The St. Louis Cardinals made another roster decision involving left-handed pitcher Jared Shuster on Monday, officially outrighting him to Triple-A Memphis. The move continues what has been a challenging and uncertain season for the young reliever as he attempts to maintain a place within the organization’s pitching plans.
Shuster’s outright assignment means he has been removed from the Cardinals’ 40-man roster, though he still remains in the organization for now. Because he has previously been outrighted, the left-hander has the option to reject the assignment and instead become a free agent. However, there is a strong possibility he could once again choose to stay with the Cardinals rather than test the open market.
This situation is not entirely new for Shuster. Earlier this season, he faced a similar decision after being designated for assignment, but ultimately decided to remain with the organization and continue pitching at the minor league level. Given that history, many believe he may once again elect to stay with St. Louis in hopes of earning another opportunity in the major leagues later in the year.
The 26-year-old pitcher has seen limited action with the Cardinals during the 2025 season. Shuster appeared in four games out of the bullpen for St. Louis, working a total of 7.2 innings. During those appearances, he allowed three runs, though only two were earned, while posting a modest strikeout-to-walk ratio of 2:3.
While those numbers do not jump off the page, they also show that Shuster had some moments of effectiveness during his brief stint with the big-league club. The Cardinals have been frequently shuffling pitchers between St. Louis and Triple-A Memphis as they continue searching for consistency in the bullpen, and Shuster became one of several arms affected by the ongoing roster movement.
Originally viewed as a promising pitching prospect earlier in his professional career, Shuster still possesses the type of left-handed depth organizations value, especially over the course of a long major league season. His ability to provide multiple innings out of the bullpen could make him a useful option if injuries or performance issues create openings for the Cardinals later this year.
For now, however, the organization appears focused on keeping him at Triple-A while evaluating other bullpen options at the major league level. Memphis will provide Shuster with a chance to continue refining his command and rebuilding confidence as he works toward another possible call-up.
Despite the setback of being outrighted, Shuster’s decision last month to remain with the Cardinals may indicate he still believes there is a pathway back to the majors within the organization. If he performs well in Triple-A, the Cardinals could once again turn to him for bullpen help later in the season.
At this stage, the next step in Shuster’s journey depends largely on whether he chooses to accept the assignment once again or pursue free agency in search of opportunities elsewhere.
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