Cardinals Pitching Phenom On Fast Track To Make MLB Debut Amid Recent Dominance

St. Louis might have something special with the young pitcher

Apr 4, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; A general view as the Budweiser Clydesdales trot around the warning track before the St. Louis Cardinals home opener against the Miami Marlins at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports / Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

The St. Louis Cardinals' pitching staff has immensely improved from a year ago and several minor leaguers remain who could soon have an impact.

Cardinals No. 15 top prospect Michael McGreevy pitched lights out in his Major League Baseball debut in Wednesday night's 10-1 win over the Texas Rangers.

To add to the excitement of McGreevy's early success, another Cardinals pitching prospect is climbing up the minor league ladder quickly and we could soon see him suit up at Busch Stadium as well.

Double-A Springfield's left-handed pitcher Quinn Matthews pitched an absolute gem in Wednesday night's 5-2 win against Double-A Tulsa, where he logged one earned run on four hits allowed, gave up one walk and threw nine strikeouts in six innings pitched, per MLB Pipeline.

Quinn Mathews spins his best Double-A @Sgf_Cardinals start yet 💎

6 IP
4 H
1 R
1 BB
9 K

The @Cardinals' second-ranked prospect is up 140 strikeouts in 101 IP and a .156 average-against across three levels this year. pic.twitter.com/NQsxPyONC3

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 1, 2024

Matthews has posted a 6-3 record with a 2.67 ERA, 140-to-31 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .174 batting average against and a 0.92 WHIP in 101 innings pitched between his time playing for Single-A Palm Beach, High-A Peoria and Double-A Springfield this season.

The 23-year-old is a young stud who's increased his fastball velocity significantly since being drafted in 2023 and beginning his journey in the Florida State League with Single-A Palm Beach.

The St. Louis No. 2 top prospect has flown under the radar and quietly dominated as he continues to inch closer to a big-league promotion. Granted, this is his first season in the minors, so, it's highly doubtful we will see Matthews as a St. Louis starter this season.

Still, it's worth keeping an eye on the southpaw as he continues to develop in the Cardinals' farm system. He's a left-handed starter who's capable of reaching a 97-mile-per-hour fastball and can pitch many innings with great control.

There's a bright future ahead of Matthews if he continues down the path he's on. Hopefully, we'll get to see him make his debut within the next season or two.

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