The 10 Most Unpredictable Cardinals for 2026

Teams and players will drastically under- or overperform projections. Part of the fun of being a fan is planting your flag ahead of time and predicting the next breakout or disappointment (less fun). For example, I think Masyn Winn is going to overachieve every projection system this year and put up a 5 WAR season.

I could cite any number of statistics, narratives, or hunches to support my opinion, but the point is that I have a clear picture of how I think his season will go. If it deviates from that picture, I will be surprised or disappointed. On the flip side, there are players that I simply don’t know what to make of.

Nolan Gorman could hit 40 home runs this year or be DFA’d by the All-Star break, and I wouldn’t be shocked by either outcome. This list is subjective, but here are the five major leaguers and five minor leaguers that can’t surprise me in 2026. Major Leaguers Nolan Gorman It may be cliché, but this is truly a make-or-break year for Gorman and the Cardinals.

He only has three years of team control left, so the idea that he can incrementally improve and work his way back into the long-term picture is not realistic. No, he will need a full-blown breakout in his age-26 season. I don’t see the Cardinals sticking with Gorman into the second half if real changes to his contact and ability to translate his power into games are not evident in the early going.