Erick Fedde might provide the Cardinals with a competitive edge in the playoffs.
The St. Louis Cardinals are having an impressive comeback season despite their clear weaknesses. While they are looking more like a postseason team, they currently don’t seem capable of competing against NL powerhouses like the Dodgers or Phillies. One major issue is the lack of a dependable starter behind Sonny Gray.
Sonny Gray has been the ace of the Cardinals’ rotation, posting a 3.54 ERA over 106.2 innings. Beyond him, the ERAs of the Cardinals’ other starters only increase. Rumors are circulating that St. Louis is looking to acquire a new potential ace from the White Sox.
While it might seem like the Cardinals would go after strikeout king Garrett Crochet, the White Sox appear to be holding off on trading Crochet, anticipating a larger market for him in the offseason. Instead, the Cardinals are targeting a starter with a lower ERA and more innings pitched this season than Crochet.
That pitcher is Erick Fedde.
Erick Fedde would give the Cardinals rotation the boost it needs
Fedde has a 2.98 ERA across 117.2 innings. Although he lags behind Crochet in most pitching statistics, his ERA is still marginally better than Crochet’s 3.07. Fedde is likely to require fewer prospects in a trade compared to Crochet. He is under contract through 2025, with a salary of $7.5 million for both this year and the next.
So, what would the Cardinals need to give up? Given their position as a team in need of improvement and their desire to retain top prospects, the STL will likely aim to keep their best prospects. The Cardinals have two players listed in the MLB Top 100 Prospects. Since Fedde’s contract runs only through 2025, these top prospects are probably safe. However, acquiring Fedde won’t be cheap. Let’s consider a potential trade package that could help the Cardinals make a significant postseason push.
3B/OF Jordan Walker
Jordan Walker was highly regarded as a top 10 MLB prospect and was promoted last year with considerable excitement. He had a solid rookie season, hitting .276 with 16 home runs in 420 at-bats.
This season, however, things have taken a turn. After struggling with a .155 batting average in 67 at-bats, Walker was sent back down. In Triple-A this year, he has posted a .238/.302/.367 slash line with four home runs in 256 at-bats. Currently, the Cardinals would be trading him based on his potential rather than his recent performance, but it’s important not to overlook Walker’s upside.
C Jimmy Crooks
Since Willson Contreras is under contract with the team through 2028, the Cardinals probably won’t need their No. 12 prospect, Jimmy Crooks, for some time. Additionally, Crooks isn’t the top-ranked catcher in the Cardinals’ minor league system.
Despite this, Crooks is having an outstanding season, hitting .306 with a .408 on-base percentage and .468 slugging, including 6 home runs in 216 at-bats. Although scouts rate his hitting and power as average, he’s exceeded modest expectations. His impressive performance, however, doesn’t overshadow his reputation as an excellent defensive catcher.
RHP Adam Kloffenstein
Adam Kloffenstein, ranked as the No. 16 prospect in the Cardinals’ system, has already made his MLB debut, pitching one scoreless inning. While his 4.74 ERA over 89.1 innings at Triple-A this season hasn’t stood out, his 3.16 ERA across Double-A and Triple-A last year was promising. Scouts believe Kloffenstein could eventually become a reliable back-of-the-rotation starter, but enhancing his command could lead to greater success.
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