The St. Louis Cardinals are in the middle of a heated battle in the National League Central. They are currently two games ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers a top the division, and who ends up winning that division will be mightily important. That's because the team that ends up losing may end up missing out on the playoffs entirely depending on how the NL wild card race plays out.
Right now, the Cardinals are doing their best to pull away from the Brewers. They have been hot ever since the trade deadline, when they made some solid moves to reinforce their pitching staff. But their work isn't done yet, and they still have a few weeks left in the season to close out the Brewers.
The moves St. Louis made at the deadline should help them, but they are going to have an opportunity to add to their roster in September when rosters expand to 28 players. Of course, this would be a great time to call up some top prospects and give them a taste of the majors, while also potentially helping the team in a playoff push along the way. Let's look at three prospects the Cardinals could call-up in September to help them hold off the Brewers.
3 prospects the St. Louis Cardinals need to call up
3. Matthew Liberatore
Matthew Liberatore is one of the brightest pitching prospects in the MLB. Despite, that he's struggled to find his way over the past two seasons. He had an OK 2021 season with the Memphis Redbirds in Triple-A, finishing with a 4.04 ERA and 123 strikeouts. But things haven't gone as well for Liberatore this season, and it's becoming a bit concerning.
Liberatore has spent time in Triple-A and the majors this season, and has struggled at both spots. He has an ERA over five for both squads, highlighting his struggles for much of the season. He's also shown glimpses of his potential, which is what makes him such a polarizing prospect right now.
Liberatore would most likely benefit from pitching more innings, and joining the Cardinals would give him an opportunity to do that. He could probably slot into the bullpen now that the Cardinals starting rotation is all shored up, and that would give Liberatore a chance to ease his way into the majors. Liberatore has been on the verge of putting it all together for two seasons now, and some more time in the majors could help him out.
2. Alec Burleson
Whereas Liberatore has struggled this season, Alec Burleson has been superb. Burleson cemented himself as one of the MLB's top 100 prospects with a dynamite season in Triple-A with the Redbirds, and he seems like a prime candidate to get promoted in September.
Burleson's numbers on the season in Triple-A (.326 BA, 20 HR, 76 RBI, .907 OPS) are extremely impressive. He's turned himself in a solid all-around hitter after struggling during his initial stint with the Redbirds in 2021. Burleson primarily plays in the outfield, which is an area the Cardinals could use some help at in the majors, making Burleson an ideal promotion candidate.
There aren't really a ton of reasons to not promote Burleson as September nears. He's been swinging a hot bat all season long in Triple-A, he's proven to be a capable fielder in either left or right field, and he fills an area of weakness on St. Louis' major-league squad. Burleson might not be the flashiest prospect in the Cardinals system, but he's probably the most major-league ready player among them.
1. Jordan Walker
Jordan Walker has built off his successful 2021 season to emerge as one of the top prospects in the entire MLB. Walker is ranked as the sixth overall prospect in the MLB by MLB.com, thanks in part to his ability to do pretty much everything at the plate. It may be a bit early to promote Walker, but he could help out the Cardinals in a big way right now if he were to make it to the majors.
Walker has made the transition to Double-A look seamless this season. His numbers at the plate (.308 BA, 13 HR, 50 RBI, .900 OPS) are extremely solid, and bode well for his future prospects in the MLB. Walker is one of the best all-around prospects in the minors, and his potential is as a five-tool player who really has no weakness.
Of course, it's worth noting that Walker is still just 20 years old, and hasn't seen a pitch above Double-A. He is projected to be in the majors next season, but he could help the Cardinals out now. Walker is a steady bat who hasn't shown a lot of weaknesses early in his career, and he may be ready to take the next step to the majors in September.
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