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The Cardinals were highly impressed not only by his fierce competitiveness and electric pitching over the past three weeks but also by his analytical approach to the game and his proactive mindset toward improving in pursuit of a Major League career.

On Sunday, the team reassigned Quinn Mathews to their Minor League camp, but if his development stays on track, he could return to the big leagues in the future. The 2024 Minor League Pitching Prospect of the Year, who struck out 202 batters across four levels, packed up his big-league locker and switched to a Minor League jersey following the move. With Spring Training opportunities dwindling, the Cardinals opted to send the 24-year-old lefty—ranked No. 45 overall by MLB Pipeline—to Minor League camp so he could maintain a regular schedule of starting every fifth day.

Before departing, Mathews had an exit meeting with manager Oliver Marmol, bench coach Daniel Descalso, pitching coach Dusty Blake, and bullpen coach Julio Rangel, where they discussed his experience alongside Major League talent. The Cardinals had intentionally placed Mathews’ locker next to veteran right-hander Sonny Gray, giving him a chance to observe Gray’s detailed approach to preparation. Marmol believes Mathews’ time in Major League camp will be invaluable for his development moving forward.

“He did an outstanding job,” Marmol said of Mathews, who tossed two scoreless innings against the Blue Jays on Tuesday. “Even in his exit meeting, he was able to articulate what he learned. When young guys come up and see how preparation is modeled at this level, they quickly realize there’s another level of commitment they need to reach.”

Mathews took that message to heart, noting that he now sees the importance of refining not only his game-day routine but also his daily throwing and bullpen preparation. The Cardinals are excited about his potential, recognizing that while he is already talented, there is room for growth.

On Sunday, Mathews simulated a start on the back fields at Roger Dean Stadium, reflecting on what it meant to share a clubhouse with players he grew up watching.

“It’s surreal because I watched a lot of these guys as a kid,” Mathews said. “I saw Nolan [Arenado] play at Coors Field, and I remember Sonny pitching for the A’s. I tried to pick Sonny’s brain as much as I could without overloading him with questions. He’s one of the best, and that’s the level I want to reach—so why not learn from him?”

Mathews demonstrated both his pitching ability and mental toughness throughout Spring Training. In a start against the Blue Jays, he kept Vladimir Guerrero Jr. off balance by mixing his pitches—starting with a changeup, following with two fastballs, then finishing with another changeup below the zone for a strikeout.

Later in the outing, Mathews encountered trouble with two outs but remained composed, carefully navigating around Davis Schneider to bring up left-handed hitter Nathan Lukes. He struck out Lukes to escape the jam with the bases loaded, a moment reminiscent of his strong performances last season across four Minor League levels, where he posted a 2.76 ERA over 143 1/3 innings.

“He doesn’t back down, and he doesn’t give in, which I love,” Marmol said. “He’s got the intangibles, and now it’s about building on what he’s learned. If he continues to develop and pairs that with his mentality, we’ll have a really special pitcher.”