Cardinals Sign Jared Shuster To Minor League Deal

The St. Louis Cardinals just rolled the dice on a once-hyped arm, signing left-hander Jared Shuster to a minor league deal. They’ve invited him to big league camp this spring.

This move won’t dominate headlines in December. Still, it says a lot about how the Cardinals are trying to patch together a pitching staff full of questions—and maybe how Shuster could still matter in the majors.

Cardinals Take a Low-Risk Flier on Former First-Rounder Jared Shuster

On paper, this is the kind of calculated gamble teams make every winter. Shuster, now 27, was a first-round pick of the Atlanta Braves in 2020.

He’s a lefty with polish and feel who was once projected as a mid-rotation starter. The shine’s worn off, but the raw ingredients are still interesting for a club with innings to fill.

Shuster has already logged parts of three MLB seasons with the Braves and Chicago White Sox. He gives the Cardinals a pitcher with both pedigree and experience, even if the results haven’t matched his draft hype.

MLB Track Record: ERA, Strikeouts, and Command Issues

Across 141 2/3 big league innings, Shuster has a 5.27 ERA. That definitely puts him in reclamation territory, not established asset.

But the underlying profile is a bit more nuanced than that ERA suggests. On the plus side, he’s generally avoided loud contact.

Shuster’s allowed an average exit velocity of 87.7 mph and a 34% hard-hit rate. Those numbers are pretty respectable for a back-end starter or bulk reliever.

His pitch mix can still keep hitters off the barrel. The bigger issue has been missing bats and staying in the strike zone.

At the MLB level, Shuster’s struck out just 15.5% of hitters while walking 10.1%. In today’s league, those rates just aren’t enough to survive without elite command or ground-ball tendencies—neither of which he’s really shown yet.

Scouting the Arsenal: Starter vs. Reliever Profile

Shuster’s future probably depends on whether the Cardinals can get more out of his stuff. Maybe they sharpen his secondary pitches or lean into a full-time relief role where the velocity ticks up and plays differently.

Fastball, Slider, and Changeup Breakdown

As a starter, Shuster usually sits in the 90–92 mph range with his four-seam fastball. That’s fine, but not overpowering in today’s game.

His success depends a lot on location and pitch sequencing. He pairs the heater with a slider and changeup in the low 80s—a traditional three-pitch mix that can, on good days, neutralize both lefties and righties.

When he moved to a full-time relief role last season, Shuster’s velocity climbed. He averaged 92.6 mph out of the bullpen.

That bump stands out, but it didn’t immediately translate into better results, either in the majors or upper minors. The raw velo jump is encouraging, but the execution and pitch quality still need to catch up.

Where Shuster Fits in the Cardinals’ Pitching Picture

This move really highlights the state of the Cardinals’ pitching staff: there’s opportunity and uncertainty. St. Louis isn’t set on the mound, and that opens a lane for someone like Shuster if he shows improvement in camp.

Rotation, Bullpen, and Competition This Spring

The projected rotation right now includes:

With Andre Pallante in a swing role, the Cardinals are clearly leaving room for competition. Shuster will be in that mix, at least as depth—a sixth starter, spot starter, or long-relief option if he impresses.

Behind that group, the Cardinals have more reinforcements:

The bullpen is light on locked-in 40-man options. Veteran lefty JoJo Romero is widely expected to be traded, which could open even more space for an arm like Shuster’s.

If he can harness that reliever velocity bump and find the zone more often, there’s a realistic path to a low-leverage bullpen role. It’s not a sure thing, but there’s a chance.

Why This Signing Matters for Both Sides

For the Cardinals, this move feels like a classic low-cost, moderate-upside lottery ticket. There’s no real long-term financial risk here.

If the coaching staff tweaks Shuster’s pitch usage or mechanics, St. Louis might uncover a useful piece. Their staff could really use some stability, honestly.

For Shuster, it’s a fresh start in an organization that actually has some clear opportunity. He’s got that first-round pedigree, flashes of soft-contact skills, and lately, a bit more velocity out of the bullpen.

He’s suddenly one of the more interesting under-the-radar arms to watch when Cardinals camp opens this spring. Maybe it’s a long shot, but you never know—sometimes these are the guys who surprise you.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Cardinals, Jared Shuster Agree To Minor League Deal