Brandon Clarke, whose triple-digit fastball made him the No. 9 prospect in the St. Louis Cardinals Minor League system, will undergo a surgical procedure to have loose bodies removed from his left elbow and has been ruled out of the Arizona Fall League, which starts on Saturday.
Brandon Clarke, whose triple-digit velocity on his fastball intrigued the St. Louis Cardinals after they acquired him from the Red Sox in the Sonny Gray trade, suffered another injury setback that will knock him out of the Arizona Fall League.
Clarke, 23, will undergo a surgical procedure to have loose bodies removed from his left elbow and he has been ruled out of the Arizona Fall League, which starts on Saturday.
The Cardinals say that Clarke – the No. 9-ranked prospect in the club’s Minor League system – will report to their Spring Training complex in Jupiter, Fla., later this month to prepare for instructional camp in January.
The surgical procedure is the latest arm problem for Clarke, who saw much of his college career and his two professional baseball seasons marred by injuries. Clarke, 23, underwent Tommy John surgery while in college and never pitched at the University of Alabama. A fifth-round pick by the Red Sox in 2024, Clarke was limited to 14 starts in 2025 because of persistent blister problems on his fingers. Over this past winter, he needed a surgical procedure to relieve circulation issues in his arm and fingers and didn’t start his 2026 season until June.
Right-handed pitchers Joseph King and Nolan Sparks have been added to the Peoria (Ariz.) roster to replace Clarke. Rehabilitating right-hander Tekoah Roby, who missed all the 2026 season following Tommy John surgery, and outfielder Tai Peete are a part of the contingent of top prospects the Cardinals are sending to the Arizona Fall League, a finishing school of sorts in recent years for the big-league club.
Roby is the No. 14-ranked prospect in the Cardinals Minor League system, while Peete is No. 17.
Catcher Sammy Hernandez, third baseman Cade McGee, left-handed pitcher Michael Watson and right-handed pitchers Nate Dohm and Frank Elissalt will also represent the Cardinals in the league that is designed to give rising prospects more work over the winter.
Hernandez, who took over the catching duties with High-A Peoria after top prospect Rainiel Rodriguez was promoted to Double-A Springfield is a player to watch. He hit .279 with 11 homers and 21 stolen bases in 65 games with Peoria. His 140 wRC+ was third in the Cardinals’ Minor League system behind Rodriguez (150) and Miguel Hernandez (146).
Clarke started 10 games this season at four levels – the Florida Complex League, Class-A Palm Beach, High-A Peoria and Double-A Springfield – and posted a 3.34 ERA. Using his electrifying fastball and a sharp-breaking slider, he struck out 44 batters in 29 2/3 innings. He made one regular-season start with Double-A Springfield and struck out seven over four scoreless innings of one-hit baseball.
