The clock is ticking on the 2026 Major League Baseball regular season and at this point, there arguably are a few guys down in Triple-A worth getting a look at in the majors for the St. Louis Cardinals before all is said and done on the campaign.
St. Louis ' elimination number is down to one . The Cardinals have a day off on Thursday but could be eliminated depending on how things shake out across the league. If not, then a loss on Friday would knock them out of contention for a playoff spot. The focus of the 2026 season has been on development and the Cardinals have done a very good job integrating young guys into the mix, like JJ Wetherholt , Joshua Bez , Leo Bernal , Quinn Mathews and Luis Gastelum, among others.
Still, with nine games left to go , the Cardinals should look to Triple-A Memphis to give a few other guys a shot in the big leagues before the campaign comes to a close.
Memphis' Colton Ledbetter (12) watches his hit during the game between the Memphis Redbirds and Nashville Sounds at AutoZone Park in Memphis, Tenn., on June 19, 2026. Memphis defeated Nashville 4-1. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Ledbetter may not be a big-name prospect in the Cardinals' fanbase yet, but this guy is good. He came to town in the Brendan Donovan deal this past offseason from the Tampa Bay Rays . At the time, he was the Rays' No. 24 prospect. Ledbetter has played in 109 games down in Triple-A and has slashed .265/.333/.430 with a .762 OPS, 13 home runs, 54 RBIs, 25 stolen bases, and 23 doubles. With Bez exiting early on Wednesday, it certainly wouldn't hurt to give Ledbetter a shot in the big leagues if the young slugger needs to miss any time.
Feb 16, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje throws the ball during spring training workouts at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Cijntje also came over in the Donovan deal as the headliner of it. The young switch-pitcher has made 11 starts in Triple-A and has a 4.61 ERA overall, but he has been red-hot lately . In his last eight games, he has pitched to a 2.95 ERA and a 48-to-14 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 39 2/3 innings pitched. In his last four starts, he has a 2.13 ERA and a 20-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 21 innings pitched. He's just getting better and arguably should get a start in the big leagues before the season ends. Then, when Spring Training gets here, he should be in the competition for a rotation spot.
Jul 28, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Matt Svanson (49) pitches against the Chicago Cubs in the ninth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Cardinals have seen a lot of Svanson over the last two seasons. In 2025, he was a breakout hurler for the team with a 1.94 ERA in 39 appearances as a rookie. His sophomore season has been a different story. He has a 7.27 ERA in 41 big league appearances and hasn't been in the majors since the end of July. With just a few days left in the season and the bullpen thin, why not give him a chance to see if he can look like he did last year?
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/cardinals/onsi as 3 Cardinals Who Deserve an MLB Look With 2027 in Mind .
