ST. LOUIS – After promising to never sacrifice a shot at a brighter future for a present that is uncertain, Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom proved to be a man of his words when presented the opportunity to land the high-end potential of fireballing left-hander Brandon Clarke and the immediate steadiness of right-hander Richard Fitts.
Clarke, 22, had Tommy John surgery as a high school junior and saw a stint at the University of Alabama ruined by thoracic issues in his left shoulder. Then, he was limited to just 38 innings this year in his first professional season because of repeated finger blisters.
As for the Fitts, 25, his 2025 season effectively ended following a four-inning, six-strikeout relief appearance that resulted in right arm neuritis, a nerve condition that has eased in the months since he last pitched, Bloom said.
“I just spoke to Richard [on Tuesday] and he is back throwing — he was in Boston until last week — and we’d expect him to have a normal offseason and be ready to compete for a rotation spot in Spring Training,” said Bloom, who took over as the Cardinals’ front-office leader following the 2025 season. “As for Brandon, he’s had some medical history, and with those blisters, it’s something young pitchers with some of the shapes he can create might suffer from and learn to manage.
“But [Clarke] is someone that our pitching team did a lot of homework on as we were discussing this acquisition. We’re going to be there to support him, whether it’s what he does between the lines or what he does off the field, to make sure he has every chance to reach his potential. But he should be ready to go when Spring Training comes.”
Clarke and Fitts might not be the only young pitchers the Cardinals will be working into their future when Spring Training starts in February. The club has fielded offers for third baseman Nolan Arenado, second baseman Brendan Donovan, outfielder Lars Nootbaar and slugging infielder Nolan Gorman this offseason with their demand being young pitchers with promising futures in return. Whether teams are willing to deal young arms will determine just how active the Cards are in reshaping a roster that will lean more to the future than contending in 2026, Bloom said.
“Whether we’re building for the long haul, we do see what veterans can contribute in the short term, and that’s something you always have to weigh,” Bloom said. “Sometimes those short-term contributions [from veteran players] have long-term effects. That mentorship that vets can provide help young players establish themselves, grow and move forward. That’s something we will be mindful of as we build this club, and I do expect us to add to this club as the winter goes along.”
As the winter goes along, the Cardinals hope to learn more about the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Clarke, who has been ranked by MLB Pipeline as the organization’s No. 7 prospect. The long-limbed lefty has a fastball that has touched 100 mph and usually sits between 95-98 mph. His biting slider is also a plus pitch — one that helped him fan 60 hitters in Single-A and High-A in 2025. Developing a changeup and/or a curveball — along with better command of his pitches — will likely determine how quickly the former fifth-round Draft choice rises in the Cards’ system.
“Clarke’s pure arm talent is right up there with just about anybody who is pitching in the Minor Leagues right now,” Bloom gushed. “Obviously, he’s a long way from establishing himself in the big leagues, but the upside is incredible there, and we want to help him reach it.”
Here is another way Clarke fits into what the Cards are building: Of their Top 30 prospects, per MLB Pipeline, nine are left-handed pitchers.
Fitts, a Helena, Ala., native who starred at Auburn prior to being drafted by the Yankees in 2021, showed off tremendous promise when he reached the big leagues in 2024 (1.74 ERA over four MLB starts). However, he didn’t nab his first win until his eighth start of 2025 and was moved to the bullpen by August. Still, he allowed three or fewer earned runs in 11 of his first 14 MLB starts and he worked at least five innings eight times.
“We want to create competition, and we want to have options [like Fitts] that allow our young guys to flourish without getting pressed into service before it’s their time,” Bloom added.
