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Who is Brycen Mautz? Cardinals rookie getting surprise Sunday start vs. Reds
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- Who is Brycen Mautz? Cardinals rookie getting surprise Sunday start vs. Reds
Who is Brycen Mautz? Cardinals rookie getting surprise Sunday start vs. Reds originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The St. Louis Cardinals are turning to an unfamiliar name for Sunday's series finale against the Cincinnati Reds , and many fans are now asking the same question:
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Who exactly is Brycen Mautz ?
The 24-year-old left-hander is set to make his MLB debut Sunday after the Cardinals called him up following Saturday's doubleheader shuffle. While the move was initially viewed as a temporary roster adjustment to help reorganize the pitching rotation, Mautz's arrival is quickly generating real intrigue around St. Louis .
That is because the former second-round pick has quietly become one of the organization's most interesting pitching prospects over the last year.
Brycen Mautz has rapidly climbed the Cardinals system
Brycen Mautz was selected by the Cardinals in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of the University of San Diego. Since then, the 6-foot-3 southpaw has steadily worked his way through the minor league system while building a reputation for deception, swing-and-miss stuff and difficult angles against hitters.
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The Cardinals named Mautz their Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2025 after an impressive season in Double-A, where he posted a 2.98 ERA across 25 starts. This season at Triple-A Memphis, he has continued producing results with a 2.90 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 40.1 innings entering Sunday's start.
Perhaps most encouraging for St. Louis is Mautz's ability to generate whiffs. Reports surrounding his promotion highlighted a strikeout-heavy profile that already stands out compared to much of the Cardinals' current rotation.
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Why are the Cardinals starting him now?
The timing of the move largely comes down to scheduling chaos.After Saturday's doubleheader against Cincinnati, the Cardinals needed an extra starter to help reset the rotation and provide additional rest for pitchers like Matthew Liberatore .
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According to reports, Sunday's start allows Liberatore to shift into Monday's game against Milwaukee while giving the rest of the rotation an extra recovery day as well. But while the move solves a short-term problem, it also gives St. Louis an opportunity to evaluate whether Mautz can become part of the organization's long-term pitching plans.
Cardinals fans already have reasons to be intrigued
Mautz is not considered one of baseball's elite national prospects, but evaluators inside and outside the organization have increasingly pointed to his upside. His low three-quarters arm slot creates deception, his slider has become a legitimate weapon and he has done a strong job limiting hard contact throughout the minors. Left-handed hitters especially have struggled against him.
There are still concerns. His walk rate remains higher than ideal, and some advanced metrics suggest possible regression could eventually come. Still, the Cardinals clearly believe the upside is worth the opportunity.
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And after the emotional MLB debut of Bryan Torres earlier this weekend, St. Louis now gets another chance to see whether a young player can provide unexpected energy to a roster trying to stay competitive in the National League Central race.
Sunday now becomes much more than a routine series finale. For Brycen Mautz, it is the biggest moment of his baseball career so far.
