The St. Louis Cardinals bolstered their pitching depth on Tuesday by signing right-handed pitcher Andrew Schultz from the independent Atlantic League’s Lancaster Stormers and assigning him to Double-A Springfield.
Schultz has been one of the most dominant relievers in independent baseball this season, posting a 1.69 ERA with 31 strikeouts in just 16 innings across 16 appearances.
The 28-year-old also led the Atlantic League in strikeouts per nine innings (17.4) and hits allowed per nine innings (2.3), making him an intriguing addition to the Cardinals’ farm system.
Originally selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the sixth round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of the University of Tennessee, Schultz spent five seasons in Philadelphia’s minor league system. His development was hindered by the canceled 2020 minor league season and a missed 2021 campaign, limiting his opportunities during key years of growth.
Despite eventually reaching Triple-A in 2024, Schultz was unable to break through to the majors and was released after the 2025 season. However, his impressive resurgence with Lancaster appears to have caught the attention of the Cardinals’ player development staff.
For St. Louis, the move represents a low-risk gamble on a hard-throwing reliever with proven strikeout ability. Given his strong performance this year and the organization’s reputation for developing pitching talent, Schultz could emerge as a noteworthy under-the-radar addition if he continues his success in Double-A.
