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.)
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!
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.)
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!
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.
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.
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 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!
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
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
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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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
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!
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.
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.
All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!
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.
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.
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 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!
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.
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!
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.
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
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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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!
Blaze Jordan, Jack Gurevitch and Yhoiker Fajardo are the top hitters and pitcher in the St. Louis Cardinals system for April, as selected by the organization.
St. Louis Cardinals release
The St. Louis Cardinals today (Monday, May 11) announced their selections for Minor League Pitcher and co-Player of the Month for April, with Peoria Chiefs (A+) starting pitcher Yhoiker Farjardo (JOY-ker fah-HARR-doh), Memphis Redbirds (AAA) 3B/1B Blaze Jordan, and Palm Beach Cardinals (A) 1B/3B Jack Gurevitch (GURR-vitch) receiving the honors.
Jordan, 23, slashed .276/.323/.517 with six doubles, five home runs, and 13 RBI across 22 games with Triple-A Memphis. He ranked top three among all Cardinals minor league batters in hits (2nd, 24) total bases (2nd, 45), home runs (T3rd) and extra-base hits (T3rd, 11) for the month. He registered nine multi-hit games, including his fourth career multi-homer game on April 2 vs. Norfolk, and collected his third career walk-off RBI with a game-ending hit by pitch on April 1.
“Blaze has really taken a step forward this season by simplifying his approach and committing to the middle of the field, and we are seeing that translate directly into his performance,” said Cardinals Director of Player Development Larry Day. “He’s staying in the zone longer, making better swing decisions, and the contact quality has been outstanding. What’s been most impressive is how his more compact, controlled swing has unlocked his power naturally. On top of that, he’s a tremendous teammate and person, so it’s great to see the performance results match the work that he and hitting coach Howie Clark put in every day.”
Acquired during last July’s trade deadline from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for LHP Steven Matz, the 6’0”, right-handed batter was originally drafted by Boston in the 3rd round of the 2020 MLB Draft out of DeSoto Central High School in the Memphis suburb of Southaven, Mississippi. He finished 4th in all of Minor League Baseball last season with 99 RBI and currently leads all Cardinals minor leaguers with 39 hits and ranks 2nd with 18 extra-base hits.
Gurevitch, 22, slashed .286/.396/.545 with eight doubles, four home runs, and 20 RBI across 20 games with Single-A Palm Beach. He ranked top three among all qualified Cardinals minor league batters in RBI (1st), extra-base hits (2nd, 12), batting average, slugging percentage (3rd), OPS (3rd, .941), and total bases (T3rd, 42). He reached safely in 18 of 20 games played and collected a career-high five RBI as part of a two extra-base hit day on April 21 at St. Lucie.
“Jack has put together an outstanding month and what’s been most impressive is the quality of his contact,” said Day. “He’s done a great job staying through the baseball and driving it with intent to all fields. With the guidance and support of hitting coach Ben Brooks, Jack has been working on refining his load and maintaining his posture, which has allowed him to get to better angles and produce more consistently, from a damage standpoint. He’s been very intentional in his daily work, and it’s translating directly into game performance.”
The 5’11”, left-handed batter entered the season rated as the No. 26 prospect in the Cardinals organization by Baseball America after being taken with the 89th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft out of the University of San Diego. The Pacific Palisades, Calif. native currently leads all Cardinals minor leaguers with 28 RBI on the season and ranks 3rd with 16 extra-base hits.
Fajardo posted a 1-0 record with a 1.69 ERA over 16.0 innings with 20 strikeouts and a 1.25 WHIP across his first four appearances (two starts) of the season. At 19.5 years old, the right-hander was the second-youngest pitcher (seventh-youngest player overall) to open the season at the High-A level. Among Cardinals minor league hurlers with at least 15.0 innings pitched, Fajardo ranked 3rd in ERA, 6th in WHIP, and 2nd in SO/BB ratio (10.00). His best outing came on April 19 when he allowed just three baserunners over five shutout innings of relief to earn his first High-A win at Wisconsin.
“Yhoiker has made tremendous strides this season, and you’re seeing it translate directly into performance,” stated Day. “At Peoria, he has generated a 33% strikeout rate with a walk rate below 3%, which speaks to both the quality of his stuff and his ability to consistently attack the strike zone. With the guidance of pitching coach Michael Oh, Yhoiker has worked hard to improve his strike throwing, refine the shape of his four-seam fastball, and expand his arsenal through the development of a curveball. As he continues to refine his execution, we’re encouraged by both the progress he has made and the direction he’s heading.”
Acquired from the Boston Red Sox last December along with RHP Hunter Dobbins and RHP Blake Aita in exchange for 1B Willson Contreras, the Venezuelan native was originally signed by the Chicago White Sox as an international free agent in February 2024. Standing at 6’2”, Fajardo entered the season ranked as the No. 12 prospect in the Cardinals organization by Baseball America following his 2025 season in which he had a 2.25 ERA across 72.0 innings (19 appearances) between Single-A Salem and the FCL Red Sox.
TCN commentary
Congratulations to the winners.
Earlier, The Cardinal Nation selected Jalin Flores and Ty Van Dyke as our April Player and Pitcher of the Month across the system.
Compare stats among these and many other standouts during the first month of the 2026 season in these two free articles.
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!
The first monthly update of The Cardinal Nation’s St. Louis Cardinals Top 50 Prospect List is now available. With the graduation of J.J. Wetherholt, there is a new no. 1, as well as many changes from the off-season. Free article!
For 2026, The Cardinal Nation’s monthly in-season St. Louis Cardinals Top 50 Prospect List process has changed slightly from prior years, but only for the better.
The first difference is that just like with our annual offseason rankings, Kyle Reis is participating with Brian Walton.
Another difference is that our blended player Top 50 rankings are being made available to everyone each month.
However, details including our individual votes and written commentary will continue to be exclusive content for subscribers to The Cardinal Nation. So, please consider joining today!
Independently, Kyle and Brian prepare our top prospect lists
All players among the top 65 on both lists are considered
The two scores for each player are totaled with the lowest our new no. 1 prospect
Ties are broken in favor of the player with the single lowest individual ranking
Best of the Rest/Honorable Mentions are those who fell short of the Top 50
Here are the rankings, prior and new. Catcher Rainiel Rodriguez has moved to the top, leaping over remaining no. 2, pitcher Liam Doyle.
Prospect
Tm
Pos
Prior
May rank
Rainiel Rodriguez
Peo
C
3
1
Liam Doyle
Spr
LHS
2
2
Joshua Baez
Mem
OF
8
3
Jimmy Crooks
Mem
C
7
4
Quinn Mathews
Mem
LHS
4
5
Tanner Franklin
Peo
RHS
13
6
Leonardo Bernal
Mem
C
5
7
Jurrangelo Cijntje
Spr
SHS
5a
8
Brandon Clarke
Peo IL
LHS
6
9
Tekoah Roby
Mem IL
RHS
11
10
Cooper Hjerpe
Spr IL
LHS
9
11
Ixan Henderson
Mem IL
LHS
12
12
Tai Peete
Peo
OF
19a
13
Yhoiker Fajardo
Peo
RHS
20a
14
Brycen Mautz
Mem
LHS
18
15
Deniel Ortiz
Spr IL
1B/3B
15
16
Chen Wei-Lin
Spr
RHS
17
17
Mason Molina
Spr
RHS
45
18
Blaze Jordan
Mem
1B/3B
30
19
Braden Davis
Peo
LHS
16
20
Jesus Baez
Peo
SS/3B
14
21
Jack Gurevitch
PB
1B
38
22
Luis Gastelum
Mem
RHR
21
23
Hancel Rincon
Mem
RHR
23
24
Ryan Mitchell
PB
OF
19
25
Chase Davis
Spr
OF
26
26
Emanuel Luna
DSL
OF
NA
27
Cade Winquest
Mem IL
RHR
NA
28
Tink Hence
Mem
RHR
10
29
Jacob Odle
PB
RHS
NR
30
Ty Van Dyke
PB
RHS
43
31
Nate Dohm
Peo
RHS
24
32
Pete Hansen
Mem
LHS
32
33
Frank Elissalt
Peo IL
RHS
31
34
Cade Crossland
PB
LHS
22
35
Yairo Padilla
PB IL
SS
29
36
Ethan Young
PB
RHS
27
37
Cesar Prieto
Mem
IF
39
38
Sebastian Dos Santos
FCL
MIF
40
39
Travis Honeyman
Spr
OF
28
40
Zach Levenson
Spr
OF
25
41
Bryan Torres
Mem
2B/OF
NR
42
Miguel Hernandez
FCL
SS
42
43
Jalin Flores
Peo
SS/3B
BOR
44
Michael Watson
Spr
LHR
36
45
Max Rajcic
Mem
RHR
44
46
Nolan Sparks
Peo
RHP
BOR
47
Blake Aita
Peo
RHS
24a
48
Ryan Campos
Spr
C
48
49
Ramon Mendoza
Mem
IF
BOR
50
Best of the Rest
Tm
Pos
Prior
May rank
Josh Kross
Peo
1B/C
37
BOR
Brian Holiday
FCL IL
RHS
34
BOR
Payton Graham
FCL
RHP
BOR
BOR
Jose Suarez
Peo
OF
NR
BOR
Andrew Dutkanych
PB IL
RHS
33
BOR
Leonel Sequera
Peo
RHS
46
BOR
Jack Martinez
PB
RHS
NA
BOR
Kenly Hunter
FCL
OF
BOR
BOR
Juan Rujano
FCL
C
NR
BOR
Cameron Nickens
PB
OF
NR
BOR
Cristofer Lebron
FCL
OF
NR
BOR
Jake Shelagowski
PB
RHR
NR
BOR
For much more information
Please check out the following article. It details all players coming onto the Top 50, the ones leaving, Kyle’s and Brian’s individual votes and much more! It is exclusive for members of The Cardinal Nation.
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!
Which St. Louis Cardinals prospects are rising and falling? Who joined The Cardinal Nation’s Top 50 Prospect List for May and who dropped off? How do the rankings by Brian Walton and Kyle Reis differ?
This content is for paid members only. Join The Cardinal Nation today! Register
The Triple-A Memphis Redbirds compiled another strong 4-2 week while remaining in first place. Catcher Jimmy Crooks remains red hot, with three home runs and eight RBI plus six walks in 19 plate appearances for a 1.733 OPS this period.
This content is for paid members only. Join The Cardinal Nation today! Register
photo: Ryan Mitchell (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 many players including Ryan Mitchell, Tink Hence, numerous April Pitcher and Player of the Month contenders including winners Ty Van Dyke and Tai Peete, Blaze Jordan and St. Louis roster dynamics, 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.
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!
St. Louis Cardinals icons Yadier Molina and Albert Pujols voted in by fans with the franchise’s winningest left-handed pitcher Bill Sherdel also to be enshrined on September 12.
St. Louis Cardinals release
The St. Louis Cardinals announced this evening (Friday, May 1) that Yadier Molina, Albert Pujols, and Bill Sherdel will be inducted into the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame. It is the 13th induction class since the team dedicated the Cardinals Hall of Fame with an inaugural class on Opening Day in 2014.
Due to anticipated demand for this year’s event, the Saturday, September 12 enshrinement will be held inside Busch Stadium as part of a special pregame ceremony before the Cardinals-White Sox game. Tickets are available starting at $20.
In celebration of the Cardinals Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony that day, the Cardinals will give away a Yadier Molina Bobblecard courtesy of Edward Jones to 15,000 fans, ages 13 and older. Details and a timeline of events regarding Hall of Fame Induction Weekend presented by Edward Jones will be announced at a later date.
Chosen by the fans over an eight-week voting period, Molina and Pujols were the top vote-getters in the Cardinals Hall of Fame online balloting presented by Edward Jones. The two Cardinals legends combined for 31 seasons and 4,040 games in St. Louis with 20 All-Star selections, 11 Gold Glove Awards and seven Silver Slugger Awards. The pair also won the 2006 and 2011 World Series championship and the 2004 National League pennant as Cardinals teammates and rank first and second in franchise history in postseason games played.
The Red Ribbon Committee, a group comprised of 12 St. Louis baseball experts, elected Sherdel as the veteran player for induction using a secret ballot process. The winningest left-handed pitcher in franchise history with 153 wins, Sherdel excelled as both a starter and reliever during his 14 seasons with St. Louis. He was the winning pitcher in the Cardinals first two National League pennant-clinching games in 1926 and 1928 and started Game 1 of both World Series against the New York Yankees.
“This year’s Hall of Fame Class promises to be one of the most celebrated since we inducted our inaugural class 12 years ago,” said Bill DeWitt Jr., Cardinals Chairman and CEO. “On behalf of the Cardinals organization, I would like to congratulate Yadier Molina, Albert Pujols, and the late Bill Sherdel on this tremendous honor and thank our fans, as well as the Red Ribbon Committee, for casting their votes for this year’s inductees. We look forward to celebrating the achievements of these iconic players with our great fans during Hall of Fame Weekend in September.”
All 58 members of the Cardinals Hall of Fame are permanently enshrined in the Cardinals Hall of Fame Gallery presented by Edward Jones located on the second floor of Cardinals Nation in Ballpark Village, outside the entrance to the Cardinals Museum. The Hall of Fame Gallery is free and open to the public. Fans can visit cardinals.com/HOF for more information. A description of each Inductee’s career as a Cardinal follows below. #CardsHOF
Yadier Molina (USA TODAY Sports Images)
C Yadier Molina (Modern Era Player – Fan Selection)
Yadier Molina became one of the foremost catchers in baseball history while wearing a Cardinals uniform his entire career. He played 19 seasons, second in franchise longevity, and ranks third all-time with 2,226 games played and 2,168 hits, fourth with 408 doubles, sixth with 1,022 RBI and ninth with 176 home runs. The 10-time All-Star won nine Gold Gloves, four Platinum Gloves and a Silver Slugger Award. Molina anchored the 2006 and 2011 World Championship teams, as well as the 2004 and 2013 National League pennant winners, and is the franchise postseason career leader with 104 games played and 102 hits.
(Ed. note: Molina joined Ozzie Smith at Busch Stadium for the announcements on Friday evening.)
Albert Pujols bookended his legendary career with the Cardinals. He was the 2005, 2008 and 2009 National League Most Valuable Player, 2001 NL Rookie of the Year and 2022 NL Comeback Player of the Year. On the franchise career lists, Pujols ranks second with 469 doubles, 469 home runs, 1,397 RBI and a .614 slugging percentage; third with 1,333 runs; fourth with 2,156 hits; and tied for fifth with a .326 batting average and a .417 on-base percentage. The 10-time NL All-Star won two Gold Gloves as a first baseman and six Silver Slugger Awards. Pujols starred for the 2006 and 2011 World Series champions, plus the 2004 NL pennant winners.
Bill Sherdel
LHP Bill Sherdel (Veteran Era Player – Red Ribbon Committee Selection)
Seasons: 1918-1930, 1932
153-131, 3.64 ERA, 145 CG, 153 GF, 1.35 WHIP, 779 SO, 2450.2 IP (465 Games)
Bill Sherdel excelled as both a starter and reliever for the Cardinals. The winningest left-hander in franchise history, he ranks fourth among all pitchers with 465 games and 145 complete games, fifth with 153 wins and 2,450.2 innings, sixth with 243 games started and 11th with 153 games finished. Sherdel was the winning pitcher in the Cardinals’ first two National League pennant-clinching games, in 1926 and 1928, and started Game 1 of both World Series against the New York Yankees. Known for his tantalizing slowball, Sherdel won a career-high 21 games (tied for the most all-time by a Cardinals southpaw) with a 2.86 ERA in 1928.
Cardinals Hall of Fame Members (58)
Harry Brecheen
Chick Hafey
Ray Lankford
Red Schoendienst
Lou Brock
Jesse Haines
Marty Marion
Mike Shannon
Jack Buck
Keith Hernandez
Pepper Martin
Ted Simmons
August A. Busch Jr.
Tom Herr
Tim McCarver
Enos Slaughter
Chris Carpenter
Whitey Herzog
Willie McGee
Ozzie Smith
Vince Coleman
Matt Holliday
Mark McGwire
Billy Southworth
Charles Comiskey
Rogers Hornsby
Joe Medwick
Bruce Sutter
Mort Cooper
Al Hrabosky
Johnny Mize
Joe Torre
Dizzy Dean
Jason Isringhausen
Terry Moore
John Tudor
Dave Duncan
Julián Javier
Matt Morris
Bill White
Jim Edmonds
Walt Jocketty
Stan Musial
Curt Flood
George Kissell
José Oquendo
2026 Cardinals Hall of Fame Red Ribbon Committee (12)
Tom Ackerman
Randy Karraker
Joe Ostermeier
KMOX 104.1 FM/1120 AM
Matrix Midwest
BBWAA
Frank Cusumano
Martin Kilcoyne
Rob Rains
KSDK NBC 5
KTVI FOX 2
STL Sports Page
Derrick Goold
Tony La Russa
Joe Torre
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Hall of Fame Manager
Hall of Fame Manager
Benjamin Hochman
Bernie Miklasz
Brian Walton
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
KMOX 104.1 FM/1120 AM
The Cardinal Nation
Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum
The 8,000-square-foot St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum on the second floor of Cardinals Nation in Ballpark Village celebrates the rich history of baseball in St. Louis and the legacy of one of baseball’s most storied franchises. Since its creation in 2014, the Cardinals Hall of Fame presented by Edward Jones, has inducted 55 former Cardinal players, coaches and executives. The Cardinals’ museum collection is the largest team-held collection in baseball and is second only to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in terms of size with over 22,000 memorabilia items and hundreds of thousands of archived photos. Fans can learn more about the museum at cardinals.com/museum.
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!
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 opened with news about Kyle’s (now former) assignment writing for Cardinals.com. Kyle highlighted top minor leaguers his followers are following. The two discussed St. Louis’ outfield and bench construction options going forward, specifically Bryan Torres, Cesar Prieto and maybe even Blaze Jordan. Pitchers covered include Quinn Mathews, Liam Doyle and Tink Hence and three relievers promoted upward. They closed with a couple of late-round 2025-drafted Class-A hitters impressing.
All video of episodes of the return 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.
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!
The High-A Peoria Chiefs went 3-3 for the week, including their first back-to-back wins of 2026. Catcher Rainiel Rodriguez hit .400, with seven extra-base hits plus five walks, seven runs scored and five RBI.
This content is for paid members only. Join The Cardinal Nation today! Register
photo: Jose Suarez (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 challenges with relief and defense at several levels of the Cardinals minor league system. Players discussed include Chase Davis, Liam Doyle, Quinn Mathews, Ty Van Dyke, Jose Suarez and Tanner Franklin. Stuff+ was touched on, we previewed our upcoming new no. 1 prospect and debated what an accelerated rebuild might entail.
All video of episodes of the return 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.
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!
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 a lot of pitching ground, including Hunter Dobbins and the St. Louis rotation, Winquest, Hansen, Doyle, Franklin, Sparks, Van Dyke, Galle, Hence, Molina and more. Position players discussed include Crooks, Davis and Joshua Baez.
All video of episodes of the return 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.
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!
Now available – 2026 Cardinals Prospect Guide 
Springfield Cardinals release
Peoria Chiefs release
Cardinals Prospects Behind the Numbers – May 2026
Chosen by the fans over an eight-week voting period, Molina and Pujols were the top vote-getters in the Cardinals Hall of Fame online balloting presented by Edward Jones. The two Cardinals legends combined for 31 seasons and 4,040 games in St. Louis with 20 All-Star selections, 11 Gold Glove Awards and seven Silver Slugger Awards. The pair also won the 2006 and 2011 World Series championship and the 2004 National League pennant as Cardinals teammates and rank first and second in franchise history in postseason games played.
