Re: Minor League News 2026

[CardsofSTL]

He's on another level.

I don't know how much of a difference it makes that Doyle is in AA and Hernandez is in A. But I don't think we should get prospect envy just yet. A lot of really good to great pitchers had some control issues in their development years.

Hernandez no doubt looks like he is on the way to a fine career; that doesn't mean Doyle will not.

I'll respond here like I say to my daughters, "me saying your sister is pretty isn't saying you're not pretty."

It's not Ace or bang a cantaloupe. You're free to say to wait. No worries.

I've seen enough of Hernandez at his age already to believe he's special and we got it wrong. Even if Doyle becomes a nice pitcher in the big leagues.

Are you saying you want to be my daddy?

[phins]

He's on another level.

I don't know how much of a difference it makes that Doyle is in AA and Hernandez is in A. But I don't think we should get prospect envy just yet. A lot of really good to great pitchers had some control issues in their development years.

Hernandez no doubt looks like he is on the way to a fine career; that doesn't mean Doyle will not.

I'll respond here like I say to my daughters, "me saying your sister is pretty isn't saying you're not pretty."

It's not Ace or bang a cantaloupe. You're free to say to wait. No worries.

I've seen enough of Hernandez at his age already to believe he's special and we got it wrong. Even if Doyle becomes a nice pitcher in the big leagues.

Are you saying you want to be my daddy?

I'm glad you got the message. Ha ha

[phins]

Alex Breckheimer, RHP, Cardinals

2025 Draft: 16th round, $200,000 bonus
2026 Line: 3 G, 9 IP, 10 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 14 K
The Cardinals selected Breckheimer in the 16th round out of Kansas, where he pitched solely in short relief. They’ve started to stretch him out, and he’s had a pair of appearances in a piggyback role for Low-A, throwing 58 and 65 pitches. He’s also appeared once in shorter relief, throwing only 34 pitches.

Though his stats don’t jump off the page the same way some other pitchers’ do, Breckheimer’s velocity is up from where it was in college despite working in longer stints. He’s maxed out at 99 mph this year, compared to 97.6 while at Kansas, and his average four-seam velocity is up almost 1 mph. He’s still throwing his fastball the majority of the time, and it has maintained its bat-missing ability, carrying a 30% whiff rate so far.

Breckheimer’s secondaries are more of a work in progress, but he is integrating his curveball and changeup more than he did last year. Interestingly, he didn’t use his changeup during his first appearance but then threw it six times in his second outing when it got two whiffs on four swings. His slider still remains his go-to out pitch, giving him a two-pitch mix to fall back on in a pure relief role.

If either Breckheimer’s changeup or curveball can take a step forward, he might have some potential to profile in a multi-inning role.

Baseball America likes our late round pick thus far.

[Radbird]

Reading thru the draft thread, consensus seemed to be that Doyle has the talent and makeup to be a stud. I don’t know what happened but is his ceiling now really only a #3?

[CardsofSTL]

[CardsofSTL]

Doyle has been working on a sweeper and a curveball as secondary pitches to complement his fastball. Now that he has a few starts imo we just want to see improvement in those pitches along with his fastball command. Keep an eye on his next few starts in Springfield—improved command and secondary execution will signal he’s back on track and might be the front of rotation arm we were all hoping for when he was drafted.

[phins]

Reading thru the draft thread, consensus seemed to be that Doyle has the talent and makeup to be a stud. I don’t know what happened but is his ceiling now really only a #3?

A #3 starter is a STAR! That is a ~top-50 prospect.

It's just that there are only like five prospects with ace potential outcomes in baseball.

Probably only 10-14 actual aces in MLB.

I think my messaging might be getting lost a bit. I really like Doyle and his potential. He's already at AA trying to refine his secondaries.

All I'm saying is that Hernandez looks like a Skenes potential prospect. That isn't in the bag for Doyle.

When you go ga-ga on a prospect and lament picking one of your guys, it might be like talking bad about your kids. I love Wetherholt, but I don't think anyone would take him over Griffin. At the time though, I would've taken Wetherholt because I thought his 50th percentile projection was higher. A swing change for Griffin and now he looks like a prospect you dream of.

[Radbird]

Here’s another positive opinion.

Why Liam Doyle's slump isn't a red flag for Cardinals yet

Some overreacted after Doyle's first start of the season. He spoke afterward and noted that throughout the contest he was working on two pitches he's been tinkering with in a sweeper and a curveball.

"No need to overreact about anything, just on to the next start,” Doyle said, as transcribed by Andy Carroll of Scoops Sports Network. “Stuff like that also helps you learn how to take losses like that and bad outings as a professional – you just get to work, and you got five days to turn it around.”