​As the St. Louis Cardinals’ rebuilding efforts yield unexpectedly strong results this season, the club has also benefited from the emergence of a National League saves leader in the closer role. Riley O’Brien has already collected 22 saves this season and, with several years of club control ahead, stands as a strong candidate to serve as the team’s closer for the foreseeable future.
But there’s more in the headlines for St. Louis. The Cardinals announced the acquisition of an Independent League All-Star on Wednesday, signaling a potential boost to their bullpen depth and high-leverage options. “We have signed right-hander Durbin Feltman to a minor league contract and assigned him to Memphis (AAA),” the Cardinals’ player development arm announced. “The 29-year-old joins the organization after posting a 2.08 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and 5 saves across 13 appearances with the American Association’s Kansas City Monarchs this season, where he was recently named a West Division All-Star.”
Independent baseball has increasingly become a proving ground for former prospects seeking to revive their careers. Each season, organizations look beyond affiliated baseball to uncover overlooked talent that could contribute at the upper levels of the minor leagues or even reach the majors. Feltman’s journey reflects this trend, as a former prospect who found resurgence with the Monarchs after his time in the Boston Red Sox organization, which ended in 2023. “This will be Feltman’s first time back in affiliated ball since his release from the A’s organization in November 2023,” the Monarchs’ website notes, adding that Feltman has dealt with injuries and pitched for four different teams since then.
The Cardinals’ decision to bring Feltman back into affiliated baseball—this time at Triple-A Memphis—rests on the strength of his recent independent-league performance and All-Star recognition. The move represents more than merely adding bullpen depth; it signals a chance for Feltman to reestablish himself within the traditional minor-league framework and possibly position himself for a future big-league opportunity. “We are very excited that Durbin has received this opportunity with the St. Louis Cardinals,” Monarchs manager Joe Calfapietra said, per team reports. “Like all of our players, we are working hard to help them reach the next stage in their baseball journey. His opportunity with the Cardinals at the AAA level gets him one step closer to the major leagues, which is a great reflection of his ability and perseverance in the past few years in getting his career back on track.”
The Cardinals will now assess whether Feltman’s outstanding independent-league numbers can translate to Triple-A competition and whether he can re-establish himself as a viable option within their bullpen hierarchy. If Feltman can adapt to higher levels, he could provide another potential avenue for late-inning dominance as the club continues its pursuit of sustained success and depth behind its current closer, O’Brien.