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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

How Liam Doyle's Promotion Could Impact Cardinals 2026 Plan

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Sep 11, 2025 11:00 AM ET

Over the next year or so, a lot is going to be said about St. Louis Cardinals No. 2 prospect Liam Doyle.

The lefty flamethrower surprisingly was on the board at No. 5 when the Cardnals were on the clock in the first round of the 2025 Major League Basbeall Draft and they didn't wait around. St. Louis nabbed him and he immediately became the Cardinals' top pitching prospect, even over guys like Quinn Matthews and Tekoah Roby who have been in ths system.

Doyle is 21 years old and has very high upside. He's coming off a season in which he had 164 strikeouts in 95 2/3 innings pitched, just to show how much this kid can miss bats. He thrived with the University of Tennessee and already has been called someone who could be a "quick-riser" through the Cardinals system.

"Doyle will be one of the most enticing minor-league arms in the organization next year," The Athletic's Katie Woo recently said. "Based on his collegiate pedigree, the 21-year-old could be a quick riser through the farm system. Bolstering pitching depth will continue to be a focal point under Chaim Bloom’s regime.

The Cardinals have one of baseball's most intriguing pitching prospects

Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"The Cardinals will have three top prospects recovering from Tommy John surgery next season: Tekoah Roby, Sem Robberse and 2022 first-round pick Cooper Hjerpe. While it’s highly unlikely Doyle will be under consideration for the Opening Day rotation, he and fellow southpaw Quinn Mathews will be the arms to watch come spring training as the Cardinals attempt to begin rebuilding their rotation depth."

Well, she's already right. Doyle was promoted all the way up to the Double-A Springfield Cardinals.

Doyle has just one professional start under his belt. That came as a member of the Class-A Palm Beach Cardinals last week. Now, he's moving up. The timing of the move makes sense. Palm Beach's season is over. This gives him an opportunity to at least be with Double-A for the rest of the season, whether he gets into a game or not.

The fact that he already is up there, though, does make the spotlight on the 2026 season even brighter, though. As Woo noted, don't expect Doyle to take the mound with St. Louis to kick off the season. That doesn't seem likely.

But, being at Double-A right now -- and already being 21 years old -- makes it at least seem plausible that he could begin the 2026 season down in Double-A. If he were to pitch well, maybe he could give himself a shot to make a late-season jump to the big leagues. Take a look at JJ Wetherholt, for example. In his first professional season, the Cardinals have wasted no time moving him up the ladder. He started at Double-A this season and shined. He was promoted to Triple-A where he also has impressed. A big league promotion doesn't seem likely right now, but more so for the beginning of 2026.

Doyle seems to be at least on a similar pace, although Wetherholt didn't get to Double-A last year after being drafted. A similar path would be a chunk of the season in Double-A next year potentially a Triple-A promotion, and then everything is up in the air.

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

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