Missouri’s two Major League Baseball teams entered Monday’s trade deadline outside the postseason picture and used the opportunity to reshape their organizations, though the St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals followed different plans.
The Cardinals accelerated an organization-wide youth movement by trading several established major leaguers for four prospects who immediately entered MLB Pipeline’s ranking of the club’s top 22 prospects. The Royals focused almost exclusively on pitching depth, adding arms who could help rebuild an injury-depleted staff in 2027.
St. Louis made its largest moves shortly before Monday’s 5 p.m. Central deadline.
The Cardinals sent starting pitcher Dustin May and relief pitcher JoJo Romero to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for outfield prospects Alexander Frias and Josiah Ragsdale. Frias is now ranked as the No. 4 prospect in the Cardinals’ system, while Ragsdale is ranked No. 10 by MLB Pipeline.
St. Louis also traded outfielder Lars Nootbaar to the Arizona Diamondbacks for right-handed pitcher Daniel Eagen, left-handed pitcher Sandro Santana and a player to be named later. Eagen entered the Cardinals’ system as its No. 17 prospect, while Santana is ranked No. 22.
The moves turned three established members of St. Louis’ major-league roster into four ranked prospects and another future return. Nootbaar had spent all six of his MLB seasons with the Cardinals, Romero had pitched parts of five seasons in St. Louis and May was in his first year with the club after six previous major-league seasons.
Together, the three players brought 20 combined seasons of MLB experience, including 12 with the Cardinals. In contrast, none of the four known prospects acquired by St. Louis has appeared in an MLB game. Frias and Ragsdale look to strengthen the organization’s outfield pipeline, while Eagen and Santana add two new young arms to its pitching system.
The Cardinals did not make every move with the distant future in mind. They acquired veteran left-handed reliever Caleb Ferguson from the Cincinnati Reds for $250,000 in international bonus pool money. Ferguson recorded a 4.01 ERA in 26 appearances for Cincinnati this season and gives St. Louis an experienced bullpen option after Romero’s departure.
St. Louis also traded right-handed pitcher Scott Blewett to the Athletics for cash considerations on July 26. Blewett had been designated for assignment four days earlier, making the transaction primarily a roster-clearing move.
The Cardinals’ deadline was not simply about reducing payroll. It continued the plan president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom outlined before the season: give younger players opportunities at the major-league level while strengthening the farm system.
St. Louis converted May, who signed a one-year contract before the season, and Romero into two of its top 10 prospects. Trading Nootbaar created another opening in the outfield while returning two pitching prospects and an additional player.
The addition of Ferguson gives the Cardinals a veteran arm to help cover some of the innings lost in the other deals. Overall, St. Louis used the deadline to move value from its current roster into a younger group that could contribute over the next several seasons.
Kansas City’s deadline was quieter, but nearly every move followed the same theme.
The Royals traded outfielder Lane Thomas and left-handed pitcher Bailey Falter to the Atlanta Braves for right-handed pitcher Lucas Braun and left-handed pitcher Carter Holton.
Braun, formerly Atlanta’s No. 8 prospect, has already reached Triple-A and could be in line for a major-league opportunity in the near future. Holton, a second-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, gives Kansas City a younger starting pitching prospect to develop further down the organizational ladder.
The Royals then traded injured left-hander Kris Bubic to the Los Angeles Dodgers for right-handed reliever Carlos Duran. Bubic has been sidelined since May and is eligible for free agency after the season. Kansas City received a potential bullpen piece in return rather than carrying Bubic through the final two months of his contract.
Duran has a 3.38 ERA with 61 strikeouts in 42 2/3 Triple-A innings this season. The 25-year-old could receive a major-league bullpen opportunity quickly, though his command remains an area Kansas City will need to develop.
Kansas City also acquired right-handed pitcher Nolan Hoffman from the Philadelphia Phillies for 19-year-old minor-league pitcher Manuel Colón. Hoffman has spent most of the season in Triple-A but has made three major-league appearances for Philadelphia.
Those deals followed two earlier efforts to add pitching. The Royals acquired right-hander Easton McGee from Milwaukee for cash considerations July 14, then acquired hard-throwing reliever Nate Pearson from the Houston Astros for minor-league pitcher Max Martin on July 22.
Pearson was once one of baseball’s top pitching prospects and continues to throw his fastball in the high 90s. The Royals acquired him as a potential bullpen reclamation project, hoping improved command could allow his velocity to translate into more consistent results.
To make room for Pearson on the 40-man roster, Kansas City designated former Mizzou outfielder Kameron Misner for assignment. The Royals later traded Misner to Philadelphia for cash considerations.
Unlike St. Louis, Kansas City stopped short of a broader teardown. The Royals retained veteran starting pitchers Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo despite interest from other teams. General manager J.J. Picollo said the organization views both as important parts of a 2027 rotation already facing significant injury concerns.
Kansas City received some roster and payroll flexibility by moving Thomas, Bubic and other expendable players, but its primary objective was adding pitching at several levels. Braun could become a starting option, while Duran, Hoffman and Pearson offer possible bullpen help.
Misner was one of three former Missouri baseball players traded in the weeks leading up to the deadline.
The 28-year-old outfielder played at Mizzou from 2017 through 2019 and became a first-round draft pick of the Miami Marlins. He appeared in 18 games for Kansas City this season before being designated for assignment and traded to Philadelphia.
Misner was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley after the trade. He had a .941 OPS with 14 home runs and 14 stolen bases in 63 Triple-A games this season, giving the Phillies a left-handed hitter capable of playing all three outfield positions.
Former Mizzou pitcher Seth Halvorsen was traded from the Colorado Rockies to the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 20. Colorado received outfielder Landyn Vidourek and right-handed pitcher Nick Frasso in return.
Halvorsen played three seasons at Missouri before transferring to Tennessee. The right-handed reliever has averaged 99.6 mph with his four-seam fastball during his major-league career, giving the Dodgers another high-velocity bullpen option if they can improve his command.
Zach Franklin, who pitched for Mizzou in 2023, moved from the Chicago White Sox organization to the New York Mets. The Mets received Franklin and right-handed pitcher Gabe Davis in exchange for veteran reliever Huascar Brazobán.
The trade allowed the American League Central-leading White Sox to strengthen their current bullpen while the Mets received two minor-league pitchers. Franklin was selected by Chicago in the 10th round of the 2023 MLB Draft after making 20 appearances for Missouri.