With the St. Louis Cardinals in an odd spot, sitting on the cusp of being a postseason contender while also on the verge of falling out of the postseason altogether, there is a lot that can change in the build-up to the MLB trade deadline. One of those potential changes could come internally for the Cardinals, as they have a few top prospects they could call up to the big leagues.
According to an article on Bleacher Report from Joel Reuter, the Cardinals are predicted to call up top prospect, 37th ranked overall, and left-handed pitcher Quinn Matthews during the 2025 season.
Matthews is 24 years old and has made appearances with three different teams in the Cardinals system in 2025. But, the bulk of his work has come in Triple-A, where he has a 4.71 ERA in six starts for Memphis.
The Cardinals’ southpaw has been a constant riser in his Minor League career, and after a dominant 2024 season in the Minors, he’s knocking on the door to the Major Leagues. In 2024, Matthews put together a remarkable season across 26 starts. He went 8-5, with a 2.76 ERA on four different teams.
More importantly, Matthews looked dominant on the mound, as he struck out 202 batters while walking just 49, and allowing opposing batters to hit just .179 off him. his production in the Minors makes him a strong contender to get the call to the Majors at some point in 2025. Especially with the possibility of the Cardinals being sellers at the trade deadline.
If the Cardinals sell, starting pitchers Erick Fedde and Miles Mikolas would likely be shipped off, as both are free agents after the season. This would open the door for Matthews and would be exactly the type of move that the Cardinals could do to get younger and more electric as they prepare for an exciting future.
Matthews might not get the call-up to the Major Leagues until after the All-Star break, and more specifically, after the MLB trade deadline. But the idea that the Cardinals could call up their second-ranked prospect is exciting.
