The St. Louis Cardinals has kicked off with some exciting news. The team has officially signed first-round pick in the MLB Draft—to rookie contract, which includes a record-breaking \$7.25 million signing bonus, the largest in Cardinals history.
He was the third pitcher off the board on draft night and went fifth overall, marking the franchise’s highest draft pick in nearly three decades. The left-hander out of the University of Tennessee delivered an impressive junior season, finishing with a 10-4 record, a 3.20 ERA over 95 2/3 innings, and 164 strikeouts while giving up only 63 hits. Known for a blazing fastball that can top 101 mph, Doyle also features a standout splitter and a solid slider, making him a highly valued three-pitch prospect.
After putting pen to paper, Liam Doyle visited Busch Stadium with his family, posed in a No. 25 jersey—symbolizing his draft year—and shared a short video on the team’s Instagram page.
“What’s up, Cardinals Nation. At the field for the first time, it looks awesome here. Ready to get to work,” Doyle said in the message, which received an enthusiastic response from fans, including Star Wars-themed replies and plenty of welcoming comments.
As their first top-five pick since 1998, Doyle joins a growing group of young arms in the Cardinals’ system, alongside names like Quinn Mathews, Tekoah Roby, and Tink Hence. With Matthew Liberatore also settling into a rotation role at the big-league level, the addition of Doyle further strengthens St. Louis’ long-term pitching outlook.