Highly-touted prospect Matthew Liberatore could finally be reaching the high ceiling projected for him when he was selected in the first round of the 2018 MLB Draft. That possibility is not lost on the St. Louis Cardinals (18-26), as they decide what to do with their starting pitching rotation.

The young left-hander threw five shutout innings against the Milwaukee Brewers in the Cards' 3-0 win Wednesday, besting former Cy Young Corbin Burnes and continuing St. Louis' good fortune (won eight of last 10). The outing, which was his 2023 debut, just earned him a key role in the upcoming Midwest road trip.

“Matt Liberatore will indeed get a start on the upcoming Ohio road trip,” manager Oliver Marmol said, via Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat. “If a situation arises for him in the bullpen this weekend that could be an option, but it didn’t sound like a likely one.

The former Tampa Bay Rays top prospect has come along nicely in the Cardinals organization. He boasted a 4-1 record with a 3.13 ERA in eight starts for Triple-A Memphis this season before being called up Wednesday. Liberatore could remain a regular starter as long as the team employs a six-man rotation. Changes seem unlikely as long as he continues to show he belongs and the club keeps up their recent winning ways.

Pitching was considered the main cause for the Cardinals' horrid 2023 start, but things are starting to stabilize. Liberatore is another wild card given the near-6.00 ERA he posted in a nine-game sample size last season. If he really has turned a corner in his developmental process, however, then maybe the onus will not be so heavily on the lineup to will the team to victory.

St. Louis still has a fairly steep climb up the National League Central, but an emerging talent could ensure that the good vibes keep rolling.