There have been a lot of positive takeaways from the 2026 St. Louis Cardinals so far this season. Over the course of the campaign so far, much has been said about the young core and the various breakouts happening throughout the roster. 23-year-old outfielder Jordan Walker is the club's biggest bright spot so far this season. He has been incredible and now firmly looks like a long-term core piece. The same can be said about rookie JJ Wetherholt, starter Michael McGreevy, and shortstop Masyn Winn, among others. Another guy who has gotten a lot of love so far this season has been closer Riley O'Brien . He is 31 years old, which doesn't fit the age of the other guys breaking out throughout the roster. But he has had a bit of an unorthodox run to get here. He made his big league debut as a member of the Cincinnati Reds back in 2021, but he just appeared in just one game. His professional career kicked off back in 2017 after being selected in the eighth round of the MLB Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays.…