In a season filled with minor controversies and culminating in a rare last-place finish for St. Louis, the Cardinals' mishandling of Thompson might have flown under the radar. He was told to prepare for a relief role at spring training before suddenly being optioned to Triple-A Memphis in early May to stretch out as a starter. He then returned to the majors to fill a bullpen opening in July before ultimately being pressed into starting duties by default following the deadline trades of Jordan Montgomery and Jack Flaherty. Thompson boasts an impressive fastball-curve-cutter arsenal and has been working to improve his changeup, but the 26-year-old southpaw could be faced with an even greater level of job uncertainty in 2024 after the Cards brought in veteran starters Sonny Gray, Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn over the winter. Read Past Outlooks