Cardinals' Top Prospect Liam Doyle Dazzles in Latest Double-A Gem

He has a sub-2.00 ERA so far in August

Tennessee pitcher Liam Doyle (12) celebrates striking out a batter during an NCAA baseball game between Tennessee and Kentucky at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on April 18, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The St. Louis Cardinals' top pitching prospect, left-hander Liam Doyle, has looked incredibly sharp on the mound over the last couple of months. That trend continued on Wednesday in his most recent start for the Double-A Springfield Cardinals.

Doyle, St. Louis' No. 2 prospect for 2026 on MLB Pipeline, tossed five strong innings in his latest outing for Springfield. The 22-year-old gave up one run on one hit and two walks while striking out nine in the Cardinals' 12-2 victory over the Arkansas Travelers, the Double-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. The young lefty even struck out seven straight hitters from the second to fourth inning.

With this latest performance, Doyle has only allowed one earned run in each of his three starts so far in August. In fact, dating back to the end of June, the southpaw hasn't allowed more than two earned runs in any of his last eight starts. Simply put, the top prospect has been dealing lately.

Liam Doyle continues to shine in second half of 2026 season

Mar 20, 2025; Tuscaloosa AL, USA; Tennessee pitcher Liam Doyle (12) pitches against Alabama at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Cardinals selected Doyle with the fifth overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, making him the second left-hander chosen early in the first round behind Seattle's star prospect Kade Anderson. While the University of Tennessee product made his professional debut last year, he only threw 3 2/3 innings in two starts. So, he's gained the majority of his minor league experience this season.

Overall, Doyle has a 4.14 ERA in 20 Double-A starts this year, with 115 strikeouts in 87 innings. But that doesn't paint the full picture of the southpaw's 2026 campaign. The 22-year-old faced adversity at the start of the season, posting a 9.26 ERA through his first four starts. By the end of June, the Cardinals prospect had a 5.82 ERA in 13 starts. The left-hander has completely flipped the script on his season recently, though, posting a 1.74 ERA in July and a 1.76 ERA so far in August.

With only a few weeks remaining in Springfield's regular season, Doyle will undoubtedly look to continue his ongoing stretch of success and finish his first full year in the minors on a strong note.