The Cardinals have re-signed Packy Naughton to a two-year minor league deal, as revealed by the left-hander himself on his Instagram page. The extended nature of the contract is due to another tough injury setback for Naughton, as he said that he underwent a UCL reconstruction surgery last July. Naughton was already working his way back from a flexor tendon surgery in June 2023, though he also re-tore his flexon tendon in addition to the UCL damage.
Naughton didn’t specify if he underwent a full Tommy John surgery or a brace procedure, though in either case, it seems unlikely that he’d be able to pitch again before the end of the 2025 season. The two-year contract therefore allows Naughton plenty of time to rehab while still keeping him under St. Louis’ control for what will hopefully be a comeback year in 2026.
The southpaw made his MLB debut with the Angels in 2021 and then came to the Cardinals on a waiver claim prior to the 2022 season. Over 59 2/3 innings and 37 appearances in the big leagues, Naughton has a 4.98 ERA, and he last pitched in the Show on April 7, 2023. He pitched in one more Triple-A game that season before undergoing his first surgery, and he threw 20 1/3 combined innings over three levels of the Cardinals’ farm system this year before injuries again put his career on hold.
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