Things just got even tougher for St. Louis Cardinals fans, as one of the team’s top pitching prospects won’t be taking the mound again until at least 2027.
According to The Athletic’s Katie Woo and Keith Law, right-hander Tekoah Roby underwent Tommy John surgery on Friday. The lengthy recovery process means Roby is unlikely to pitch again until the 2027 season.
This marks yet another major setback for the Cardinals’ farm system. Roby becomes the third notable pitching prospect in the organization to undergo Tommy John surgery this year, joining Cooper Hjerpe and Sem Robberse. Additionally, 2024 third-round pick Brian Holiday also had a season-ending procedure, and both Quinn Mathews and Tink Hence have dealt with injuries throughout the year.
While the Cardinals’ farm system has shown more potential on the mound in 2025 than in recent years, injuries have taken a major toll. As new head of baseball operations Chaim Bloom steps in, he faces a significant challenge in managing the current talent pool while trying to bolster the pipeline with healthy, high-upside arms.
Roby had been building serious momentum this year and was even under consideration for Keith Law’s updated top-60 prospect list due to his strong performances, solid stuff, and proximity to the majors. However, Law ultimately left him off after hearing whispers that surgery might be imminent.
Across 16 starts in Double-A and Triple-A this season, Roby logged a 3.10 ERA with 87 strikeouts over 78.1 innings. He had been trending toward a big-league debut in the near future, after being acquired from the Rangers in the 2023 Jordan Montgomery trade.
There is still hope in the system, though. The Cardinals recently added standout pitcher Liam Doyle with the fifth overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft—Baseball America already ranks him among the top 70 prospects, and Law places him in the top 30. Other promising arms such as Michael McGreevy, Ixan Henderson, Braden Davis, and Brycen Mautz have also had strong seasons, and recent draft picks like Tanner Franklin and Cade Crossland add more depth.
President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak recently stated the team won’t be focused on acquiring a specific type of player at the deadline, though they may lean toward prospects who won’t require immediate placement on the 40-man roster. Still, expect the Cardinals to seek more pitching help—injuries like these are exactly why depth is so essential.
Roby’s injury casts uncertainty over the club’s 2026 rotation plans, as he had been viewed as a strong contender for a starting role.