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Whether the Cardinals call their shift in strategy a reset, retool, remake, restart or redo, the terminology isn鈥檛 as relevant as the meaning behind it. They鈥檝e acknowledged that they need to foster an environment for their young homegrown players to grow and improve at the major league level.

After reflecting 鈥� yet another key word beginning with R 鈥� on the club鈥檚 recent seasons, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak told reporters at MLB鈥檚 annual general manager鈥檚 meetings the Cardinals will steer away from their tendency to chase the next best thing.

Instead, they say they鈥檒l allow their young players to play through growing pains to see if they can adjust and adapt the way the major league game requires. The club鈥檚 current roster provides examples of the impact that approach can have on young players searching for their footing in the majors.

Recent successful rebuilds in the majors may also give an indication as to why Mozeliak鈥檚 statement that the Cardinals will be 鈥渁 better club than people think鈥� might not be all bluster or public posturing.

Pallante as proof of concept

One example of the young homegrown players who benefited from the opportunity to learn and develop at the major league level this past season was Cardinals pitcher Andre Pallante.

The right-hander pitched out of the bullpen from August 2022 through the beginning of this past season. He made the transition back to a starting pitcher in the minor leagues in the middle of April and returned to the majors in late May.

Pallante took a regular turn in the rotation, and he stayed in the rotation even as the Cardinals acquired another starter at the trade deadline (Erick Fedde). Pallante became arguably the club鈥檚 most consistent starter after the All-Star break as he posted a 4-4 record with a 3.47 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) in his final 12 starts.

鈥淗e is adapting and making adjustments on the fly,鈥� Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said after a late September start by Pallante, lauding the growth the right-hander showed over the course of the season. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 what you want to see from your guys: their ability 鈥� if something doesn鈥檛 鈥� to make an adjustment in game rather than have to wait until his side session in between starts. That was great. You鈥檙e continuing to see these little bit of adjustments that are crucial in his development.鈥�

Pallante credited the routine of starting as well as the input from veteran pitchers as well as coaches for his continued development in the majors.

Late in the season, Pallante took it a step further and explained the significance of being afforded a runway as a starting pitcher can have from the start of spring training.

鈥淚 think a big thing that you can do as a starter in spring training that鈥檚 different is at the start of spring training you can have that second inning where you land your off-speed or you can go into a game with a mindset that I鈥檓 going to land my slider for a strike today, I鈥檓 going to throw 50% sliders this inning,鈥� Pallante said to the Post-Dispatch in September.

鈥淲hen you鈥檙e a reliever, especially in the position that me and (Cardinals pitcher Matthew Liberatore) and a lot of other guys have been in where you鈥檙e trying to make the team, you can鈥檛 work on something. You鈥檙e there working on making the team, not feeling stuff right. You鈥檙e basically wasting an opportunity to find your stuff because, again, you have to perform to stay on the team. That鈥檚 another thing that kind of works against you when you鈥檙e in that situation.鈥�

After the Cardinals committed to Pallante last season, his confidence and effectiveness increased. That was without a full runway as a member of the starting rotation entering the season.

Importance of a runway

While the Cardinals have had success in past years transitioning pitchers from the minors to the major league bullpen and then to the rotation, other organizations have had marked success developing pitchers by letting them learn on the job as starters in the majors.

The Seattle Mariners have a relative embarrassment of riches as far as young pitching led by George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo. Each of them is 27 or younger, and each also logged 22 or more starts and posted an ERA of 3.53 or better in 2024.

Since the time they each broke into the majors, they鈥檝e only pitched as starters.

Similarly, the Cleveland Guardians have done the same with young starters Tanner Bibee, Logan Allen and Gavin Williams. In previous seasons, they also committed to keeping young pitchers Shane Bieber (two relief appearances, 134 starts), Triston McKenzie (four relief appearances, 80 starts) and Zach Plesac (one relief appearance, 83 starts) in starting roles.

All were allowed to learn and grow while taking regular turns in the majors.

That鈥檚 not exclusive to pitchers.

The Cardinals committed to shortstop Masyn Winn as their everyday starter as a rookie. When searching for a veteran backup, they prioritized finding someone who would accept a supporting role. That鈥檚 what made former Gold Glove Award winner Brandon Crawford a fit.

鈥淟et鈥檚 be very clear: This is Masyn鈥檚 job,鈥� Mozeliak said the day they signed Crawford in February.

Winn responded by being a Gold Glove finalist, becoming the club’s leadoff hitter, smacking 15 home runs and finishing among the top 20 players in the majors in wins above replacement (WAR) as calculated by .

He outperformed even his own expectations early on in his first full season after he struggled at the plate in a short debut stint in 2023.

鈥淐oming back this year, I definitely wanted to take a step forward,鈥� Winn told the Post-Dispatch this summer. 鈥淚 thought I was just going to be a defensive guy coming into this year. Once I got going offensively, I think that built my confidence. And I think a lot of baseball is confidence, so I think once I got that going, it really just catapulted my season.鈥�

First baseman and outfielder Alec Burleson鈥檚 place on the roster seemed tenuous at best in spring training. Injuries helped solidify his place on the opening day roster, but then the Cardinals allowed him everyday at-bats.

Burleson responded by batting .269 with a team-high 78 RBIs and 21 home runs in his first season as a fixture in the lineup.

For stretches last season, Winn and Burleson were the club鈥檚 most reliable and consistent offensive contributors.

The fact young players like Winn and Burleson, among others, have already had success early in the tenure in the majors may lend credence to the Cardinals鈥� stance that they鈥檙e now poised to embark on a 鈥渞eset鈥� and not a full 鈥渞ebuild.鈥�

When clubs such as the Houston Astros, Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals started their rebuilds, many of the core players who eventually drove their turnarounds either weren鈥檛 even in the organization or hadn鈥檛 yet reached the majors.

The Cardinals seem to believe that some pieces of their next contending core have already reached the majors 鈥� though they鈥檝e had varying levels of success.

That鈥檚 a group of players that includes Winn and Burleson as well as left-handed slugger Nolan Gorman, outfielders Jordan Walker and Lars Nootbaar, super-utility player Brendan Donovan, catcher Ivan Herrera, outfielder Victor Scott II and infielder Thomas Saggese.

If the Cardinals have already graduated to the big leagues several of the key pieces of their next contending club, then it鈥檚 reasonable to think they may not face a full teardown and rebuild.

Creating a runway for the young group to develop in the majors may be the only way to find out if the Cardinals actually have those core pieces on their current roster.