From Pitcher of the Year to a Year of Lessons: Quinn Mathews' Journey Back to the Top!
The St. Louis Cardinals, under the guidance of Chaim Bloom, have been making waves by prioritizing high-velocity right-handed pitchers. However, their farm system is brimming with other talented arms at the upper levels of the minors, poised to make a significant impact on the big league team sooner rather than later. One such player who generated considerable excitement last offseason was Quinn Mathews.
Mathews was fresh off a stellar season where he not only earned the Cardinals' minor league Pitcher of the Year award but also cemented his status as a top prospect within the organization. This remarkable achievement earned him an invitation to big league Spring Training, where he even had the opportunity to start a game against a Toronto Blue Jays lineup featuring their biggest stars. While he pitched admirably, he was the first hurler reassigned to minor league camp, dedicating the remainder of his time to intensive work with the player development staff. Now, Quinn Mathews is opening up about the valuable lessons learned from his challenging past season.
But here's where it gets controversial... Mathews began last year with high hopes, starting in Memphis and with many anticipating his debut with the St. Louis Cardinals during the season. However, during a recent interview at Winter Warm-Up, when asked about how he navigated the shoulder injury issues and a subsequent decline in his command, Mathews revealed a profound shift in his perspective.
He admitted that he had to fundamentally adjust his mindset when assessing his performance. Instead of dwelling on the negative, he consciously moved away from the word "pessimistic" and embraced the label of "realist." He even referenced Tyler Glasnow's concept of "mound traumas," reframing them not as setbacks, but as opportunities for growth. Looking back, Mathews realized that any perception of his 2025 campaign as a disappointment stemmed directly from his exceptional performance the year prior. He drew a parallel to his sophomore year in college, a period where he encountered more of these "mound traumas," leading him to feel confident about a strong comeback in 2026.
And this is the part most people miss... Interestingly, when the "veteran" of the rotation, Michael McGreevy, was asked about Mathews' self-assessment, he echoed the sentiment that the left-hander could be overly critical of himself at times. McGreevy, with his 91 days of Major League service time, sees himself as a voice of reason for Mathews, helping to temper his self-criticism. He shared a candid anecdote: "[Quinn] will be like, 'oh dude Greevy, I suck' and I'm like 'Quinn you just struck out 12 guys' and he's like "Yeah but I walked two."
After absorbing valuable insights from the recently acquired veteran Sonny Gray last year, Mathews is entering this major league camp feeling fully healthy and eager to put last season behind him. With a seemingly lighthearted goal of advancing beyond being the first pitcher sent out of camp, Mathews actually has a genuine chance to remain with the big league club for a significant portion of spring. While the starting rotation has some established options, it remains largely unsettled behind the top three of Dustin May, Matthew Liberatore, and Michael McGreevy. The back end of the pitching staff appears to be an open competition, with Kyle Leahy and Andre Pallante likely holding current spots, but newcomers Hunter Dobbins and Richard Fitts are strong contenders who could easily find themselves in contention with Mathews and others.
What do you think about Quinn Mathews' approach to dealing with adversity? Do you believe his "realist" perspective will lead to a successful comeback? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
