Quinn

Mathews

Mathews was arguably the most exciting pitching prospect in baseball at this juncture last season when he blazed through four level to reach the doorstep of the majors. A combination of injuries and control issues derailed his 2025 campaign, but he’s strung together a handful of solid starts since the beginning of August, putting himself in the conversation for a late-season cameo with the Cardinals. He remains a work in progress in the control department, but there’s enough strikeout upside to dream on for fantasy purposes.

Mathews scattered two hits and needed only 45 pitches (30 strikes) to navigate three frames in his second rehab outing in the lower minors. The 24-year-old pitching prospect’s stock took a hit earlier this season as he battled command issues at the Triple-A level before hitting the injured list with shoulder soreness. He’s looked extremely sharp in rehab outings and figures to arrive in St. Louis at some point in the second half. His elite strikeout potential makes him extremely intriguing from a fantasy standpoint.

If he can stay healthy from there, the 24-year-old Mathews is likely to make his major league debut sometime this season. He struggled in three Triple-A starts before going down last month, but he finished 8-5 with a 2.76 ERA and a 202/.49 K/BB in 143 1/3 innings between four minor league stops last season.

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak told reporters on Monday that there isn’t a definitive return timetable for Mathews yet. The 24-year-old southpaw was one of last year’s biggest breakout prospects as he rode a significant velocity bump to a 2.76 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 202/49 K/BB ratio in 143 1/3 innings (26 starts) across four minor league levels. He’s gotten off to a calamitous start this season, walking 15 batters over 10 1/3 innings in three starts. It seems like there’s an explanation for his struggles, but he’s likely facing an extended absence, which eliminates his viability as a stash candidates in deeper re-draft leagues.