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Today’s Minor League Starters:
MEM (14-7): LH Quinn Mathews (0-1, 5.56) at Norfolk (BAL)
SGF (5-10): SH Jurrangelo Cijntje (1-1, 6.75) vs. Midland (ATH)
PEO (5-9): RH Nolan Sparks (1-2, 6.75) vs. Cedar Rapids (MIN)
PB (11-4): RH Ethan Young (0-0, 5.06) at St. Lucie (NYM) pic.twitter.com/3xLIvzFcnz
— Cardinals Player Development (@CardsPlayerDev) April 21, 2026
The #stlcards system was 3-1 on Tuesday. The Cardinal Nation’s Players of the Day are the Palm Beach offense, who scored 17 runs in a massacre of the St. Lucie Mets. Other standouts include Joshua Báez, Anyelo Encarnación and Josh Kross. https://t.co/HA1Xj1HRKI pic.twitter.com/lN34fpb8BJ
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) April 22, 2026
I had really high hopes for Mathews coming into the year that he would regain some control. But he has completely lost it and cannot throw strikes at all.
It takes a long time for reality to set in with sore arm pitchers. At least he isn’t going to be taking up a 40 man slot next winter.
Mathews is a pretty sure bet to be on the 40 man still. But I’ve lost any hope I had that he’ll be starter. Another reliever for the pile.
I believe Matthews issue is he’s chasing to much velocity for his shoulder. He needs to rest up and accept that 94 is where he can top out at and sit mostly 91-93. He can use all his other stuff effectively and still make it as a starting pitcher. He’s not broken. He just continues to get himself in the “sore” stage. That’s my take anyway.
The #stlcards system was 2-2 on Wednesday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Memphis RF Nelson Velázquez, singled, homered and drove in four. Other standouts include Jimmy Crooks, Blaze Jordan, César Prieto, Joshua Báez, José Suárez and Tai Peete. https://t.co/FctsubtpGp pic.twitter.com/GM0iFzzGmR
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) April 23, 2026
Braden Davis with 8 K’s and zero walks yesterday. Moreover, 7 of 8 whiffs were swinging.
I feel like Davis may be significantly underrated among Redbird pitching prospects. Last year there were 691 minor league pitchers who threw 70+ innings, and Davis was 99th percentile in swinging strikes %, 99th in percentage of flyballs that were infield popups, 91st percentile in line drive suppression, and 67th percentile in groundball ratio.
Swinging strikes, popups, and groundouts. Nice combo, huh? Probably why Braden only permitted 35 hits in his final 85 innings last year. But also walks, too many of them. So if he can keep the ball just barely inside instead of just barely outside of the zone, he’s a dandy starting prospect. (Per the Gameday graphics, in his first AA start this year he had 11 or 12 edge-of-the-strikezone strikes that were actually called balls by the ump. And before you ask, no balls were called strikes. And no, there’s no ABS reviews in the Texas League.)
BA has Braden Davis at no. 23 in the system. Pipeline has him 27th.
However, here at TCN, Davis is the 16th ranked prospect in the system, ahead of Chen-Wei Lin and Brycen Mautz, among others.
Our community ranked Davis 19th, behind those two and others.
It wouldn’t hurt to mention the 6.88 ERA. I noticed he is running a very high BABip against and seems kind of hittable, 10.1 H9. The org will be loving the high K9, but he is unlikely to throw it by higher level hitters at that rate, so we will see how things go.
The #stlcards system was 3-1 on Thursday. TCN’s Player of the Day, Peoria C Josh Kross, doubled and drove in two in a four-hit night. Other standouts: Brycen Mautz, César Prieto, Mason Molina, Graysen Tarlow, Sammy Hernandez, Ian Petrutz, Miguel Villarroel, Jonathan Mejía and… pic.twitter.com/CljP8QpDf4
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) April 24, 2026
Has anyone watched enough of Memphis to talk about how Blaze Jordan is doing fielding 3B? I keep wondering if either Jordan or Mendoza could end up at 3B if Gorman doesn’t improve.
The home ballpark for the #stlcards Double-A @Sgf_Cardinals and Missouri State Bears is being renamed Route 66 Stadium. The Cardinal Nation's Jamie Santner has the details. https://t.co/iftIVu4LAn pic.twitter.com/jWdpo71sXn
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) April 24, 2026
Matthew’s last 2 starts combined 9 1/3 IP 3 hits 2 earned 12 K’s 9 walks
So the walks are concerning….but in the minors walks are up the last few years b/c of ABS according to an article I read in the Athletic….that would not make up for that high # that he has given up though…so he will have to get that cleaned up but he certainly has his velocity back after last years injury, will just need to keep working to refine the mechanics and control this year if he can do that he could be a pretty good option next year.
“Has anyone watched enough of Memphis to talk about how Blaze Jordan is doing fielding 3B?”
I can’t vouch for his range, Gags, but over his 57 hot corner starts in 2025/26, he’s only committed ONE error. So there’s that.
I can’t vouch for his range, Gags, but over his 57 hot corner starts in 2025/26, he’s only committed ONE error. So there’s that.
It seems like he must have a pretty good left side arm then or he’d have some throwing errors.
He has played pretty well there. I’ve only watched limited action at Memphis. I’d guess he might be a little below average, but that’s pretty good given his relatively limited experience at the hot corner. He would make a good platoon partner for both Gorman and Burleson as well as late inning pinch hitter. If the team were in win-now mode, I’m guessing they’d be tempted to call him up. But they are not so expect him to keep developing until at least July.
Jnevel, couldn’t agree with your post more. He will have to go on the 40 this offseason or likely be taken.
A reminder that Jordan was eligible for Rule 5 last year but he was not taken. Maybe this year’s early improvements will change how the organization sees him. It worked for Pages a few years back.
The #stlcards system was 2-2 on Friday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Springfield RF Chase Davis, went 3-for-4 including two home runs with four RBI. Other standouts include Pete Hansen, Chen-Wei Lin, Dakota Harris, Tai Peete, Jack Gurevitch and Luis Pino.… pic.twitter.com/yXbkUtByAS
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) April 25, 2026
We will have to see if they have moved Winquest to relief, or if he just is not stretched out for multi innings due to lack of use in the Yankees organization. Lack of a slot in the rotation should not be an impediment as we see a level down with Lin at Springfield. He is worked as a starter although 2 of his 4 stints have not occurred at the start of the game.
Thanks all on the Blaze Jordan takes. The point re his arm and lack of errors is particularly helpful to me just now. I’ve seen reports of his making swing adjustments that could mean that the early strong performance indicates he has stepped up. If Gorman can settle in, then having him come up near the trade deadline when they ship out Urias for whatever they can get for him, with Jordan resting Gorman and Burly, serving as DH some, and being the RH PH makes some sense. Perhaps the reps in Memphis will get him to average and he could replace Gorman if they decide Gorman is not going to be part of the core.
Brief Jack Gurevitch update.
He’s now played 10 pro games NOT at Roger Dean Stadium, and in those 48 plate appearances he’s hitting .400/.500/.750 with 8 walks and 10 strikeouts.
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