Feb 26, 2021; Jupiter, Florida, USA; A general view of the St. Louis Cardinals logo on the stadium at Roger Dean Stadium during spring training workouts. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

Cardinals Could Find Power Boost Without Making A Move

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Curt Bishop | Last updated Jan 12, 2026 1:00 PM ET

The St. Louis Cardinals have made some big trades this offseason, sending Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras to the Boston Red Sox for several pitching prospects. They also got two Major League ready rotation pieces in Richard Fitts and Hunter Dobbins.

However, without Contreras, they lack that power threat in the middle of their lineup. They can hope for JJ Wetherholt to emerge as that option and for players like Alec Burleson and Ivan Herrera to take the next step.

But those aren’t the only options they can turn to. In fact, they may have one in the minors. Prospect Blaze Jordan posted a video of himself taking batting practice on Sunday night, and he took some pretty big swings.

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Cardinals May Have Power Solution Waiting

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Jordan is the Cardinals No. 20 prospect. He was acquired from the Red Sox last summer in the Steven Matz trade at the deadline. Chaim Bloom drafted him while he was in charge of the Red Sox’s baseball operations department.

This is certainly a good sign, and Cardinals fans will be pleased to see this. In a year where they’re rebuilding as opposed to trying to contend, they’ll have even more chances to see what some of their young players can do, especially if veterans are traded in the coming weeks.

For the longest time, St. Louis has been searching for a right-handed power threat. With Contreras gone, they need another one, but they might have that option within the organization.

The trade to acquire Jordan for Matz may not have been a blockbuster by any means, but it gave the Cardinals another right-handed hitting prospect. Last year, the 25-year-old hit .270/.331/.450 with 19 home runs and a .781 OPS between Boston and St. Louis’ minor league systems.

This trade could ultimately go down as a sneaky one if Jordan pans out. His swings looked pretty solid, and that should be encouraging for Cardinals fans who are hoping that some of their young players break out in 2026 and give them a good glimpse into the future.

It will be interesting to see what takes place in spring training, but Jordan is a prospect to watch as the 2026 season approaches and the Cardinals continue their rebuild.

This article first appeared on St. Louis Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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