiLB since July 19.
  • Started 42 games in center field and 41 games in right field this season.
  • Ragsdale is 1 of 8 minor leaguers this season with 15+ HR and 30+ SB. Currently, one home run shy from a 20 2B, 20 HR, 30 SB season.
  • Originally selected by the Brewers in the 7th round of the 2025 MLB Draft. Played collegiately at Boston College (2025) and Iona (2023-24).

For more information on these new Cardinals

Special Trade Deadline Edition – Monday With Walton and Reis

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.

20% off – 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.

The final copies of the 2026 printed book are being closed out at 20% off.

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

The Cardinal Nation Prospect Interview – Outfielder Ian Petrutz

Not yet a member?

Join The Cardinal Nation for 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.

Springfield’s Rainiel Rodriguez Named Texas League Player of the Week

photo: Rainiel Rodriguez (P.J. Maigi/Springfield Cardinals)

No. 1 St. Louis Cardinals prospect, catcher Rainiel Rodriguez, was the top player in the Double-A Texas League for the period of July 27-August 2.

Springfield Cardinals release

Minor League Baseball has announced that Springfield Cardinals catcher and St. Louis Cardinals number one prospect Rainiel Rodriguez has been named the Texas League Player of the Week for the week of July 27 – August 2. Rodriguez is the first Cardinals position player this season to earn the Player of the Week honor as he joins LHP Braden Davis as the only Cardinals who have been recognized this season by the league.

Rainiel Rodriguez

The 19-year-old Rodriguez led the Texas League in slugging percentage (1.105) last week while launching three home runs with a .526 batting average. He logged three multi-hit games including a two home run night on July 29, the fourth of his Minor League career. The Domincan catcher has continued his breakout career in Springfield and enjoyed a huge month of July, slashing .305/.376/.561 in 20 games played. He has been red hot since the start of June, coming in fourth among all qualified Texas League hitters with a .329 average.

Rodriguez was called up to Double-A on May 12 from High-A Peoria. Since then he has cemented himself as the consensus number one prospect in the system, participated in the MLB All-Star Futures Game and currently sits as the 12th-ranked prospect in all of Minor League Baseball according to MLB Pipeline. He is one of just five teenagers in the top 15. Rodriguez, nicknamed ‘The Hulk’, was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2024 and has enjoyed a meteoric rise through the system. He immediately made his prowess known thanks to a big first season in the Dominican Summer League as one of the league’s best hitters before an explosive 2025 campaign, primarily in the Florida State League. The native of Pimentel, Dominican Republic won’t turn 20 until January of next year.

Now 20% off – 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.

The final copies of the printed book are on closeout for 20% off.

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

The Cardinal Nation Prospect Interview – Outfielder Ian Petrutz

Not yet a member?

Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.

© 2026 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Wednesday With Walton and Reis – Season 9, Episode 30

photo: Chase Davis (St. Louis Cardinals)

The Cardinal Nation’s Brian Walton is joined by analyst Kyle Reis for a weekly discussion of St. Louis Cardinals news, with a focus on player development and the minor leagues.

The podcasts are quick hitting and timely, covering a short list of current topics in 30 to 45 minutes. More information on everything discussed can be found in articles here at The Cardinal Nation.

In the final episode prior to the August 3 trade deadline, Brian and Kyle start with the idea and timing of trading Ivan Herrera and Lars Nootbaar, bullpen turnover and potential rotation changes. They focus on hitters in the system including Jack Gurevitch, Tai Peete, Colton Ledbetter, Chase Davis, Joshua Baez and more!

All videos of episodes of Wednesday With Walton at The Cardinal Nation can be found here.

The video and audio are also simulcast each week via your favorite podcast apps: Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts IHeartRadio and YouTube. (Note: If you want chapter delineation, use the Spotify feed.)

Subscription details are here.

New Homes for Wednesday With Walton and Reis on Podcast Apps

20% off – 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.

The final copies of the printed book are on sale for 20% off!

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

The Cardinal Nation Prospect Interview – Outfielder Tai Peete

Not yet a member?

Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.

Kyle is one of the most informative and entertaining Cardinals related social media follows at @kyler416.

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.

Final 20% off Sale on The Cardinal Nation’s 2026 Prospect Guide

While supplies last, buy The Cardinal Nation’s 2026 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide spiral bound book at 20% off.

If you or someone close to you is a St. Louis Cardinals fan who cares about the system’s prospects, we have a great gift suggestion – one is specially priced.

You can order The Cardinal Nation’s 2026 Prospect Guide spiral bound book version for 20% off, just $35.95. Free shipping to the US is included.

The 2026 Guide features 275 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including five dozen all-new player scouting reports written by Kyle Reis and Brian Walton.

While you are at it, order a copy for yourself, too!

Don’t wait, as once the final case of books are gone, there will be no reordering.

Place your order directly here:




Or, to read about the Guide and dozens of customer testimonials first, refer to this article:

Order TCN’s 2026 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide

This offer ends when all remaining books are sold.. (Remaining quantities are limited, so don’t wait!)

If you have any questions, before or after ordering, just use the CONTACT US form on the red menu bar at the top of the page and you will receive a prompt reply. Your satisfaction is guaranteed!

Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation

The Cardinal Nation Top 50 Prospect List – 2026 Post-Draft Details

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© 2026 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Wednesday With Walton and Reis – Season 9, Episode 29

photo: Hunter Dobbins (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The Cardinal Nation’s Brian Walton is joined by analyst Kyle Reis for a weekly discussion of St. Louis Cardinals news, with a focus on player development and the minor leagues.

The podcasts are quick hitting and timely, covering a short list of current topics in 30 to 45 minutes. More information on everything discussed can be found in articles here at The Cardinal Nation.

Before getting into how and where they ranked the St. Louis Cardinals 2026 draft picks in the TCN Top 50, Brian and Kyle cover players in the news including Clarke, Nuñez, Sparks, Driessen, Mautz, Cijntje, Mathews, Dobbins, Hence and more.

Related articles

The Cardinal Nation’s July 2026 St. Louis Cardinals Top 50 Prospect List

The Cardinal Nation Top 50 Prospect List – 2026 Post-Draft Details

All videos of episodes of Wednesday With Walton at The Cardinal Nation can be found here.

The video and audio are also simulcast each week via your favorite podcast apps: Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts IHeartRadio and YouTube. (Note: If you want chapter delineation, use the Spotify feed.)

Subscription details are here.

New Homes for Wednesday With Walton and Reis on Podcast Apps

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 copy 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

The Cardinal Nation Top 50 Prospect List – 2026 Post-Draft Details

Not yet a member?

Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.

Kyle is one of the most informative and entertaining Cardinals related social media follows at @kyler416.

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.

The Cardinal Nation’s July 2026 St. Louis Cardinals Top 50 Prospect List

photo: Trevor Condon (St. Louis Cardinals)

The monthly in-season update of The Cardinal Nation’s St. Louis Cardinals Top 50 Prospect List is now available. Six players join the new rankings, all from the 2026 draft class.

For July, The Cardinal Nation’s monthly in-season St. Louis Cardinals Top 50 Prospect List update is solely focused on the inclusion of the members of the organization’s acclaimed 2026 draft class. No other players were re-ranked this month.

As always, Kyle Reis and Brian Walton separately rank the players with the site list a combination of the two. These blended player Top 50 rankings follow, made available to everyone each month.

For additional specifics, including individual votes and commentary, please subscribe to The Cardinal Nation to access the detailed article mentioned below.

We will also discuss our rankings on our regular “Wednesday With Walton and Reis” podcast.

Here are the July results.

Prospect Tm/Rd Pos June July
Rainiel Rodriguez Spr C 1
Liam Doyle Spr LHS 2
Joshua Baez Mem OF 3
Jimmy Crooks StL C 4
Quinn Mathews Mem LHS 5
Tanner Franklin Peo RHS 6
Leonardo Bernal Mem C 7
Cooper Hjerpe Spr LHS 8
Jurrangelo Cijntje Mem SHS 9
Brandon Clarke Spr IL LHS 10
Tekoah Roby Mem IL RHS 11
Trevor Condon 1 OF 11a
Tegan Kuhns CB-A P 11b
Ixan Henderson Mem IL LHS 12
Braden Davis Spr LHS 13
Tai Peete Peo OF 14
Mason Molina Mem RHS 15
Blaze Jordan StL 1B/3B 16
Yhoiker Fajardo Peo RHS 17
Brycen Mautz Mem LHR 18
Jacob Odle Peo RHS 19
Rocco Maniscalco 2 SS 19a
Deniel Ortiz Spr 1B/3B 20
Chen Wei-Lin Spr RHS 21
Sebastian Dos Santos PB MIF 22
Emanuel Luna DSL OF 23
Jesus Baez Spr SS/3B 24
Jack Gurevitch Peo 1B 25
Luis Gastelum StL RHR 26
Xavier Cruz PB IL RHR 27
Ryan Mitchell PB OF 28
Chase Davis Mem OF 29
Tink Hence Mem RHR 30
Dee Kennedy 4 SS 30a
Cade Winquest Mem RHR 31
Cade Crossland PB LHS 32
Yairo Padilla PB SS 33
Max Rajcic StL IL RHR 34
Frank Elissalt Peo IL RHS 35
Caden Ferraro 3 OF 35a
Cal Randall 5 P 35b
Ty Van Dyke Peo RHS 36
Won-Bin Cho Spr OF 37
Hancel Rincon Mem RHR 38
Bryan Torres StL 2B/OF 39
Pete Hansen Mem LHS 40
Ryan Campos Spr C 41
Payton Graham PB RHS 42
Blake Aita Spr RHS 43
Brian Holiday PB RHS 44
Ethan Young PB IL RHS 45
Miguel Hernandez FCL MIF 46
Ramon Mendoza Mem IF 47
Tre Richardson Spr 2B 48
Cristofer Lebron FCL 3B 49
Travis Honeyman Spr OF 50
Prospect Tm/Rd Pos June July

For much more information

Please check out the following article. It details all draft picks considered for the Top 50, how they fit relative to current prospects, Kyle’s and Brian’s individual votes and reasoning plus much more! It is exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation.

The Cardinal Nation Top 50 Prospect List – 2026 Post-Draft Details

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 TCN’s 2026 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide

Not yet a member?

Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.

© 2026 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Wednesday With Walton and Reis – Special Draft Edition with Kareem Haq

The Cardinal Nation’s Brian Walton is joined by analyst Kyle Reis for a weekly discussion of St. Louis Cardinals news, with a focus on player development and the minor leagues.

The podcasts are quick hitting and timely, covering a short list of current topics in 30 to 45 minutes. More information on everything discussed can be found in articles here at The Cardinal Nation.

In this special double-length edition, Brian and Kyle are joined by Kareem Haq of Cardinals Prospects and Birds on the Farm podcast. The lone subject is a very important one – how the Cardinals fared in the 2026 MLB Draft.  They begin with an overall view of the team’s strategies, player selection and financials as well as how outsiders viewed the draft. Then, every one of the 23 draft picks is discussed in detail from  scouting and metrics perspectives.

All videos of episodes of Wednesday With Walton at The Cardinal Nation can be found here.

The video and audio are also simulcast each week via your favorite podcast apps: Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts IHeartRadio and YouTube. (Note: If you want chapter delineation, use the Spotify feed.)

Subscription details are here.

New Homes for Wednesday With Walton and Reis on Podcast Apps

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 copy 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

The Cardinal Nation Prospect Interview – Pitcher Blake Aita

Not yet a member?

Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.

Kyle is one of the most informative and entertaining Cardinals related social media follows at @kyler416.

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.

Wednesday With Walton and Reis – Season 9, Episode 28

photo: Quinn Mathews (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The Cardinal Nation’s Brian Walton is joined by analyst Kyle Reis for a weekly discussion of St. Louis Cardinals news, with a focus on player development and the minor leagues.

The podcasts are quick hitting and timely, covering current topics in approximately 45 minutes. More information on everything discussed can be found in articles here at The Cardinal Nation.

Brian and Kyle cover players in the news of the week across the St. Louis Cardinals system including Futures Game, Home Run Derby, All-Star Game. JJ’s contract, Pitchers/Players of the Week/Month, Gastelum’s debut, pitching injury rehabs and player transactions.

All videos of episodes of Wednesday With Walton at The Cardinal Nation can be found here.

The video and audio are also simulcast each week via your favorite podcast apps: Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts IHeartRadio and YouTube. (Note: If you want chapter delineation, use the Spotify feed.)

Subscription details are here.

New Homes for Wednesday With Walton and Reis on Podcast Apps

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 copy 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

The Cardinal Nation Prospect Interview – Pitcher Blake Aita

Not yet a member?

Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.

Kyle is one of the most informative and entertaining Cardinals related social media follows at @kyler416.

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 Name Mason Molina, Jesus Baez their June Pitcher and Player of the Month

photo: Mason Molina (PJ Maigi/Springfield Cardinals)

The St. Louis Cardinals have named Mason Molina and Jesús Báez as their June Minor League Pitcher and Player of the Month. Both put up good numbers at Springfield. For Molina, it was his Double-A swan song; for Baez, it was a strong debut.

Springfield Cardinals release

LHP Mason Molina and INF Jesús Báez have been named St. Louis Cardinals Minor League Pitcher and Player of the Month, respectively, for June 2026. Both prospects spent time with the Springfield during their award-winning months. They become the first Springfield Cardinals to be honored with these awards in 2026. This is the first time since June 2023 that both the Pitcher (RHP Tink Hence) and Player (INF Nick Dunn) of the Month awards went to Springfield Cardinals in the same month.

Mason Molina

LHP MASON MOLINA

Molina is the first Springfield pitcher to win this award since RHP Hancel Rincon did so in June 2025, the last of three straight Springfield Cardinals to win the award (RHP Tekoah Roby – May 2025, LHP Ixan Henderson – April 2025). The southpaw was stellar in June, making five starts to the tune of a 2.45 ERA. On June 27 at Route 66 Stadium, he tossed 6.2 innings of shutout ball while striking out six batters in what would ultimately be his final start with the Springfield Cardinals before his promotion to Triple-A Memphis. Currently the 29th ranked prospect in the system according to MLB Pipeline, Molina led Cardinals Minor League arms in innings pitched, quality starts, strikeouts and walks per nine innings in June. The lefty out of Rancho Santa Margarita, CA was acquired via trade as a part of a deal with the Texas Rangers for RHP Phil Maton at the 2025 trade deadline and is currently a part of the Memphis Redbirds starting rotation.

Jesús Báez

INF JESÚS BÁEZ

Báez is the first Springfield Cardinal position player to win Player of the Month since Bryan Torres did so in August of 2024. The 19th ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline split time between High-A Peoria and Double-A Springfield, slashing .323/.378/.708 during June, launching seven home runs and driving in 21 runs. The Dominican born infielder began his Double-A career on a blistering pace, going 8-for-21 to end the end the month of June, homering three times while tallying a hit in all but one game he played for Springfield. His .708 slugging percentage split between the two levels ranked best among all qualified Cardinals farm hands. Báez, like Molina, was acquired via a trade as a part of a package with the New York Mets in exchange for RHP Ryan Helsley in 2025.

Jesus Baez (PJ Maigi/Springfield Cardinals)

The Cardinal Nation notes

Earlier, The Cardinal Nation selected Luis Gastelum and Brayden Smith as June Pitcher and Player of the Month.

Compare results of all four players and other finalists in these two articles.

The Cardinal Nation’s June 2026 Pitcher of the Month – Luis Gastelum

The Cardinal Nation June 2026 Player of the Month – Brayden Smith

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Florida Complex League Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 10

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Wednesday With Walton and Reis – Season 9, Episode 27

photo: Cooper Hjerpe (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The Cardinal Nation’s Brian Walton is joined by analyst Kyle Reis for a weekly discussion of St. Louis Cardinals news, with a focus on player development and the minor leagues.

The podcasts are quick hitting and timely, covering a short list of current topics in 30 to 45 minutes. More information on everything discussed can be found in articles here at The Cardinal Nation.

Brian and Kyle open with the All-Star Game, Futures Game and the odd draft schedule this coming weekend. Players covered include Gastelum, Mautz, Rodriguez, Doyle, Hjerpe, Molina, Rincon, Nuñez and Mathews plus hitters Peña and Cho. They close with their final preview of the Cardinals 2026 draft plans.

All videos of episodes of Wednesday With Walton at The Cardinal Nation can be found here.

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Cardinals Adjust Rosters for Twin-Bill Pitching Depth

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Wednesday With Walton and Reis – Season 9, Episode 26

photo: Mason Molina (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The Cardinal Nation’s Brian Walton is joined by analyst Kyle Reis for a weekly discussion of St. Louis Cardinals news, with a focus on player development and the minor leagues.

The podcasts are quick hitting and timely, covering a short list of current topics in 30 to 45 minutes. More information on everything discussed can be found in articles here at The Cardinal Nation.

Brian and Kyle open with hot Palm Beach hitters Brayden Smith and Ryan Weingartner. New Memphis pitcher Mason Molina is next along with speculation about other deadline deals potentially coming. Leadership changes with the Cardinals and Angels, now and perhaps ahead, are explored. They close with analysis of significant changes to player acquisition and development proposed in the CBA negotiations.

All videos of episodes of Wednesday With Walton at The Cardinal Nation can be found here.

The video and audio are also simulcast each week via your favorite podcast apps: Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts IHeartRadio and YouTube. Subscription details are here.

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The Cardinal Nation Prospect Interview – Infielder Jalin Flores

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Cardinals Announce Bill DeWitt III as New CEO

photo: Bill DeWitt III (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

In an expected leadership transition, the St. Louis Cardinals elevated Bill DeWitt III to CEO with Anuk Karunaratne promoted to President of Business Operations.

St. Louis Cardinals release – The St. Louis Cardinals today (Wednesday, June 24) announced new executive appointments as part of a long-planned leadership succession strategy reflecting the organization’s vision and commitment to excellence.

Bill DeWitt III has been named Chief Executive Officer, expanding his leadership responsibilities to oversee both baseball and business operations.

Anuk Karunaratne has been elevated to President of Business Operations, assuming leadership of all business matters and off-field initiatives for the organization and reporting to DeWitt III.

Bill DeWitt Jr. continues as Chairman and Principal Owner, and will continue his involvement in significant team baseball and business matters.

Today’s announcement follows the September 2025 appointment of Chaim Bloom as President of Baseball Operations.

“This organizational evolution reflects our family’s enduring commitment to the Cardinals, our fans, and our community,” said Bill DeWitt, Jr., Chairman of the St. Louis Cardinals.  “Today’s news also represents a natural progression of leadership responsibilities to steward the next generation of Cardinals baseball, both on and off the field.

“Bill’s leadership over the past 18 years as President – including his vision for Busch Stadium and Ballpark Village while leading our business efforts overall – has prepared him well to become our next CEO.  Over time, Bill has assumed increasing responsibilities across our organization, including baseball, and this appointment and transition to CEO duly recognizes this.

“Anuk has made significant contributions to our organization since arriving here prior to the 2024 season.  He also has a fantastic feel for our culture and what the Cardinals mean to the St. Louis community, which will serve him well as our new President of Business Operations.”

DeWitt III, 58, has served as President of the St. Louis Cardinals since 2008.  During his tenure, he has overseen the successful opening of Busch Stadium (2006), the development and launch of Ballpark Village Phase I (2014) and Phase II (2020), and the overall business success of the organization.  He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a B.A. from Yale University.

“I’m honored by this expanded opportunity to lead the Cardinals organization,” said DeWitt III.  “Anuk’s elevation to President of Business Operations reflects the strength of his leadership and his deep commitment to working collaboratively with our staff, business partners, and fans.  Together with Chaim Bloom’s baseball operations leadership, we have a young but experienced team with a great vision for the future.”

Karunaratne, 43, joined the Cardinals in 2024 as Senior Vice President of Business Operations, bringing more than 10 years of experience in professional sports business management.  Most recently, Karunaratne served as Executive Vice President of Business Operations with the Toronto Blue Jays (2020-2024), where he led the organization’s sales, marketing, fan experience and business administration operations.

In 2023, Karunaratne was recognized as one of Sports Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40” for his role in transforming the fan experience at Rogers Centre and improving the team’s overall direction.

A Washington University graduate who has deep roots in St. Louis, Karunaratne will focus on all non-baseball facets of the club with an emphasis on fan value and engagement, attendance and community involvement.

“I came here 25 years ago as a college student at Washington University, and am now blessed to have the opportunity of a lifetime with one of the most iconic franchises in all of sports, while living in an amazing St. Louis community that my family now calls home,” Karunaratne said.  “I am grateful to the DeWitt Family for this privilege, and recognize the great responsibility that comes with it.”

Now available – 2026 Cardinals Prospect Guide

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The Cardinal Nation Prospect Interview – Infielder Jesús Báez

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Wednesday With Walton and Reis – Season 9, Episode 25

photo: Cooper Hjerpe (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The Cardinal Nation’s Brian Walton is joined by analyst Kyle Reis for a weekly discussion of St. Louis Cardinals news, with a focus on player development and the minor leagues.

The podcasts are quick hitting and timely, covering a short list of current topics in 30 to 45 minutes. More information on everything discussed can be found in articles here at The Cardinal Nation.

Brian and Kyle open with a discussion of recent promotions of Michael Dattalo, Won-Bin Cho and Jesus Baez then discuss Lars Nootbaar and Joshua Baez. A review of key changes to The Cardinal Nation’s Top 50 Prospect List for June follows. Standouts moving up include Cooper Hjerpe, Braden Davis, Mason Molina, Jacob Odle, Xavier Cruz and many more.

All videos of episodes of Wednesday With Walton and Reis at The Cardinal Nation can be found here.

The video and audio are also simulcast each week via your favorite podcast apps: Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts IHeartRadio and YouTube. Subscription details are here.

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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 copy today.

All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!

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The Cardinal Nation Prospect Interview – Infielder Jesús Báez

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Relief Pitcher Max Rajcic to Make MLB Debut

photo: Max Rajcic (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals selected the contract of right-hander Max Rajcic from Memphis and designated for assignment right-hander Chris Roycroft.

St. Louis Cardinals release

The St. Louis Cardinals selected the contract of RHP Max Rajcic (rhymes with magic) from Memphis (AAA).  In a corresponding move, RHP Chris Roycroft was designated for assignment.

Chris Roycroft

Rajcic, 24, was selected by the Cardinals in the 6th round (187th overall) of the 2022 Major League Baseball draft out of the University of California-Los Angeles.

The 5-foot-10, 250 lb., hurler posted a 4-2 record with 2.88 ERA in 26 appearances with the Redbirds upon his promotion.  He made one start on April 5 vs. Norfolk in Game 2 of a doubleheader.  Rajcic arrives as the Redbirds’ current saves leader with five in six opportunities.  The Orange, Calif., native ranks tied for 5th in the International League in saves and appearances and is the Cardinals reigning Minor League Pitcher of the Month for May 2026.

Max Rajcic

Rajcic was the Cardinals 2023 Minor League Pitcher of the Year while playing for Palm Beach (A) and Peoria (High-A).  He was invited to Major League Spring Training each of the last three seasons making 10 appearances covering 17.2 innings.

Over four minor league seasons, Rajcic compiled a 26-26 record with a 3.81 ERA, one complete game shutout and five saves while striking out 400 batters over 413.0 innings.

Rajcic would be the Cardinals third pitcher and sixth call-up to make his Major League debut this season.  He will wear uniform No. 71.

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 20% off for Father’s Day – 2026 Cardinals Prospect Guide

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Springfield Cardinals Notebook 2026 Week 11

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Wednesday With Walton and Reis – Season 9, Episode 24

photo: Sebastian Dos Santos (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The Cardinal Nation’s Brian Walton is joined by analyst Kyle Reis for a weekly discussion of St. Louis Cardinals news, with a focus on player development and the minor leagues.

The podcasts are quick hitting and timely, covering a short list of current topics in 30 to 45 minutes. More information on everything discussed can be found in articles here at The Cardinal Nation.

Brian and Kyle are joined by Kareem Haq from CardinalsProspects.com, They started with recent promotions including Dos Santos and Richardson and the return of Padilla. The Cardinals strategy for their early 2026 draft picks was a major focus, including high school vs college, hitters vs. pitchers, budget usage and development preplanning with scouting. Eligible names discussed include Burrell, Curiel, Gracia, Lebron and others.

All videos of episodes of Wednesday With Walton at The Cardinal Nation can be found here.

The video and audio are also simulcast each week via your favorite podcast apps: Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts IHeartRadio and YouTube. Subscription details are here.

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Now 20% off for Father’s Day – 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.

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Palm Beach Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 11

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Cardinals Select Rajcic, Cho as May Minors Pitcher and Player of the Month

photo: Max Rajcic (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals have selected RHR Max Rajcic and OF Won-Bin Cho as their May Minor League Pitcher and Player of the Month.

St. Louis Cardinals release

The St. Louis Cardinals today (Thursday, June 11) announced their selections for Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Month for May, with Memphis Redbirds (AAA) right-handed relief pitcher Max Rajcic and Peoria Chiefs (A+) outfielder Won-Bin Cho taking home the honors.

Max Rajcic

Rajcic posted a 1.20 ERA (2 ER/15.0 IP), two wins, three saves, 0.80 WHIP, and 19 strikeouts while allowing only eight hits across 11 appearances in May. Among qualified Cardinals minor league pitchers (min. 12.0 IP), Rajcic ranked first in ERA, WHIP, saves, and opponent’s OPS (.464), third in opponent’s average (.154) and H/9 IP (4.8), and fifth in SO/BB ratio (4.75). He did not allow an earned run in 9 of his 11 outings and posted a 33.9% strikeout rate, striking out at least one batter in every appearance. The 24-year-old had four multi-inning appearances with his longest coming on May 10, where he retired 8 of 9 batters faced with five strikeouts over 2.2 innings to earn the Win at Toledo.

“Max has done an outstanding job transitioning from a starting role in 2025 to the bullpen this season, and the results were evident throughout the month of May,” said Cardinals Director of Player Development Larry Day. “While many pitchers simplify their arsenal when moving to a relief role, Max has successfully carried a starter’s approach into the bullpen, maintaining the depth of his pitch mix while adding more than two miles per hour of velocity and improving the overall quality of his stuff. His developmental focus has centered on improving his ability to win the race to two strikes through better in-zone execution of his off-speed pitches and leaning into his best swing-and-miss offerings in two-strike counts. We’re encouraged by the progress Max has made and excited about the impact he can continue to have as he builds on this success.”

Selected by the Cardinals in the 6th round of the 2022 Draft out of UCLA, Rajcic transitioned to the bullpen this year after making 74 starts over his first three professional seasons. The 2023 Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Year is enjoying a strong start as a reliever and currently owns a 3.03 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP in 24 games (38.2 IP), both 4th-lowest among all Cardinals minor league relievers (min 15.0 IP). This marks Rajcic’s third career Pitcher of the Month honor (June & August 2023), becoming the 6th Cardinals minor leaguer in franchise history to earn the award three times and ties him with Matthew Liberatore for the most selections among active players in the organization.

Won-Bin Cho

Cho slashed .325/.434/.663 with nine doubles, two triples, five home runs, 24 RBI, 15 walks and 10 stolen bases across 24 games with High-A Peoria. The 22-year-old led all qualified Cardinals minor leaguers in OPS (1.097), RBI, extra-base hits, and stolen bases while also ranking second with 55 total bases. He reached base safely in 22 games played and had a nine-game hitting streak that included eight straight games with an extra-base hit, tied for the second-longest by any player across Minor League Baseball this season.

“Won-Bin has been heavily investing into himself and his swing, making real improvements with how his bat moves through contact,” stated Day. “His improved swing is much more efficient and easier to control which has led to increased quality of contact at very productive angles, one of Won-Bin’s offensive goals. As Won-Bin continues to train towards increasing his contact and productive batted ball profiles as a hitter, refining route quality and throwing accuracy as a defender, and improving his route efficiency as a baserunner – we are excited about the progress he has made thus far and look forward to supporting him as he builds on his tremendous May.”

Signed by the Cardinals as an International free agent out of South Korea in January 2022, the 6’6”, left-handed batter represents the first Asian amateur player to sign with the organization. Cho is enjoying a breakout season with Peoria, currently slashing .277/.406/.518 across 48 games with 22 extra-base hits, 37 RBI and 23 stolen bases with a 16.3 walk percentage. His 100 career stolen bases rank as the 4th-most by any Cardinals minor leaguer since his professional debut in 2022. He was recently named the Midwest League’s Player of the Week for May 25-31.

TCN’s take

Earlier, The Cardinal Nation selected Cho and Palm Beach/Peoria’s Jacob Odle as our May Player and Pitcher of the Month. Compare stats of the selections as well as top candidates in these two articles.

The Cardinal Nation May 2026 Player of the Month – Won-Bin Cho

The Cardinal Nation’s May 2026 Pitcher of the Month – Jacob Odle

Now available – 2026 Cardinals Prospect Guide

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Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 10

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Wednesday With Walton and Reis – Season 9, Episode 23

photo: Nathan Church (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The Cardinal Nation’s Brian Walton is joined by analyst Kyle Reis for a weekly discussion of St. Louis Cardinals news, with a focus on player development and the minor leagues.

The podcasts are quick hitting and timely, covering a short list of current topics in 30 to 45 minutes. More information on everything discussed can be found in articles here at The Cardinal Nation.

Brian and Kyle cover recent roster moves by the St. Louis Cardinals including Dobbins, Church and Scott and what we might expect at the trade deadline. Activations in the system include Hence, Hjerpe, Ortiz and Dutkanych. Exploding offense at Peoria, including Jesus Baez, Kross and McGee, was discussed. TCN’s May Pitcher of the Month Jacob Odle and several finalists were highlighted as were recent standouts Graham and Mathews.

All videos of episodes of Wednesday With Walton at The Cardinal Nation can be found here.

The video and audio are also simulcast each week via your favorite podcast apps: Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts IHeartRadio and YouTube. Subscription details are here.

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Now available – 2026 Cardinals Prospect Guide

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Palm Beach Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 10

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Peoria’s Tre Richardson III Named Midwest League Player of the Week

photo: Tre Richardson (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Peoria Chiefs release 

Tre Richardson III has been named the Midwest League Player of the Week by Major League Baseball for the week of June 2-7. Richardson is the second consecutive Chief to earn the honor, following Won-Bin Cho last week.

Tre Richardson

Richardson’s standout week was a driving force for a Chiefs offense that scored 51 runs in a six-game sweep of the Beloit Sky Carp at Dozer Park. The infielder finished the week 7-17 with a whopping five home runs and a Midwest League Best 1.794 OPS.

On Wednesday, Richardson went deep twice for his first career multi-home run game as a pro, part of a seven-home run effort for the Chiefs. After hitting a two-run homer on Thursday, Richardson hit two more longballs on Friday night.

The Texas native is the first Chief to have two multi-home run games in a season since Nolan Gorman and Julio E. Rodriguez both did so in 2018. He is the only Chief on record to have two in the span of one week.

Through 26 games this season, Richardson is batting .337 with a 1.159 OPS and .733 slugging percentage. After entering the season with four total home runs in three professional seasons, Richardson has 10 round trippers.

The award-winning week continues an incredible stretch for the 2023 15th round selection. Since May 15, Richardson’s 1.445 OPS and .982 SLG lead full-season Minor League Baseball (minimum 15 games played).

Peoria is set to begin a six-game series with the South Bend Cubs at Four Winds Field on Tuesday night at 6:05 pm CT. The Chiefs return to Dozer Park June 16-21 to take on the Dayton Dragons (Reds).

Now available – 2026 Cardinals Prospect Guide

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Dominican Summer League Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 1

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Wednesday With Walton and Reis – Season 9, Episode 22

photo: Blaze Jordan (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The Cardinal Nation’s Brian Walton is joined by analyst Kyle Reis for a weekly discussion of St. Louis Cardinals news, with a focus on player development and the minor leagues.

The podcasts are quick hitting and timely, covering a short list of current topics in 30 to 45 minutes. More information on everything discussed can be found in articles here at The Cardinal Nation.

Brian and Kyle discuss the recent roster moves by the St. Louis Cardinals and future possibilities including Blaze Jordan and Joshua Baez. TCN’s Player of the Month winner Won-Bin Cho and finalists were covered as were recent standouts Luis Gastelum. Braden Davis and Ryan Mitchell. Minor league transactions and injury updates on Ixan Henderson and Brandon Clarke were provided.

All videos of episodes of Wednesday With Walton at The Cardinal Nation can be found here.

The video and audio are also simulcast each week via your favorite podcast apps: Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts IHeartRadio and YouTube. Subscription details are here.

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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 copy today.

All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!

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Palm Beach Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 9

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Won-Bin Cho Named Midwest League Player of the Week

photo: Won-Bin Cho (Peoria Chiefs)

Peoria Chiefs outfielder Won-Bin Cho is the High-A Midwest League Player of the Week for May 26-31.

Peoria Chiefs release

Chiefs outfielder Won-Bin Cho has been named the Midwest League Player of the Week for May 26-31 by Major League Baseball. He is the first Chief to earn the weekly award this season.

Cho, 22, helped Peoria to a series win at Wisconsin by finishing the week 7-17 at the plate, with six of those hits going for extra bases (two triples and four doubles). His 1.445 OPS for the week led the Midwest League among hitters with more than 10 at bats.

Won-Bin Cho

The highlight of the award-winning week came on Thursday, when Cho finished 3-4 with 5 RBIs, including a bases-clearing, 3-RBI triple in the top of the eighth inning.

The week caps a career-month for Cho, who batted .325 with a 1.097 OPS and 5 home runs in 24 games in May. Through 43 games this season, Cho is batting .270 with seven home runs, 35 RBIs and a .920 OPS.

The lefthanded hitting outfielder was originally signed by the Cardinals as an international free agent out of Korea in January 2022.

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 copy 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

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Florida Complex League Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 4

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© 2026 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Wednesday With Walton and Reis – Season 9, Episode 21

photo: Brycen Mautz (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The Cardinal Nation’s Brian Walton is joined by analyst Kyle Reis for a weekly discussion of St. Louis Cardinals news, with a focus on player development and the minor leagues.

The podcasts are quick hitting and timely, covering a short list of current topics in 30 to 45 minutes. More information on everything discussed can be found in articles here at The Cardinal Nation.

Brian and Kyle discuss his trip to Cincinnati and missing Brycen Mautz’ debut. Bryan Torres’ rise to MLB is celebrated. Injury updates for Tink Hence, Cooper Hjerpe and Tekoah Roby, promotions of Jacob Odle and Brian Holiday, and league Pitchers of the Week Braden Davis and Pete Hansen are among topics covered.

All videos of episodes of Wednesday With Walton at The Cardinal Nation can be found here.

The video and audio are also simulcast each week via your favorite podcast apps: Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts IHeartRadio and YouTube. Subscription details are here.

New Homes for Wednesday With Walton and Reis on Podcast Apps

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 copy 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

Palm Beach Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 8

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Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.

Kyle is one of the most informative and entertaining Cardinals related social media follows at @kyler416.

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.

Wednesday With Walton and Reis – Season 9, Episode 20

photo: Xavier Cruz (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The Cardinal Nation’s Brian Walton is joined by analyst Kyle Reis for a weekly discussion of St. Louis Cardinals news, with a focus on player development and the minor leagues.

The podcasts are quick hitting and timely, covering a short list of current topics in 30 to 45 minutes. More information on everything discussed can be found in articles here at The Cardinal Nation.

Brian and Kyle probe the real origin of “Tarps Off” and move into the Cardinals catching situation, current and future. The new top 30 from Baseball America is noted, including focus on Xavier Cruz. Also discussed are Florida Complex League players to watch, promotions of Van Dyke and Graham, the Peoria rotation, 2026 draft focus and outfielders Cho, Davis and Baez.

All videos of episodes of Wednesday With Walton at The Cardinal Nation can be found here.

The video and audio are also simulcast each week via your favorite podcast apps: Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts IHeartRadio and YouTube. Subscription details are here.

New Homes for Wednesday With Walton and Reis on Podcast Apps

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 copy 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

Rising and Falling Cardinals Prospects – May 2026

Not yet a member?

Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.

Kyle is one of the most informative and entertaining Cardinals related social media follows at @kyler416.

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.

Wednesday With Walton and Reis – Season 9, Episode 19

photo: Rainiel Rodriguez, Larry Day, Michael Oh, Liam Doyle (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The Cardinal Nation’s Brian Walton is joined by analyst Kyle Reis for a weekly discussion of St. Louis Cardinals news, with a focus on player development and the minor leagues.

The podcasts are quick hitting and timely, covering a short list of current topics in 30 to 45 minutes. More information on everything discussed can be found in articles here at The Cardinal Nation.

Brian and Kyle never get to The Cardinal Nation’s new Top 50 Prospect List as they cover recent news, starting with the promotions of Rainiel Rodriguez and Jack Gurevitch, the organization’s Pitcher and Players of the Month, three releases, Liam Doyle, Joshua Baez, Tanner Franklin and more.

All videos of episodes of Wednesday With Walton at The Cardinal Nation can be found here.

The video and audio are also simulcast each week via your favorite podcast apps: Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts IHeartRadio and YouTube. Subscription details are here.

New Homes for Wednesday With Walton and Reis on Podcast Apps

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 copy 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

Rising and Falling Cardinals Prospects – May 2026

Not yet a member?

Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.

Kyle is one of the most informative and entertaining Cardinals related social media follows at @kyler416.

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.