Sep 5, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of the hat and glove of St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman (not pictured) before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Cardinals Hit Jackpot, Landed Next Potential Star Slugger

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Zach Pressnell | Last updated Feb 2, 2026 11:54 AM ET

The St. Louis Cardinals are in the middle of a huge rebuild which has already seen six big trades over the last calendar year. They're headed in the right direction, though it could result in them finishing in last place in the National League Central this year.

But the Cardinals will need their top prospects to pan out if they want to get back to the World Series over the next decade. St. Louis has a talented farm system, though it's not the best unit in the league. Still, they have a lot of talent that should be in the big leagues in the coming months.

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Just Baseball's Adam Akbani recently shared a lot of high praise for Cardinals catching prospect Leonardo Bernal. Akbani suggested the Cardinals could use Bernal in the big leagues at some point this season.

Leonardo Bernal has star potential written all over him

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"The signature trait of the Cardinals’ player development team is their ability to produce countless top-tier catching prospects," Akbani wrote. "Leonardo Bernal is no exception, with the Panamanian product slowly but surely ascending through the minor leagues while flashing average to above-average tools across the board.

"The 2025 season was a tale of two halves for Leo. He registered an impressive 135 wRC+ through 6/30, but a putrid 68 wRC+ from July 1st to the end of the season. He’s always been a solid hitter at the plate, registering a 79.4 contact% this past season at Springfield, suggesting a Z-Contact% somewhere in the low-mid 80s."

The Cardinals have a lot of talented catchers in their system. Bernal has the potential to be a star, which means he might be the next catching prospect to make his way to the big leagues.

With Iván Herrera likely slotting in at the designated hitter spot more than anything, the Cardinals could look to carry three catchers. If Bernal can get off to a hot start at the Triple-A level, he could be an early call up for the Cardinals. Bernal is a good defensive catcher, but he's going to have to battle other top catching prospects to get to the big leagues.

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

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