The St. Louis Cardinals' rebuild will likely have a lot of young players and assets front-and-center in spring training this year.

Top 10 prospect JJ Wetherholt (No. 5 per MLB Pipeline) and top 100 pitching prospect Jurrangelo Cijntje (No. 91) are just two-of-six top 100 minor leaguers who, if things go well in St. Louis, are expected to become featured players for the organization in years to follow.

Unfortunately, one of the team's more promising young pitchers will be delayed in his ramp up for 2026.

According to a report from Brian Walton of Cardinal Nation, starting left-handed pitching prospect Ixan Henderson suffered a flexor strain in his throwing arm and will be shutdown from throwing.

Henderson was ranked as the team's No. 19 prospect in 2025 according to MLB Pipeline.

Henderson was selected in the eighth round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Fresno State. He has been a consistent riser in the Cardinals' farm system since and has also been one of their better statistical performers in the minor league ranks.

Last season, his first with the Double-A Springfield Cardinals, Henderson posted a 2.59 ERA. He struck out 134 batters in 132 innings pitched across 25 starts.

For his professional career, Henderson has a 2.44 ERA and has fanned 244 hitters in 239.2 innings pitched across 51 appearances (42 starts) and has also registered a 17-11 record.

Since Henderson was promoted to the High-A Peoria Chiefs on July 30, 2024, he's been used exclusively as a starting pitcher. This year was his first receiving a non-roster invite to spring training.

Henderson, which was ranked by Baseball America as the organization's eighth-best prospect, had the following scouting report by the national publication:

Henderson is an average-sized lefthander with a longer arm action and a deceptive three-quarters arm slot. He repeats his mechanics well and shows a deep arsenal of pitches, keeping hitters off-balance despite a lack of velocity. Henderson’s fastball sits 92-94 mph and touches 95-96. The pitch has average ride but late armside run that explodes on hitters. He has plus command of his fastball and does a good job of avoiding the heart of the plate.

Baseball America projects Henderson as a No. 5 starting pitcher in the major leagues. The publication graded three of his five pitches as average or above-average: his fastball, slider and changeup. They also gave him a "50" grade on control.

Often times, a flexor strain can be the precursor to a more serious injury. At best, it's an injury that results in a weeks-to-months-long layoff.

Regardless, the injury will likely mark the end of his spring training for St. Louis.

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