Cardinals Fireballer Has Been 'Quietly Excellent;' Could Be Star In Making

St. Louis has a bright future

Sep 5, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of the hat and glove of St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman (not pictured) before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals certainly have a bright future.

St. Louis has taken a positive step forward in 2024 and has some very intriguing prospects in the minors starting to make some noise. The Cardinals should be able to be better in 2025 and some prospects have shined this year.

One player who has impressed is No. 21 prospect Darlin Saladin. He was called St. Louis' top prospect in High-A and is having a "quietly excellent season," according to Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter.

"Prospect Spotlight: An overlooked prospect due to his undersized 5'11", 150-pound frame and slow start to his pro career, Darlin Saladin is having a quietly excellent season, going 10-3 with a 2.71 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 134 strikeouts in 123 innings between Single-A and High-A," Reuter said. "The 21-year-old has some obvious reliever risk, but his fastball will keep him on the prospect radar."

Saladin hasn't gotten as much coverage in the minors this year as players like Tink Hence, Quinn Mathews, or Thomas Saggese, but he still has been fantastic.

The 21-year-old has shined this season and certainly has taken a massive step forward. He had a 3.10 ERA in 2023 across 13 total appearances, including 11 starts. This year, he has logged a 2.71 ERA across 23 appearances, including 21 starts.

All in all, the Cardinals have a bright future, and sooner or later some of these exciting, young prospects will make the jump to the big leagues.

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