Cardinals Minor League Notebook – June 16, 2025

photo: Carlos Linarez (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals minor league system was 3-2 on Sunday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, catcher Carlos Linarez, blasted a grand slam in Springfield’s doubleheader Game 2 win. Other standouts include José Fermín, Ramon Mendoza, JJ Wetherholt, Jose Davila and Rainiel Rodriguez.

Results for games played on Sunday, June 15.

Memphis Redbirds 2 at Gwinnett Stripers 8

The Triple-A Memphis Redbirds dropped the series finale to the Stripers (ATL) in Gwinnett on Sunday.

Zach Plesac started for the Redbirds. The veteran right-hander pitched just three innings and allowed eight runs on 10 hits, two walks, and no strikeouts. Plesac took the loss.

The Memphis bullpen sparkled in relief of Plesac. Michael Gomez, Roddery Muñoz, Chris Roycroft, and Alex Cornwell combined for five scoreless innings and allowed just two hits with four strikeouts. This marked Cornwell’s first relief appearance since April 12.

Gwinnett plated two runs in the third inning, and six in the fourth to take an 8-0 lead.

Memphis entered the scoring column in the top of the sixth. Nathan Church singled and scored on a Jimmy Crooks double to chip into the Stripers’ lead.

Jimmy Crooks

Memphis looked to rally further in the seventh. José Fermín lined his 16th double of the season to begin the frame. Gavin Collins followed with a walk. Bryan Torres singled to load the bases with no outs. Fermín crossed home plate on a Brody Moore double play ball to trim the Gwinnett lead to 8-2.

Memphis was just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position in the loss.

The Redbirds scored two runs on 11 hits. Crooks doubled for the lone Redbirds RBI. Fermín was 3-for-4, including a double and a run scored. Thomas Saggese was 3-for-4 including a double. Nathan Church tallied two singles and scored a run.

On the bases, Fermín and Saggese were caught stealing second base and third base, respectively. César Prieto was picked off at first base.

On defense, first baseman Luken Baker made a throwing error.

Memphis is 38-29 on the season following a 4-2 series win at Gwinnett. They reside in third place in the International League West Division and are just 1.5 games back of the first-place Nashville Sounds. The Redbirds will head back home to AutoZone Park to begin a six-game set with the Norfolk Tides on Tuesday.

Tuesday’s game: vs. Norfolk (BAL). Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM CT.

Springfield Cardinals 6, Tulsa Drillers 4 (Game one)

The Double-A Springfield Cardinals rallied late to win game one of Sunday’s doubleheader over the Tulsa Drillers at Hammons Field. This was the completion of Saturday’s suspended game which was resumed in the bottom of the second inning.

Max Rajcic started for Springfield. The right-hander tossed two innings and allowed one run on two hits, no walks, and two strikeouts. Rajcic’s start was cut short due to Saturday’s rain.

Hancel Rincon yielded three runs and fanned six across 4 ⅓ innings in relief of Rajcic upon the resumption of the game. Luis Gastelum threw 1 ⅔ scoreless frames and picked up his first win at the Double-A level. Left-hander Nick Raquet pitched a scoreless ninth to collect his second save of the season, and his career.

Tulsa scored one in the top of the first inning.

Springfield tied the score in the bottom of the frame. Noah Mendlinger and JJ Wetherholt began with back-to-back walks. Leonardo Bernal grounded into a forceout, with Wetherholt out at second base, and Bernal and Mendlinger to the corners. Bernal stole second base, and took third base due to a passed ball, with Mendlinger home on the play for a 1-1 score.

The Drillers grabbed a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth.

The Cardinals retook a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the frame. Darlin Moquete singled, and advanced to second base via the second Tulsa passed ball of the game. Mendlinger walked, and Wetherholt singled to load the bags with no outs. Bernal brought Moquete home on a sacrifice fly. Jeremy Rivas lined a single to plate Mendlinger.

The Drillers pushed across a pair of runs in the seventh to move ahead 4-3.

Springfield rallied in the eighth to regain the lead. Ramon Mendoza led off the inning with his eighth home run of the season, a solo blast, to tie the game at four.

Ramon Mendoza

With two outs, Mendlinger singled. Wetherholt followed with a double to bring Mendlinger home and put the Cardinals in front 5-4.

JJ Wetherholt

Bernal reached base on a throwing error, with Wetherholt home on the plate to extend the Springfield lead to 6-4.

Springfield pitching stranded seven Drillers on base in the victory.

The Cardinals scored six runs on seven hits. Wetherholt doubled in the go-ahead run, walked twice, and scored. Mendlinger was 1-for-3, including three walks and three runs scored. Rivas singled and drove in a run. Mendoza launched a solo home run. Bernal drove in a run with a sacrifice fly for his 40th RBI of the season.

On the basepaths, Bernal swiped two bags to increase his season total to six. Chase Davis stole his third base. Trey Paige was caught stealing second base.

Springfield did not commit an error on defense.

Springfield Cardinals 7, Tulsa Drillers 1 (Game two, seven innings)

The Springfield Cardinals bested the Tulsa Drillers to sweep the doubleheader, and the series, at Hammons Field on Sunday.

In a bullpen game for the Cardinals, Sean Harney made his first start of the season. The right-hander tossed 2 ⅓ shutout innings on one hit, two walks, and one strikeout.

Austin Love fired 1 ⅔ scoreless frames with a strikeout in relief of Harney. Love picked up the win to improve to a 3-0 record. Andrew Marrero allowed a run and fanned two in one inning of work. Left-hander Nathanael Heredia threw a scoreless eighth inning. Zane Mills pitched a scoreless ninth to finish the win.

Springfield erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to break the scoreless tie.

Leonardo Bernal and Chase Davis singled to begin the frame. Joshua Baez lined a double to score Bernal, with Davis to third base. Jeremy Rivas blooped a single to plate Davis, with Baez to third base. Dakota Harris was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Ramon Mendoza took a bases-loaded walk to force Baez home for a 3-0 lead. Carlos Linarez blasted a grand slam, his third long ball of 2025, to break the game open and put Springfield ahead 7-0.

Carlos Linarez

Springfield was 3-for-5 with runners in scoring position in the blowout win.

The Cardinals scored seven runs on nine hits. Linarez tallied four RBI via a grand slam. Baez doubled and drove in a run. Rivas singled, scored, and drove in a run. Ramon Mendoza walked, singled, scored, and drove in one run. Wetherholt was 2-for-4, with a double.

The Cardinals did not steal a base nor commit an error on defense.

Springfield is 38-25 on the season following the six-game sweep of Tulsa. They hold a four-game lead in the Texas League North Division with six games left in the first half, as they move closer towards clinching a playoff spot. The Cardinals are off Monday and will continue their homestand in a six-game set with the Corpus Christi Hooks, starting Tuesday.

Tuesday’s game: vs. Corpus Christi (HOU). Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 PM CT.

Peoria Chiefs 4 at Cedar Rapids Kernels 3

The High-A Peoria Chiefs edged the Kernels in Cedar Rapids in Sunday’s road series finale.

Jose Davila made his 12th start for the Chiefs. The right-hander pitched a season-high six innings and allowed one run on four hits, no walks, and three strikeouts. Davila earned his third win of the season.

José Dávila

D.J. Carpenter tossed a scoreless seventh inning in relief of Davila. Jawilme Ramirez surrendered one run in the eighth. Benjamin Arias yielded a run in the ninth inning but held on to pick up his second save of 2025.

Cedar Rapids plated the first run in the bottom of the second inning.

Peoria took the lead with a pair of runs in the fifth. Won-Bin Cho walked and Michael Curialle singled to begin the frame. Hot hitting Jon Jon Gazdar doubled in Cho with Curialle to third base on the play.

Jon Jon Gazdar

Josh Kross brought Curialle home with a sacrifice fly to put Peoria in front 2-1.

The Chiefs extended the lead with a two-run eighth inning. Ryan Campos led off the frame with a double. Ian Petrutz was hit by a pitch, and Tre Richardson singled. Zach Levenson drew a bases-loaded walk to force Campos home for the Chiefs’ third run.

Cho drove in Petrutz via a sacrifice fly to move Peoria further ahead at 4-1.

Peoria held off a late Cedar Rapids rally in the victory.

The Chiefs scored four runs on seven hits. Campos was 1-for-3, a double, plus two walks and a run scored. Cho singled, walked, and drove in a run. Kross tallied an RBI via a sacrifice fly. Levenson drew two walks, including a bases-loaded walk for an RBI. Gazdar doubled and drove in a run. Gazdar currently holds a seven-game hit streak and has tallied at least one hit in 10 of 12 games played in June.

Petrutz was caught stealing second base.

Defensively, shortstop Gazdar committed a fielding error. Petrutz nailed a runner at third base from right field. The Chiefs turned two double plays.

Peoria is 26-37 on the season after taking two of six in Cedar Rapids. They reside in fifth place in the Midwest League West Division, 12 games back of first place Quad Cities. The Chiefs will head to Dow Diamond in Midland, Michigan, to begin a six-game series with the Great Lakes Loons on Tuesday.

Tuesday’s game: at Great Lakes (LAD). Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 PM CT.

Palm Beach Cardinals 4, Lakeland Flying Tigers 11

In the Sunday series finale at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, the Low-A Palm Beach Cardinals dropped their third consecutive contest to the Lakeland Flying Tigers.

Nolan Sparks made his seventh start for Palm Beach. The right-hander pitched 1 ⅔ innings and allowed five runs, four earned, on four hits, four walks, and two strikeouts. Sparks took the loss.

Left-hander Jack Findlay surrendered four runs across 2 ⅓ innings in relief of Sparks. Sam Brodersen yielded a run over 1 ⅔ innings. Chase Burns followed and fired 2 ⅓ scoreless frames with three strikeouts. Charles Harrison allowed one run in the ninth inning.

Lakeland jumped out to an early 5-0 lead with two runs in the first inning, and three in the second.

Palm Beach trimmed the lead to three with two runs in the home second. Johnfrank Salazar drew a walk and scored on Anyelo Encarnacion’s third triple of the season. Romtres Cabrera doubled home Encarnacion.

The Cardinals added a run in the third inning to narrow the Lakeland lead to 5-3. Cade McGee doubled. Rainiel Rodriguez followed with a second consecutive double to plate McGee.

Rainiel Rodriguez

The Flying Tigers answered with a four-run fourth inning and plated a run in the sixth to take a 10-3 lead.

Palm Beach took a run back in the bottom of the sixth. Rodriguez led off the frame with a double, and advanced to third base on a balk. Rodriguez touched home plate on a Yordalin Pena sacrifice fly to inch a run closer at 10-4.

Lakeland padded the lead with a run in the ninth inning. Palm Beach failed to answer.

The Cardinals scored four runs on five hits, all extra-base hits. Rodriguez was 2-for-4, with two doubles, one run scored, and one RBI. Cabrera doubled and drove in a run. Encarnacion tripled, scored a run, and drove in a run. McGee doubled and scored a run. The lineup drew just one walk and struck out eight times.

The Cardinals did not steal a base. On defense, pitcher Sparks and third baseman McGee each made a throwing error.

Palm Beach is 29-33 on the season following the series split with Lakeland. They reside in second place in the Florida State League East Division, five games back of first-place St. Lucie, which has already clinched the first-half title.

The Cardinals will travel to Clover Park in Port St. Lucie, Florida, to begin a seven-game set with the St. Lucie Mets, starting with a doubleheader on Tuesday. Palm Beach will serve as the home team in game two of the twin-bill as it is the makeup of a home game that was postponed on June 1.

Tuesday’s games: at St. Lucie (NYM). Pitching probables have not yet been announced for either game. First pitch for game one is slated for 3:00 PM CT, with game two to follow shortly after the conclusion of game one.

FCL Cardinals (off-day)

The Florida Complex League Cardinals were off Saturday and Sunday. They will play a home doubleheader with the FCL Astros on Monday.

The FCL Cardinals are 12-13 on the season following their win over the FCL Mets on Friday.

Monday’s games: vs. doubleheader vs. FCL Astros. Pitching probables have not been announced for either game. First pitch for game one is slated for 9:00 AM CT, with game two following shortly after the conclusion of game one.

DSL Cardinals (off-day)

The Dominican Summer League Cardinals are 6-4 on the season. They were off Sunday in preparation for a home contest with the DSL Rangers Blue on Monday.

Monday’s game: vs. DSL Rangers Blue. Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 10:00 AM CT.

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