photo: Jacob Buchberger (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
Selected St. Louis Cardinals-provided stats from the organization’s first two days of minor league spring training games played on Friday, March 15 and Saturday, March 16. Our Players of the Day are Jacob Buchberger and Chen-Wei Lin.
On Friday, March 15, the Cardinals held their first games against external competition, meeting their Marlins counterparts with two games held on the back fields of the Roger Dean Complex in Jupiter. On Saturday, the Washington Nationals were the opponents in four contests. The Cardinals went 2-3-1 overall.
Cardinals Media Relations provide selected stats from these games as detailed below. Notes and Players of the Day come from The Cardinal Nation.
Remember that in this phase of camp, the Cardinals label their teams “Working Groups”, an important reminder that these rosters are written in pencil and change regularly. When players are cut from St. Louis, others are moved down accordingly.
Friday, March 15, 2024
With the first Spring Breakout Game on Friday, only two minor league teams played simultaneously on the back fields in Jupiter. They were home games for Memphis (loss) and Springfield (tie).
Memphis Redbirds (2) vs. Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (MIA) (6)
RHP Trent Baker (TCN prospect no. 30)
3.0 IP – 2 H – 2 ER (2-R HR) – 1 BB – 5 SO (Innings 1-3)
SS Brody Moore
1-1, 2B
C Aaron McKeithan
0-2, SF RBI
Springfield Cardinals (1) vs. Pensacola Blue Wahoos (MIA) (1)
RHP José Dávila
2.0 IP – 3 H – 1 ER – 0 BB – 3 SO (Innings 1-2)
RHP Gustavo Rodriguez
2.0 IP – 2 H – 0 R – 1 BB – 4 SO (Innings 5-6)
SS Miguel Villarroel (Rule 5)
1-1, BB
2B Dakota Harris
1-2, 2B
C Luis C. Rodriguez
0-1, 2 BB
3B Trey Paige
1-1, SF RBI
C Carlos Linarez
1-2, BB
Saturday, March 16, 2024
The Cardinals teams went 2-2 on Saturday against their Washington Nationals counterparts. Peoria and Palm Beach were at home.
Memphis Redbirds (9) at Rochester Red Wings (WSH) (3)
Note that former LH starter Connor Thomas is now working in long relief. Though off the 40-man roster, Thomas began the spring in St. Louis’ camp.
Leonardo Taveras, 25, is coming off an 80-game suspension assessed last June when he was assigned to High-A Peoria.
LHP Alex Cornwell (TCN no. 35)
3.0 IP – 5 H – 1 R – 1 BB – 1 SO (Innings 1-3)
LHP Connor Thomas (TCN no. 37)
2.0 IP – 0 H – 0 R – 0 BB – 2 SO (Innings 7-8)
LHP Leonardo Taveras (TCN no. 43)
1.0 IP – 0 H – 0 R – 0 BB – 2 SO (Inning 9)
OF Bryan Torres (indy acquisition)
1-2, 2-R HR, 2 BB, 2 R
OF Moisés Gómez (TCN no. 22)
1-4, 3-R HR
3B Matt Lloyd (free agent signing)
2-2, 2B, R
1B Chandler Redmond (TCN no. 46)
1-2, 3-R HR, BB
Springfield Cardinals (6) at Harrisburg Senators (WSH) (4)
RHP Inohan Paniagua (TCN no. 27)
3.0 IP – 0 H – 0 R – 0 BB – 4 SO (Innings 1-3)
RHP Joseph King
2.0 IP – 3 H – 1 R (0 ER) – 0 BB – 3 SO (Innings 6-7)
TCN Player of the Day – 1B Jacob Buchberger
3-4, 3-R HR
Buchberger was a STEP Camp attendee this spring and has also appeared in two games with St. Louis. The 26-year-old singled, doubled and struck out in four plate appearances with the big club and carried that over to a three-hit Saturday that included a three-run blast.
OF Won-Bin Cho (TCN no. 12)
1-2, BB, HBP
C Luis C. Rodriguez
0-1, 2 BB
3B Trey Paige
1-1, SF RBI
C Carlos Linarez
1-2, BB
Peoria Chiefs (2) vs. Wilmington Blue Rocks (WSH) (12)
SS Anyelo Encarnacion
1-2, BB
DH Maikel Hernandez
1-3, HR
Palm Beach Cardinals (1) vs. Fredericksburg Nationals (WSH) (3)
TCN Pitcher of the Day – RHP Chen-Wei Lin
3.0 IP – 0 H – 0 R – 1 BB – 6 SO (Innings 1-3)
Lin, signed last July for around $500,000, hails from Taiwan. The 22-year-old right-hander debuted with Palm Beach and posted a 6.06 ERA in six starts.
3B Raul Guzman
1-2, 2B, R
DH Maikel Hernandez
1-3, HR
INF Samil De La Rosa
1-3, RBI 2B
Next games
Sunday and Monday are Camp Days, during which Memphis faces Springfield and Peoria and Palm Beach face off. Games should begin at 1:00 p.m. ET at the George Kissell Quad in Jupiter, but always watch the weather.
Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation
Now available – 2024 Cardinals Prospect Guide
The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its seventh year. It includes 282 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of new scouting reports and much more.
Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.
Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com or for fastest turnaround, pose your questions on The Cardinal Nation’s members-only forum. Follow Brian on Twitter.
© 2024 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.