Son of former Chicago Cubs World Series reliever signs with the rival Cardinals

The Chicago Cubs will have to watch the son of one of their most reliable relievers of the 2010s develop in the rival St. Louis Cardinals organization.

Royelny (Royel) Strop, son of former Cubs reliever Pedro Strop, finalized a $1.5 million agreement with the Redbirds on Wednesday as the 2025 international signing period opened.

Royel Strop is a 16-year-old outfielder who hits from the left side of the plate with plus power. Fangraphs ranked the young prospect 31st in this year's international free-agent class. He clearly has a long way to go in his development, but his father's MLB experience has jump-started his professional career and he is on his way to climbing up the Cardinals organization as the team starts a rebuild.

Pedro Strop posted a video to his Instagram featuring his Cubs World Series ring, before zooming out to reveal himself wearing a Cardinals hat for which he apologized to Cubs fans. Royel's Cardinals hat was also slightly tilted to the left, which was an iconic look his father wore during his playing days.

Strop spent the best years of his career in Chicago from 2013-2019, where he posted a cumulative 2.90 ERA, with 120 holds and 425 strikeouts. He joined the organization alongside former ace Jake Arrieta in a lopsided trade with the Baltimore Orioles in 2013. Pedro Strop was also no stranger to the Cubs-Cardinals rivalry during his tenure in Chicago. In 53 career games against the Cardinals, he owned a 4.06 ERA with 55 strikeouts.

It'll be fun to see how his son's career turns out. Pedro Strop was a fun presence in Chicago for many years, known for his light-hearted nature, generosity, and unique playing style. Who knows, maybe one day Royel will find himself wearing blue pinstripes in Chicago just like his dad.