Minor League Game thread – 2026 Week 24

The Cardinals have really been targeting the college reliever to pro starter pipeline the last few years.

Hmm, I am glad you pointed that out 25. I had a vague sense that the Cardinals organization, and probably some others, might be trying different strategies in response to the rampant starter attrition that has been so prevalent throughout baseball. An obvious strategy trend has been the careful curating of workload, days between starts, modest pitch counts, etc., but that seems to have had limited success. In recent years there has been increased focus on the effect of overwork of the pitching arms early on in the youth stage while the structures are developing. There seems to be emerging science to the effect the hard and heavy use early on causes certain anatomical changes that are not conducive to long term arm health. It makes sense then that the previous focus on the Friday night starter types might lead to a high rate of acquiring arms that are already damaged to begin with. Obviously, I don’t know what the thinking is, but perhaps it is to acquire some pitchers with a different type of early pitching experience.

Is Levinson. a legit prospect?

Cijntje went 6 shutout innings. 4 H, 1 BB, 90 pitches. It looks like he’s been going 80-90 all year. Sometimes hittable, sometimes not. He could be in the mix next spring.

• This reply was modified 3 days, 3 hours ago by blingboy.

Molina, Cijntje, Doyle, Franklin, and Hjerpe the likely Memphis starters to begin the year next season. That is a fantastic well to draw from when injuries eventually occur. That doesn’t even include Roby (who very likely moves to relief to manage innings and speed along his time) or Eagan who is deserving of a Memphis promotion now. Then there’s still Fajardo who is knocking on the door for Memphis now plus Brandt Thompson and Hansen who have both generally held up solidly at Memphis. And still after all that you have Odle and Braden Davis who may be starting in Memphis at some point next season. The depth is finally growing into measurable depth.

Do t forget Eagan

I think you cannot see my point. Impact players have been coming from other systems more than from ours, therefore other systems are better than ours. As of this moment. A year from now, our system might be one cranking them out. Then it will be better than the others. Effectiveness is my measure, not adding up WAR of teens in A level, or whatever it is they think matters.

Another prospect we don’t talk about is Crossland. Since being promoted to Peoria he a 1,42 era in 5 games. He has walked fewer batters as well.

Yeah agree with Forsch. The group acquiring and developing the players isn’t even the same as the prior regimes and their failures shouldn’t impact how you evaluate the current prospects.