White Sox fans following the MLB transactions page this week may have noticed a familiar name. Left-hander Jared Shuster, who pitched 89 innings for the White Sox over the past two seasons, has signed a minor league deal with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Shuster, 27, was drafted 25th overall by the Atlanta Braves in 2020 out of Wake Forest. He moved quickly through the Braves farm system, reaching Double-A by the end of 2021 and Triple-A by the end of 2022. After a solid 2022 season where he held a 3.29 ERA over 139.1 innings, Shuster entered 2023 ranked as the top prospect in the Braves system. He made his big league debut during the 2023 season, but posted a 5.81 ERA in 11 starts. Shuster’s 5.01 ERA in 16 Triple-A starts marked a step back for him after a promising 2022.
Jared Shuster's 7Ks in 4 IP. pic.twitter.com/KZQeKlDzWy
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 17, 2023
Following the 2023 season, the Braves dealt Shuster to the White Sox alongside IF Nicky Lopez, RHP Michael Soroka, IF Braden Shewmake, and RHP Riley Gowens in the deal that sent LHP Aaron Bummer to Atlanta. The Braves giving up on their former top prospect after one down season was a concerning red flag, but the White Sox hoped to get the best out of Shuster and help him regain his form. Shuster spent the majority of 2024 on the White Sox major league roster, where he produced a 4.30 ERA in 73.1 innings, primarily in relief.
Shuster was not added to the Opening Day roster to start 2025, but was recalled on April 19th. After nearly a month of struggles, he was sent back to Triple-A in May. He completed one more stint on the big league roster before a blister landed him on the IL in June. Shuster was activated and optioned in July before being designated for assignment and claimed by the Athletics. Overall, he finished the season with an 8.04 ERA in 12 appearances, though his 4.43 xERA indicated quite a bit of bad luck. Shuster did not appear in a game for the Athletics and was released in early December before inking a minor-league pact with the Cardinals.
Cardinals rebuild could give Shuster another big league opportunity
Shuster doesn’t throw hard, but he generally avoids giving up hard contact and has solid control. Given his bout of bad luck last season and the Cardinals imminent rebuild, there could be an opportunity for him to have a significant role in St. Louis. He’ll only be 27 on Opening Day, and is just a couple years removed from being the top prospect in the Braves system. If Shuster can cut down his walk rate even further and continue his promising trend of soft contact, he could make a name for himself as a starting pitcher.
Even if Shuster finds new life with the Cardinals, moving on from him was the right move for the White Sox. The team is in the process of building up toward contention and needs to add proven players to the mix to supplement their young core. Gone are the days of anyone with a pulse being able to join the White Sox bullpen. The White Sox have raised the standards, and they’re only expected to get higher over the next couple seasons as the team looks to go from rebuild to contention.