Cardinals pitching prospect underwent Tommy John surgery last week, . Hes expected to mi s not only the remainder of the current season but also the entire 2026 season as well. Its a brutal blow to the teams prospect base. Roby has ranked among the Cardinals most promising young arms since he was acquired two years ago in the trade sending to the Rangers, but he Paul Loduca Jersey d taken a considerable step forward this season. The 23-year-old opened the season with a brilliant 10-start run in his second stint at the Double-A level, pitching 47 innings with a 2.49 ERA, a 31% strikeout rate and a 6% walk rate. That earned him his first bump to Triple-A Memphis, where he started six more times and notched a 4.02 ERA, 22.6% strikeout rate and matching 6% walk rate. Overall, Roby has pitched 78 1/3 innings with a 3.10 ERA between the Cardinals top two affiliates. Woo adds that the Cardinals, as part of their player development overhaul this season, had added a two-seamer to Robys repertoire and made changes to the shape and velocity of both his slider and changeup. The results were impre sive, but those gains are now on hold after a second straight season with elbow troubles will prompt a major surgery. Its been a tough season for Cardinals pitching prospects. While McGreevy has remained healthy and now pitched his way into the rotation, many of the systems other young arms have incurred notable setbacks. In addition to Roby, pitching prospects and have both had Tommy John surgery this year. Hjerpe in mid-April, and Robberse followed . Right-hander has mi sed most of the season due to a rib cage sprain. Lefty mi sed more than a month due to shoulder discomfort and has walked a staggering 21.3% of his opponents in 13 Triple-A starts when healthy. The complications for the Cardinals extend beyond the obvious and straightforward setbacks in the development of several key young arms. Both Roby and Robberse are on the 40-man roster already. Hjerpe will need to be added this winter or else be left unprotected in the Rule 5 Draft (where theres plenty of precedent for a team selecting a pitcher who is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery). Theres no 60-day IL in the offseason, so if the Cardinals indeed add Hjerpe to the 40-man in November, theyll effectively be navigating the offseason with only 37 of their 40-man roster spots available. Each of Roby, Robberse and Hjerpe would be taking up a spot. And, since none of them has made his big league debut yet, those dead roster spots would even carry over into the 2026 season, unle s the Cardinals select any of the three to the major league roster and place them on the 60-day injured list. Doing so would start any of the trios service clock early and grant them major league service time and salary while rehabbing. Dinelson Lamet Jersey