The St. Louis Cardinals are currently navigating a significant rebuilding phase, one that has required patience but is beginning to show promising signs of progress. After a stretch of inconsistency at the major league level, the organization has shifted its focus toward developing young talent and building a sustainable foundation for long-term success. That strategy now appears to be paying off, as several key prospects are starting to make meaningful strides both in the big leagues and throughout the minor league system.
At the major league level, players such as Jordan Walker and JJ Wetherholt are beginning to establish themselves as important pieces of the team’s future. While both have faced the typical challenges that come with transitioning to the highest level of professional baseball, they are gradually finding their rhythm and demonstrating why they were so highly regarded as prospects.
Their development is critical, not just for their individual careers, but for the overall direction of the franchise. As they gain experience and confidence, they are expected to take on larger roles and help lead the next competitive era of Cardinals baseball.
Beyond the major league roster, the Cardinals have also been encouraged by the progress of several players in their minor league pipeline. Prospects like Hunter Dobbins and Jimmy Crooks have begun to emerge as noteworthy contributors within the system.
Their growth provides additional optimism for the organization, as it highlights the depth and potential that exists beyond the top-tier names. Developing a strong supporting cast is just as important as cultivating star players, and the Cardinals appear to be making strides in that area as well.
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A key factor in the success of this rebuild will be the continued development of the team’s minor league talent throughout the current season. The organization is placing significant emphasis on ensuring that its prospects not only improve but also perform consistently.
Early success can be particularly valuable, as it often sets the tone for the rest of the season. Players who start strong are more likely to build momentum, refine their skills, and carry that confidence into the later months of the year.
The Cardinals are essentially relying on their young players to take meaningful steps forward sooner rather than later. This approach is not without risk, as development is rarely linear, but it reflects the organization’s belief in the talent it has assembled. By encouraging these prospects to perform at a high level early on, the team hopes to accelerate their growth and position itself for a quicker return to competitiveness.
One of the most encouraging aspects of the Cardinals’ system is its overall depth. Rather than relying on just a handful of elite prospects, the organization has cultivated a broad pool of talent spread across multiple levels of the minor leagues.
This depth provides a level of flexibility and security, as it increases the likelihood that several players will eventually make an impact at the major league level. It also creates healthy competition within the system, pushing players to continually improve in order to stand out.
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Recently, analyst Thomas Nestico of TJStats drew attention to one of the Cardinals’ rising prospects, Tanner Franklin, highlighting him as one of the players across the sport who has gotten off to an especially strong start this season.
Franklin’s performance has not gone unnoticed, as he has shown the kind of skill and consistency that can elevate a player’s standing within an organization. Early-season success can often serve as a springboard, and Franklin appears to be taking full advantage of that opportunity.
Adding an interesting layer to his story, Franklin previously played alongside Liam Doyle, which speaks to the level of talent he has been surrounded by during his development. That experience may have contributed to his growth as a player, helping him refine his approach and prepare for the challenges of professional baseball. This spring, Franklin has looked particularly sharp, showcasing both his abilities and his potential to become a key contributor in the future.
Overall, the Cardinals’ rebuild is beginning to show tangible signs of progress. With young players stepping up at the major league level and a deep pool of prospects making noise in the minors, the organization has reason to feel optimistic about what lies ahead.
While there is still work to be done, the foundation being built appears solid, and the continued development of players like Walker, Wetherholt, Dobbins, Crooks, and Franklin will play a crucial role in determining how quickly the team can return to contention.
Tanner Franklin has true ace potential
Selected with the 72nd overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, Tanner Franklin wasted little time making his presence felt in professional baseball. Soon after entering the minor league system, he delivered an eye-catching debut that immediately turned heads across the organization.
During his brief assignment in Low-A, Franklin showcased what many evaluators considered one of the most electric fastballs in the entire minor leagues. That early performance not only validated the Cardinals’ decision to draft him, but it also demonstrated that he might be far more advanced than a typical pitcher at that level.
According to analyst reports, Franklin’s showing in Low-A was so dominant that the Cardinals saw no reason to keep him there for long. Rather than letting him continue to overpower inexperienced hitters, the organization quickly promoted him to High-A, skipping what could have been a longer developmental stop in Palm Beach.
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Since arriving at that level, Franklin has continued to impress, proving that his early success was no fluke. Instead of regressing against tougher competition, he has elevated his performance, consistently overpowering hitters and establishing himself as one of the more intriguing young arms in the system.
A major reason for Franklin’s success is his fastball, which already grades as an elite pitch by minor league standards. He regularly throws in the upper 90s, giving him premium velocity that immediately puts hitters on the defensive.
However, velocity alone does not explain why his fastball is so effective. The pitch also features above-average “ride,” meaning it appears to stay elevated or even rise as it approaches the plate. This movement can make it extremely difficult for hitters to square up, often resulting in swings and misses or weak contact.
Interestingly, Franklin achieves this kind of life on his fastball despite having a lower-than-average release point. Typically, pitchers who generate strong vertical movement release the ball from a higher slot, but Franklin’s mechanics allow him to create that same effect from a less conventional angle.
This unique combination of velocity, movement, and release point contributes to the pitch being graded in the “plus-plus” category, which is reserved for truly elite offerings. It is rare for a young pitcher, especially one fresh out of the draft, to possess a pitch of that caliber.
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While his fastball is already a major weapon, Franklin’s development as a pitcher will largely depend on the progression of his secondary pitches. At this stage, his offspeed and breaking offerings are not nearly as refined as his primary pitch.
They show flashes of potential, but they lack the consistency and sharpness needed to consistently fool more advanced hitters. For Franklin to reach his ceiling as a starting pitcher, he will need to continue developing these secondary pitches so that opponents cannot simply sit on his fastball.
This aspect of his game is particularly important given his background. During his college career, Franklin was primarily used as a reliever, which meant he could rely heavily on his fastball in shorter outings. Transitioning to a starting role in professional baseball requires a more diverse pitch mix, as starters must face opposing lineups multiple times in a game. Developing reliable secondary pitches will allow Franklin to keep hitters off balance deeper into outings and prevent them from timing his fastball.
Despite these developmental needs, Franklin’s early performance as a starter has been highly encouraging. Although he may not have been quite as dominant as fellow prospect Doyle, the gap between the two pitchers is not as significant as some observers initially believed. Franklin has shown that he can hold his own and produce at a high level, even while still refining key aspects of his game.
Standing at an imposing 6-foot-5, Franklin brings a physical presence to the mound that further enhances his potential. His size allows him to generate excellent leverage and extension, which can make his already fast fastball appear even quicker to hitters.
In his first three starts of the season, he has compiled a solid statistical line, giving up just seven hits and issuing four walks over 10 2/3 innings of work. During that stretch, he has posted an impressive 2.53 earned run average, indicating his ability to limit damage and keep opposing offenses in check.
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Perhaps the most exciting aspect of Franklin’s performance so far has been his ability to miss bats at an elite rate. Strikeouts are often a key indicator of a pitcher’s dominance, and Franklin has excelled in this area. Over those same 10 2/3 innings, he has racked up 22 strikeouts, an extraordinary total that underscores just how difficult he is for hitters to handle. His fastball plays a major role in this success, but it also highlights his overall ability to keep hitters guessing and off balance.
This knack for generating swings and misses is a trait that could allow Franklin to move quickly through the minor league system. Pitchers who can consistently dominate hitters in this way often force organizations to accelerate their development timeline. If Franklin continues to perform at this level, particularly if he can reduce his walk rate and show improvement with his secondary pitches, there is a strong possibility that he could earn a promotion to Double-A in the near future.
In many ways, Franklin’s profile is reminiscent of Doyle’s, as both pitchers rely heavily on a powerful fastball complemented by developing secondary offerings. This similarity has led to comparisons between the two, though each pitcher brings his own unique strengths to the table. For Franklin, the key will be building upon his current foundation and continuing to refine the areas of his game that still need work.
Looking ahead, the Cardinals have every reason to be optimistic about Franklin’s future. His combination of size, velocity, and strikeout ability gives him the tools needed to become a high-impact pitcher at the major league level. While there is still work to be done, particularly in terms of pitch development and command, his early success suggests that he is well on his way to realizing that potential.
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Ultimately, Franklin stands out as one of the more exciting young talents in the Cardinals’ farm system. His rapid ascent through the minor leagues, coupled with his ability to dominate hitters, has made him a player worth watching closely. If he continues on his current trajectory, he could soon find himself climbing even higher in the organization’s prospect rankings and moving ever closer to making an impact at the big league level.
For now, Franklin remains a developing pitcher with immense upside. His journey is still in its early stages, but the signs are overwhelmingly positive. With continued growth and refinement, he has the potential to evolve into a cornerstone piece for the Cardinals’ pitching staff in the years to come.
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