The St. Louis Cardinals are the team of the present in the National League Central Division.
Predicted by most to finish towards the bottom of the pack during what has been termed a “transitional year” for the franchise, St. Louis instead has been among MLB’s biggest surprises through the first month and a half of the 2025 season. With 10 wins in the last 11 games, the Cardinals are 24-20 overall and sit just one game behind Chicago for first place in the division.
As for future bragging rights in the division, the Cardinals don’t appear to be sitting quite so pretty.
Entering this season, St. Louis had the lowest ranked farm system of all NL Central teams, holding the No. 20 spot in MLB.com’s ranking and No. 18 according to Baseball America. And while the Cardinals do have some intriguing players among their top prospects, only two of them are ranked among MLB’s top 100: JJ Wetherholt (No. 20) and Quinn Mathews (No. 40). Plus, several of the team’s pitching prospects, some who were earmarked for the rotation at Triple A-Memphis, have suffered significant injuries, raising questions about how soon they could legitimately be contributing at the major league level.
Cubs Boast Several Top 100 Prospects at Triple-A Iowa
Meanwhile, the Chicago Cubs, a popular pick to finish atop the NL Central this season, enjoy a stockpile of studs in their system, which is ranked No. 9 by MLB.com and No. 15 by Baseball America. Many of their highest-rated players are just a phone call away at Triple-A Iowa, which MLB.com recently labeled “the most talented team in the Minors.”
A few of Chicago’s top prospects have played at Wrigley Field already in 2025, including Matt Shaw (No. 1 prospect), who opened the season as the Cubs' starting third baseman. Although Shaw struggled a bit and was optioned to Iowa in mid-April, the 23-year-old, ranked No. 18 among all prospects, is slashing .284/.408/.519 and could be recalled soon.
Right-handed pitcher Cade Horton (No. 2 with the Cubs, No. 35 overall) was promoted to Chicago on May 10, and he made his MLB debut in a relief appearance that same day, pitching 4.0 innings and earning the win against the Mets. Horton made his first MLB start on Friday against the White Sox, allowing three runs on seven hits in five innings in a 13-3 Cubs win. Another rookie in the lineup for the Cubs was Moises Ballesteros (No. 4 Cubs, No. 61 overall), who got his first MLB hit and first two MLB RBIs. A catcher, Ballesteros was called up on May 13 after Ian Happ was placed on the injured list, and he made his MLB debut as a designated hitter that night, going 0-for-4 against Miami.
Also currently playing at Iowa are outfielders Owen Caissie (No. 3 Cubs, No. 49 overall) and Kevin Alcantara (No. 5 Cubs, No. 74 overall), as well as second baseman/outfielder James Triantos (No. 7 Cubs), who was in the No. 67 spot overall prior to the season but dropped out from the updated list.
Milwaukee's Pitching Prospect Boasts 100-plus MPH Deliveries
The Milwaukee Brewers boast the top farm system in the NL Central, rated seventh by MLB.com and eighth by Baseball America. Only four of Milwaukee’s top 30 prospects are currently playing for Triple-A Nashville, and just one of those four is in the team’s top 17, but he has been making news recently.
Right-handed pitcher Jacob Misiorowski, a 6-foot-7, 23-year-old from Blue Springs, MO, is Milwaukee’s No. 4 prospect (No. 72 overall). Starting on Thursday against Memphis, Misiorowski went seven innings, giving up just one run on four hits with five strikeouts. But the newsworthy portion of his outing came in the sixth inning, as Misiorowski unleashed six consecutive pitches that each reached triple digits on the radar gun, with one of them topping 103 mph.
In 49.1 innings covering nine appearances, including eight starts, Misiorowski is 3-0 with a 1.46 ERA, and he leads all Triple-A pitchers with 59 strikeouts.
Pirates Have More Pitchers Ready to Join Skenes, Jones
The Pittsburgh Pirates farm system, ranked 14th by MLB.com and 16th by Baseball America, made news in 2024 with the promotions and MLB debuts of pitchers Paul Skenes and Jared Jones, but that was just the beginning. Five of Pittsburgh’s top seven prospects are at Triple-A Indianapolis, including four pitchers.
Right-hander Bubba Chandler, who MLB.com called "one of the most exciting pitching prospects in all of baseball,” is ranked No. 2 overall. He is 2-1 with a 1.91 ERA in eight starts, striking out 49 batters in 33.0 innings, and calls are increasing for the Pirates to bring him up.
Other top pitching prospects for the Pirates include Thomas Harrington (No. 3 for the Pirates, No. 84 overall) and Hunter Barco (No. 5, No. 93).
Cincinnati's Top Prospects Toiling at Lower Levels
Boosted by six prospects ranked among MLB’s top 100, the Cincinnati Reds have the No. 11 farm system according to MLB.com, No. 10 as rated by Baseball America, with 18 of their top 30 prospects currently playing at the High-A level or lower. Three of the team’s prospects are on the Reds roster, including right-handed pitcher Chase Petty (No. 6 for the Reds, No. 90 overall).