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The St. Louis Cardinals’ fifth overall selection in the 2025 MLB Draft, Liam Doyle, made his first appearance at Busch Stadium this week and delivered a clear message.
“What's up, Cardinals Nation, at the field for the first time,” Doyle said in an Instagram video. “Looks awesome here, ready to get to work.”
The 22-year-old hard-throwing left-hander arrives in St. Louis with exceptional credentials and high expectations.
Doyle emerged as college baseball’s top strikeout pitcher in 2025, leading all NCAA Division I qualifiers with a 15.5 strikeouts per nine innings (K/9) ratio. In 19 appearances (17 starts) for the University of Tennessee, he posted a 10–4 record, a 3.20 ERA, and a school-record 164 strikeouts over 95 2/3 innings. His performance earned him SEC Pitcher of the Year honors.
Originally from New Hampshire, Doyle’s path to Tennessee included stops at Coastal Carolina and Ole Miss. At Coastal in 2023, he struck out 69 in 56 1/3 innings, then posted 84 strikeouts in 55 innings at Ole Miss in 2024. He also helped pitch a combined no-hitter against St. Bonaventure, Tennessee’s first since 2002, and entered the season ranked as the No. 1 draft prospect by The Athletic’s Keith Law.
Doyle’s draft availability at No. 5 came after several unexpected early selections as the Washington Nationals took 17-year-old shortstop Eli Willits No. 1 overall, and the Los Angeles Angels selected UC-Santa Barbara right-hander Tyler Bremner at No. 2. LSU’s Kade Anderson and Ethan Holliday out of high school(son of Cardinals legend Matt Holliday) followed, leaving Doyle available for St. Louis.
Cardinals assistant GM and scouting director Randy Flores praised Doyle’s swing-and-miss arsenal, noting his ability to generate separation between his fastball and split-fingered fastball. Flores stressed the long-term value of acquiring a pitcher with a 101 mph fastball and explosive strikeout ability through the draft, citing the high cost of similar talent on the free-agent market.
Doyle’s transformation at Tennessee included a 20-plus pound weight loss, made possible through rigorous conditioning and daily commitment to training. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound southpaw credited Tennessee’s strength staff for helping him improve his stamina and performance.
His passion on the mound drew comparisons to Cardinals Hall of Famer Al Hrabosky, while his composure off the field reminded Flores of Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright. Doyle even shares a personal connection with Carpenter, who once coached him in summer ball.
Now officially part of the Cardinals organization, Doyle becomes their highest-drafted left-handed pitcher since Donovan Osborne (No. 13 in 1990).
