From showings that earned top honors to performances that helped push for roster protection, Cardinals prospects delivered their share of breakout performances in 2025.
Among them were standout seasons that helped Brycen Mautz and Joshua Baez bounce back and be added to the Cardinals鈥 40-man roster. Ixan Henderson鈥檚 stability earned him recognition as the Texas League鈥檚 top pitcher and helped him climb prospect lists. And in the lower minors, a powerful year from Rainiel Rodriguez helped solidify him as a top 100 prospect in baseball entering his third year as a pro.
HOOVER, AL - May 24, 2025 - Pitcher Tanner Franklin #50 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the 2025 SEC Baseball Tournament semifinal game between the Vanderbilt Commodores and the Tennessee Volunteers at Hoover Met in Hoover, AL. Photo By Kate Luffman/Tennessee Athletics
Minor league outfielder Travis Honeyman stretches during the Spring Training Early Program camp Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, at the Cardinals鈥 spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla.
Cyclones shortstop Jesus Baez (23) during Thursday night's game against Wilmington. The visiting Blue Rocks outscored the Cyclones 8-7 in Coney Island on May 1, 2025. (Photo by Jess Stiles/Sipa USA)(Sipa via AP Images)
Greenville Drive starting pitcher Brandon Clarke delivers to the plate in a South Atlantic League game against the Winston-Salem Dash on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at Fluor Field at the West End in Greenville, S.C. The Cardinals acquired Clarke on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025, in a trade that sent starting pitcher Sonny Gray to the Boston Red Sox.
During podcast appearance, former Cardinal Joe Kelly says he is stepping away from playing
A third-round draft pick by the Cardinals in 2009 and a World Series starter in 2013 for the club that drafted him, former Cardinal Joe Kelly is set to step away from playing after 13 seasons in the majors.
However, as the 37-year-old Kelly quipped during a recent appearance on the "Baseball Isn鈥檛 Boring" podcast when talking about the end of his playing career, there鈥檚 鈥渘o such thing as retirement鈥 for athletes.
In today鈥檚 10 AM 鈥淭en Hochman,鈥 brought to you by Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium at Cardinals鈥 spring training, Ben Hochman shares a tale of Bob Gibson vs. Sandy Koufax (who is 90 today)! Also, a happy birthday shoutout to Tiger Woods! And as always, Hochman picks a random Cards card out of the hat!
Worthy: Here's what Cardinals' Dustin May signing tells us about Chaim Bloom's evaluations
Each move the Cardinals make provides a bit more insight into the ways new president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom will think and operate as the one at the head of the table.
Sure, he鈥檚 got past stints in other organizations that will give us background and context. But actions always speak with a megaphone.
Red Sox pitcher Dustin May celebrates after the final out of the top of the sixth inning against the Orioles on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, at Fenway Park in Boston.
Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom looks over information before his introductory news conference Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, at Busch Stadium.
