The St. Louis Cardinals began the 2026 season focused on developing a younger roster and laying the groundwork for their next competitive era. Along the way, players such as Alec Burleson and Jordan Walker emerged as potential pieces of the team’s future. That development will remain a priority this offseason as the Cardinals look to strengthen the roster while staying committed to their long-term vision.
“The Cardinals have always been clear on what 2026 was about: building toward the future,” Josh Jacobs wrote for MLB.com. “The front office is unlikely to be ultra-aggressive in upgrading the roster with external additions ahead of next season. But there will be ways to upgrade the big league team while still keeping the future in mind.”
That philosophy was evident again with a move that quietly kicked off the team’s offseason as the Cardinals completed one of biggest trades of the summer, bringing another young arm into an organization that has increasingly prioritized pitching development.
St Louis Cardinals Add 23-Year-Old Strikeout Artist To Complete Deadline Trade
The Cardinals announced that they had acquired right-hander Brian Curley from the Arizona Diamondbacks as the player to be named later in the Lars Nootbaar trade.
The deal gives St. Louis a former third-round selection with an impressive ability to generate strikeouts as the organization continues to reshape its pitching pipeline. Curley was drafted by Arizona in the 2025 MLB Draft after previously being taken by Pittsburgh in the 16th round of the 2024 draft.
During the 2026 minor-league season, Curley struck out 130 batters across 116 innings, posting a strong 10.1 strikeouts per nine innings. He also maintained solid control, recording a 2.6 walks-per-nine rate, giving the Cardinals an intriguing pitcher who can miss bats without consistently issuing free passes.
