Cardinals Sign KC Monarchs All-Star Durbin Feltman
The Cardinal Chronicle
Cardinals Sign KC Monarchs All-Star Durbin Feltman
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur
The Cardinals added another arm to the upper levels of the organization Thursday, signing right-handed reliever Durbin Feltman to a minor league contract and assigning him to Triple-A Memphis.
It is not the kind of move that shakes the trade deadline market, but it is the kind of move clubs make when they are trying to build bullpen depth, protect innings and see if a pitcher with past prospect pedigree can find another gear.
Feltman, 29, joins the Cardinals organization after a strong run with the Kansas City Monarchs of the American Association. He posted a 2.08 ERA, a 0.77 WHIP and five saves across 13 appearances this season, earning a West Division All-Star selection before the Cardinals purchased his contract.
That is the part of this move worth watching.
The Cardinals are not signing a name out of nowhere. Feltman has been through affiliated baseball, reached Triple-A, handled late-inning work and recently pitched his way back into the conversation from independent ball. For an organization that has leaned heavily on its pitching depth this season, adding another experienced relief arm to Memphis makes sense.
Feltman was originally selected by the Boston Red Sox in the third round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of TCU, where he was one of the top college closers in the country. At TCU, he built a reputation as a power reliever with late-inning makeup, tying the school’s career saves record and becoming one of the more notable bullpen arms in that draft class.
The professional road has not been simple.
Feltman appeared in 167 games across four seasons in the Red Sox and Athletics systems from 2018-23, reaching as high as Triple-A. He spent time with Boston affiliates, including Triple-A Worcester, and later pitched in the Oakland organization. After leaving affiliated ball, he continued working through the independent ranks before landing with Kansas City this season.
That path matters because pitchers do not always move in straight lines.
Some arms develop quickly. Some stall. Some get hurt. Some have to rebuild themselves outside affiliated baseball and pitch their way back in front of scouts. Feltman has done enough this season to earn another opportunity, and Memphis gives the Cardinals a place to evaluate whether his current form can translate back against Triple-A hitters.
The profile is familiar: right-handed relief depth with past swing-and-miss ability, late-inning experience and enough recent performance to justify the look.
For the Cardinals, this is a low-risk depth addition with some upside. Memphis has been an important part of the organization’s pitching pipeline all season, not only for prospects but also for arms who can be used to protect the major league club during long stretches, doubleheaders, injuries and bullpen churn.
That matters right now.
The major league club has already had to navigate a demanding stretch of games, rotation adjustments and bullpen strain. The Cardinals have seen how quickly relief depth can become more than a minor league detail. One injury, one short start or one long series can change the bullpen picture in a hurry.
If Feltman throws strikes, misses bats and continues the form he showed in Kansas City, he could become an interesting name to track at Memphis. If not, the cost is minimal. That is exactly the type of minor league signing clubs make in July.
Not every good move comes with a headline, sometimes it comes with a bus ticket to Memphis, a clean inning and another opportunity.
The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports & MiLB Today
Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.
Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary:
www.cardinalchronicle.com
Graphic Credit: Kansas City Monarchs