Blaze Jordan may just be the hottest prospect in the St. Louis Cardinals system. Jordan is currently hitting .316 with 10 home runs and 33 RBIs. The third baseman’s success has led many to want to see him called up by the Cardinals. While it may be tempting, the Cardinals need to wait before calling him up.
Cardinals Should Wait Before Calling Up Jordan
The Case to Call Up
The argument in support of calling up Jordan centers around two things: his play and the lack thereof from Nolan Gorman. Jordan, who has been making the transition from first base to third base in the minor leagues, could come up and take Gorman’s spot in the lineup and on the field. Jordan’s .316 average is certainly more appealing than Gorman’s .202.
Furthermore, Jordan could provide an offensive spark to a lineup that is looking for more from its 5-9 spots. JJ Wetherholt, Ivan Herrera, Alec Burleson, and Jordan Walker are doing their part at the top of the lineup, but the rest have struggled. The Cardinals are hoping Lars Nootbaar will help, and to his credit, he has so far in a small sample size. Even then, Jordan could still join the team and add an additional source of offense. It only makes sense, right? Especially for a team exceeding expectations and in the playoff hunt.
Yet, there is one important thing the Cardinals need to consider before calling up their talented prospect.
Threat of a Lockout
The pending lockout continues to linger in the back of baseball fans’ minds. No one wants to think about going without baseball in the summer months- 2020 was enough for a lifetime. Yet the threat of a lockout should be on the Cardinals’ minds as they decide what to do with Jordan.
Jordan is not currently on the 40-man roster. He would need to be added to it before getting called up. This could create a problem if a lockout does indeed happen. During a lockout, all MLB facilities are off limits to any player on the 40-man roster. Injured players cannot rehab at their team’s facilities. Pitchers cannot have bullpen sessions at their team’s facility. In addition, players on the 40-man roster cannot participate in minor league games.
By keeping Jordan off the 40-man roster, he is protected and allowed to participate in the Memphis Redbirds’ 2027 season, even if MLB misses games due to a lockout. Jordan would be able to continue conditioning and gaining experience. Jordan will be 24 years old next season. He needs to be able to continue developing in the minor leagues and avoid any time spent not playing baseball.
However, if Jordan can help the Cardinals make an unexpected run at the playoffs, that is valuable experience as well, right? If Jordan can improve the Cardinals’ chances of making the postseason, is it worth the risk, right?
Well, let’s talk about that.
Legitimate Playoff Contenders?
On Sunday morning, it was announced that the Cardinals are expected to trade pitchers Dustin May and JoJo Romero at this season’s trade deadline. This means Chaim Bloom is sticking to his plan of rebuilding the Cardinals. He appears to prefer continuing to build up the farm system rather than making a run at the postseason.
Things could change. However, if Bloom continues on this path, the Cardinals will sell pieces like May and Romero (and others could go as well). This would, naturally, hurt the team’s chances of making the postseason. Would it make sense to call up Jordan for a team that is not aiming for the playoffs, with the threat of a lockout that would make him ineligible to play in the minors in 2027?
This is not like 2015 or 2020, where Stephen Piscotty and Dylan Carlson were called up because they helped the team’s lineup for a playoff push. They were just not getting called up for the sake of MLB experience. Furthermore, there was no threat of a lockout either.
Cardinals Should Seek Alternative Options
The Cardinals should pursue other avenues to improve their lineup. Getting Nootbaar back should help, and they also have Nathan Church on the injured list, who will improve the lineup when he returns. If the team wants to move on from Gorman at third base, they could insert Jose Fermin or Bryan Torres into that spot. Both have shown some upside with the bat. Lastly, for third base, the Cardinals are waiting to get veteran Ramon Urias back from the IL soon. He is someone who could play third base and provide some pop in the lineup.
Blaze Jordan will get his time soon enough. It just does not make sense to call him up this season. The Cardinals should wait for a more opportune moment.
Main Photo: Jim Rassol- Imagn Images
