Cards restock farm system with 5 prospects in Deadline deals

SAN DIEGO -- Surprise postseason contenders until a July swoon in a season that was supposed to be about development and opportunity, the Cardinals launched themselves fully into rebuilding mode with a series of trades before Thursday’s Trade Deadline.

With deals involving two-time All-Star closer Ryan Helsley, standout setup man Phil Maton and versatile left-hander Steven Matz, St. Louis gutted its big league bullpen, but fortified depth at the Minor League level with the addition of six prospects.

Though many of those players are likely still years away from playing at Busch Stadium, Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak was pleased with the talent acquired in his final Trade Deadline before turning over front-office control to Chaim Bloom following this season.

The centerpiece of the return in the Helsley deal with the Mets was power-hitting shortstop Jesus Baez and right-handed pitcher Nate Dohm. The Cards finally landed slugger Blaze Jordan -- a player they have sought for years -- upon sending Matz to the Red Sox late Wednesday night. Then, upon agreeing to send Maton to the Rangers some 68 seconds before the Deadline, per Mozeliak, St. Louis acquired another Molina -- in this case, left-handed pitcher Mason Molina.

Here is a closer look at the Minor League players acquired by the Cardinals that will slot into their Top 30 prospects list, per MLB Pipeline:

Jesus Baez, SS, High-A Peoria
Acquired: From the Mets in the trade involving Ryan Helsley
Pipeline scouting report: Hit: 50 | Power: 60 | Run: 40 | Arm: 60 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50

Baez was far from the Mets’ biggest international addition in January 2022, when he signed for $275,000, but he’s quickly become one of the most notable prospects of anyone in that class. The right-handed slugger was named New York’s Dominican Summer League Player of the Year that first summer, when he finished with a .744 OPS and seven homers across 54 games. His big stateside breakout came in 2024, when he opened with a .262/.338/.444 slash line and 10 homers in 64 games with Single-A St. Lucie. That prompted a late-June promotion to High-A Brooklyn, but Baez lasted only eight games with the Cyclones before suffering a torn meniscus in his right knee that required season-ending surgery.

Baez’s power blossomed in 2024 as he managed a 104.6 mph (90th percentile) exit velocity, among the Florida State League’s best at just 19 years old. It’s stout strength from his 5-foot-10 frame, and it helps that he can pull and lift the ball with authority. He’ll shorten his movements with two strikes, going from an open stance and leg kick to a more stationary load and doesn’t whiff much against any pitch type. He does chase a good amount, however, and more polished pitchers will be able to take advantage if he can’t reel in that approach.

The infielder will clock occasional solid home-to-first times, but Baez isn’t expected to be much of a runner as his body matures. He got looks at shortstop, third base and second before the trade, but remains likely to slide to the hot corner long-term, where his hands and arm strength are solid fits. Baez gives the Cardinals another dynamic infield talent alongside JJ Wetherholt (No. 1 prospect, MLB Pipeline’s No. 16 overall) and Yairo Padilla (No. 9 prospect).

Organizational fit: The Cards are already loaded with middle infielder types with Masyn Winn, Brendan Donovan, Nolan Gorman and Thomas Saggese at the MLB level, and Wetherholt knocking on the proverbial door at Triple-A Memphis. St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol often repeats the mantra that if a player can play shortstop, he can likely play anywhere on the field at a high level. Baez’s stocky body type might ultimately lead to him being switched to a corner outfield slot. What intrigues the team is Baez’s high contact rate and his potential power -- something that could grow as his body matures. After being ranked as the No. 8 prospect in the Mets’ system, he checks in at No. 6 in the Cards’ system.

ETA: 2027

Blaze Jordan, 1B/3B, Triple-A Memphis
Acquired: From the Red Sox in the trade involving Steven Matz
Pipeline scouting report: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 30 | Arm: 50 | Field: 40 | Overall: 40

A legendary power hitter as an amateur, Jordan won his first competition at age 11, notched a pair of 500-foot blasts when he was 13 and prevailed at the High School Home Run Derby at the 2019 All-Star Game. After reclassifying from the 2021 MLB Draft, Jordan went in the third round in 2020 and signed for an over-slot $1.75 million. He has made more contact and provided less pop than expected, but he was enjoying his best pro season in 2025 when the Red Sox traded him to the Cardinals at the Deadline for Matz in a one-for-one swap.

While Jordan's bat speed and strength have created impressive exit velocities throughout his pro career, his aggressive approach has muted his well-above-average raw power from the right side of the plate. Swing-and-miss concerns dogged him during his amateur career, but strikeouts haven't been an issue in the Minors. He's making a higher quality of contact this year by being more judicious about what pitches he offers at, giving hope that he could turn into a .250 hitter with 20 homers annually at the big league level.

Jordan has to produce at the plate because he's a well-below-average runner who's a subpar defender on the infield corners. He has soft hands and decent arm strength, but he lacks range. Primarily a third baseman in his first four seasons, he has spent more time at first base this year.

Organizational fit: The Cardinals have long pursued Jordan, a prodigy who garnered national fame for his baseball prowess when he was just 11 years old. They had hoped to select him in the 2020 MLB Draft, but Bloom -- then the leader of the Red Sox’s front office – picked him. Jordan’s name was even bandied about this past offseason when the Cards briefly discussed trading Nolan Arenado to Boston. Now that Jordan is theirs, he will slot in at Triple-A Memphis, just miles away from where he grew up in Southaven, Miss. Jordan, now the No. 19 prospect in the organization, has the body of a slugger, but he’s more of a spray hitter with tremendous bat-to-ball skills. Finding a position for him to play could be a problem as the Cards are already chock-full of DH types on their Major League roster.

ETA: 2025-26

Mason Molina, LHP, High-A Peoria
Acquired: From the Rangers in the trade involving Phil Maton
Pipeline scouting report: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 40 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

Molina looked like a potential first-round Draft pick early in his college career at Texas Tech and was invited to try out for the U.S. collegiate national team in the summer of 2023. He transferred to Arkansas for his junior season, during which he battled an ankle injury and control issues before the Brewers selected him in the seventh round in ‘24. The Rangers acquired him in a January trade for Grant Anderson.

Though Molina's fastball sits at just 90-91 mph and tops out at 95, it's effective because it rides past bats at the top of the strike zone. His best pitch is a plus low-80s changeup that sinks and helps his heater work better. He employs two distinct breaking balls with depth and does a better job of landing his low-80s slider than his mid-70s curveball for strikes.

Molina tends to work up with his fastball and down with his secondary offerings, and he could use a pitch with more lateral movement. He has done a better job of throwing strikes in pro ball than he did with the Razorbacks, enhancing his chances of becoming a No. 4 or 5 starter. He carries 230 pounds on his 6-foot-2 frame, so he'll have to stay on top of his conditioning.

Organizational fit: Molina, 22, possesses the swing-and-miss profile that the Cardinals -- long a franchise that featured pitch-to-contact hurlers -- have been seeking over the past year. This past season, while pitching at the Single-A and High-A levels in the Rangers’ system, Molina was 3-5 with a 3.41 ERA in 18 appearances (17 starts). He struck out 92 batters in 74 innings. Molina, a name Cards fans can certainly root for after the way catcher Yadier Molina became a franchise fixture for nearly two decades, slots in as their No. 26 prospect.

ETA: 2027

Nate Dohm, RHP, High-A Peoria
Acquired: From the Mets in the trade involving Ryan Helsley
Pipeline scouting report: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 55 | Overall: 45

Dohm pitched in relief at Ball State as a freshman in 2022 and transferred to Mississippi State a year later. He finally got a chance to start with the Bulldogs as a junior and started fast with a 1.50 ERA and 32/4 K/BB ratio through his first four starts. But a forearm strain slowed him for much of the spring, and he mostly made short appearances when he fully returned in late May. He helped his case with two dominant innings against Texas A&M in the SEC tournament, participated in the MLB Draft Combine and was drafted by the Mets in the third round in ’24 before signing for below slot at $797,500.

The healthy version of Dohm utilizes a 93-95 mph fastball with impressive carry to blow past hitters up in the zone. He ran the heater up to 99 mph in shorter stints as a sophomore reliever -- a sign of what’s in the tank -- and he relied heavily on the heater throughout his college career. His 82-85 mph slider plays off the heater well, darting late glove side to get a healthy number of whiffs. He’s mostly kept his upper-70s curveball in his pocket as a pro, but the offering gives him a vertical option, too. His upper-80s changeup is often too firm and doesn’t stand as a huge weapon against lefties, leading to splits concerns.

Dohm was a tremendous strike-thrower in his two years in Starkville, but because of the forearm issues -- including more during his sophomore campaign -- evaluators hadn’t seen that control hold up over long stints as a starter. He quieted some of those concerns in the first half of the 2025 season before the trade. The lack of a curveball could hurt him down the line, but there’s still starter upside here given his ability to fill the zone.

Organizational fit: Dohm was ranked as the No. 14 prospect in New York’s system and he will slot in at No. 15 for St. Louis. This season with Single-A St. Lucie and High-A Brooklyn, the Geneva, Ill., native appeared in 18 games (17 starts) and compiled a 3-5 record with a 2.87 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 62 2/3 innings.

ETA: 2027