The St. Louis Cardinals’ outfield landscape has undergone significant changes as several young players have emerged and started making their case for a spot in the major leagues during the team’s ongoing rebuild.
Joshua Baez has been one of the most impressive developments, especially after delivering a record-setting rookie debut that immediately made him an intriguing piece of the Cardinals’ future lineup.
What makes Baez’s rapid rise even more remarkable is how much his prospect status has improved over the past couple of years.
“Baez, 23, spent four weeks on the Development List back in August 2024 and then grinded with the Cardinals’ player development staff that offseason,” Josh Jacobs noted for MLB.com. “He emerged looking like a completely different prospect in 2025. Entering last season, Baez wasn’t even among the Cardinals’ Top 30 Prospects, according to MLB Pipeline. Yet by the end of the season, he was a Top 100 prospect in the sport, debuting at No. 59.”
That progress has created a more crowded outfield picture for St. Louis. But that didn’t keep the Cardinals from quickly reuniting with a veteran organizational outfielder who was released earlier this summer.
St Louis Cardinals Bring Back Veteran Outfielder Shortly After Cut
The Cardinals have re-signed outfielder Bligh Madris to a minor league contract, according to the official transaction log. Notably, the move comes just over a month after the organization released him, giving the 30-year-old another opportunity to remain in the organization and provide depth behind the club’s younger options.
Surprisingly enough, the Cardinals felt he should get another look despite a poor stint at the plate that pushed him overseas — a sojourn that didn’t produce encouraging results either.
“Madris is back with the Cardinals after hitting .175 (11-for-63) with four homers in 17 games for the SSG Landers in Korea,” George Bissell noted for NBC Sports. “The 30-year-old outfielder hasn’t appeared in the majors since the 2024 campaign. He’s merely organizational depth at this stage of his career.”
Madris’ major league experience includes stints with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros and Detroit Tigers, though his overall production has been limited. He has a career .204/.273/.286 slash line with two home runs and 12 RBI across 206 career at-bats.
St Louis Cardinals’ Joshua Baez Changes Cardinals’ Outfield Picture
Based on his performance, Madris’ return appears to be less about challenging Baez for a role and more about providing the Cardinals with an experienced alternative as they assess which of their young players can become part of the team’s long-term core.
Baez’s rapid emergence has made that decision even more compelling. After once ranking outside the organization’s Top 30 prospects, he has quickly risen through the system and established himself as a promising young outfielder the Cardinals could potentially build around.
For Madris, the reunion offers another chance to extend his professional career and contribute at the major league level. While his MLB experience is limited, his versatility and ability to handle multiple positions provide St. Louis with valuable depth as the team moves through the rest of the season.
