photo: AutoZone Park (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
For the first time since 2019, Minor League Baseball felt normal. Fans were allowed back into the stadium in full, no Covid-19 protocols had to be followed, and a full season was played.
In a vacuum, 2022 was a trying year for the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds with many changes in the roster as players were called up, sent down, brought back up, etc. However, in terms of player development, the club was a constant and ready source of talent for St. Louis. Eventually, the changes led to a downturn in results for the Redbirds on the field.
By the end of the year, many of the Redbirds’ big offensive contributors to start the year were with St. Louis – Brendan Donovan, Juan Yepez, Ben DeLuzio and Alec Burleson, for example. Seven of the top 10 ranked prospects in the Cardinals system per The Cardinal Nation spent time with St. Louis, as each made the trek up Interstate 55 after being called up. In total, 66 players took the field in a Memphis Redbirds uniform in 2022.
Redbirds’ skipper Ben Johnson’s third season at the helm was one of challenge. The team started off well and went into the summer months on the heels of the Nashville Sounds for first place in the International League West Division, getting as close as a half-game back on June 16.
The offense was humming along, leading the league in home runs for the majority of the season. Alec Burleson, Nolan Gorman, and Luken Baker were the loudest bats in the order. The Redbirds were 15-11 in both May and June.
By late July into August, many changes occurred on both the roster sheet and in the standings. Key players went up to the majors, leaving the Redbirds to look for more production from those who remained. Batters like Scott Hurst, Clint Coulter, and MiLB home run title winner Moises Gómez provided needed support for the offense, but it wasn’t enough to close the gap.
At 10-16, August was the team’s first losing month and they limped home with a 9-17 September.
When all was said and done, Alec Burleson held the team lead in batting average at .331 and RBI with 87, and Luken Baker led the team in home runs with 21. The Redbirds offense was fourth in the 20-team IL in OPS at .781 and seventh in runs scored with 792.
Memphis’ pitching took a big downturn as the season progressed. The main culprit was the starters. While there were some bright spots here and there with some great outings, they were peppered with rough stretches from all the starters.
Matthew Liberatore and Connor Thomas ended their seasons with ERAs over five. The two talented left handers were expected to be key factors for the Redbirds this season. They were…but not for the right reasons.
Older pitchers who came from other organizations – Aaron Brooks, Garrett Williams and T.J. Zeuch – combined to make 29 starts and were pummeled for a collective 7.07 ERA.
The bright spots in the starting rotation were Tommy Parsons with his 12-4 record and Jake Woodford with his 3.14 ERA. The latter just made 10 starts, however, as he moved back and forth between Memphis and St. Louis.
The bullpen had some bright spots with Johan Quezada and Freddy Pacheco both posting sub-three ERAs.
In aggregate, Memphis starters went 33-50 with a 5.05 ERA. The latter was sixth worst in the league. The bullpen was middle of the pack, ninth in ERA at 4.26.
The Redbirds had a positive 46 run differential but did not post a winning record either at home (37-38) or away from AutoZone Park (36-39). They were 25-32 against opponents with winning records.
In the end, the Redbirds could not rekindle the magic of the beginning of the season, and their 73-77 record put them in sixth place in the 10-team division, 18.5 games out of first place.
What’s Ahead
Coming next will be The Cardinal Nation’s Memphis Reliever, Starter and Player of Year articles, all exclusively for subscribers.
Check out The Cardinal Nation’s annual article series highlighting team results and top hitters and pitchers across the entire St. Louis Cardinals system.
On Closeout – 2022 Cardinals Prospect Guide
The Cardinal Nation 2022 Prospect Guide is back for its fifth year. It includes 276 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of color photos. Order your PDF or printed book copy today, with the former at a 50% discount for annual subscribers and the latter at 20% off!
Not yet a member?
Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.
© 2022 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.