This week, Brian and Kyle start with the St. Louis Cardinals’ waiver claim of reliever Zak Kent. Next is the Lottery for the 2026 Draft, in which the Cards drew an unlucky #13. The main event is Wednesday’s Rule 5 Draft. The Cardinals added reliever Matt Pushard but lost Double-A starter Cade Winquest in the Major League Phase. They selected one player in the Minor League phase, but three others were taken.

Brian and Kyle introduce their new podcast homes before outlining the new Competitive Balance Round A draft pick and the upcoming 2026 draft lottery. They touch on the changes to the St. Louis Cardinals major league staff and a minor league promotion. Yadier Molina surfacing in winter ball and the divestiture of the large contracts of Willson Contreras and Nolan Arenado are also discussed. They close with a focus on several recently unveiled Top 50 prospects, about whom they do not fully agree - Michael Watson, Andre Granillo, Josh Kross and Jack Gurevitch.

This week, Brian and Kyle begin with the Sonny Gray trade, and why it one day may be called the “Brandon Clarke” trade. The focus on hitting in Tuesday’s Player Development and Performance hires and promotions is noted. The recent (re)signings of Yohel Pozo, Sem Robberse and Scott Blewitt are put into context and they close with the impact of new TV deals on the timing of the draft.