The St. Louis Cardinals have finalized the details of their November 2025 trade for veteran starter Sonny Gray, announcing Monday that they have received right-handed pitcher Patrick Galle from the Boston Red Sox as the player to be named later (PTBNL). Galle, a 22-year-old reliever, was immediately assigned to Single-A Palm Beach in the Florida State League.
The move closes the book on a deal that originally sent Gray (and cash considerations) to Boston in exchange for right-hander Richard Fitts, left-hander Brandon Clarke, and the PTBNL. The Red Sox used Gray to help stabilize a rotation that had been inconsistent behind ace Garrett Crochet following Lucas Giolito’s departure in free agency. For the Cardinals, the return has now been fully realized with three young arms — two of whom (Fitts and Clarke) have already joined the organization — providing pitching depth and future upside.
Patrick Thomas Galle was born on April 5, 2004, in Biloxi, Mississippi. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound right-hander attended Biloxi High School before starring (albeit in limited relief work) at the University of Mississippi. He was selected by the Red Sox in the 17th round (508th overall) of the 2025 MLB Draft and signed for a $150,000 bonus as a draft-eligible sophomore.
Galle worked exclusively out of the bullpen during his two seasons at Ole Miss, logging just 11 innings across 14 appearances with a combined 8.18 ERA. While his strikeout rate was solid (12.3 K/9), command issues and a high walk rate plagued him in the SEC. He also pitched in the Cape Cod League for the Wareham Gatemen before turning pro.
In his brief professional career with Boston, Galle has made just four appearances totaling 7⅓ innings. He posted a 5.06 ERA in 5⅓ innings with Single-A Salem in 2025 (3 K, 7 BB) and a 4.50 ERA in 2 innings early in 2026 (1 K, 0 BB). His minor-league career line sits at a 4.91 ERA with a 1.77 WHIP, reflecting the small-sample volatility of a low-volume reliever still finding his footing.
Galle profiles as a pure relief prospect with an intriguing power arm. According to detailed scouting reports from his time in the Red Sox system, he throws from a high three-quarters arm slot with significant effort in his delivery — featuring a medium leg kick, long arm swing, good extension, and a pronounced head whack. He drives hard off his back leg but has a lot of moving parts, which contributes to his command challenges.
Pitch Arsenal:
- Fastball (95-97 mph, up to 99 mph in college): Galle’s primary weapon. It flashes bat-missing life when he locates it, though he struggles to throw consistent strikes.
- Cutter (89-93 mph): Short, horizontal break. Showed promising swing-and-miss potential during his college days.
- Slider (85-88 mph): Two-plane shape with more horizontal than vertical movement. Used sparingly in college but landed in the zone when called upon.
Physical notes describe him as having a medium, filled-out frame with a sturdy lower half and no remaining projection. The consensus view is that Galle is a “pure relief prospect with intriguing fastball velocity,” but his secondaries remain a work in progress and improved strike-throwing will be essential for him to advance.
At this stage, Galle is viewed as a high-upside, low-floor arm — the type of lottery ticket that organizations like the Cardinals often target in PTBNL slots. His velocity gives him a chance to develop into a late-inning or setup reliever if he can refine his command and secondary offerings.
Adding Galle gives St. Louis another live arm in the lower levels of the system, bolstering organizational pitching depth alongside the more advanced Fitts and Clarke. While he is not expected to impact the major-league roster anytime soon, his raw stuff makes him a name to watch as he works through Single-A Palm Beach. The Cardinals’ player-development staff will focus on smoothing out his mechanics and helping him throw more strikes — the same formula that has turned other high-velocity relievers into valuable big-league pieces.
With the trade now officially complete, both clubs can move forward. Boston has its veteran starter in Gray; St. Louis has three young pitchers who could one day help replenish a rotation or bolster a bullpen. Patrick Galle may have been the last piece, but for a 22-year-old with a 99-mph fastball, he could prove to be the most interesting one down the road.
