All posts by Brian Walton

Brian Walton runs The Cardinal Nation, covering the St. Louis Cardinals and minor league system.

The Cardinal Nation’s June 2025 Pitcher of the Month – Ricardo Velez

photo: Ricardo Velez (PJ Maigi/Springfield Cardinals)

An unconventional choice, Springfield right-handed relief pitcher Ricardo Velez put together the top overall pitching performance in the St. Louis Cardinals system in June, in our view. Compare the eight finalists and make your own call!

It is time to select The Cardinal Nation’s June 2025 Pitcher of the Month. This article covers pitchers across all levels of the St. Louis Cardinals minor league system during the period.

As a reminder, this is NOT the “Pitcher of the Month Among Top Prospects”. Every player in the system has an equal chance, with only their performance during the month used to differentiate the best of the best. Age and level, which are key prospect considerations, are not primary factors here.

Guidelines

To qualify, a pitcher must have thrown at least 10 innings during June. Exactly 10 pitchers at each of the four full season levels made the first cut plus five in the Florida Complex League and eight in the Dominican Summer League. To reach the list of eight finalists, an ERA at 2.50 or below was required. The group consists of four starters and four relievers.

Three levels lead the pack with two finalists each – Triple-A Memphis, Double-A Springfield and the FCL. High-A Peoria and Low-A Palm Beach had one finalist each. The DSL had no pitchers that met the ERA criteria.

Three finalists did not allow a run (earned or unearned) all month and two others posted an ERA below 1.00. There is a major gap between this five and the bottom three, with the latter sporting June ERAs from 2.13 to 2.45.

Counting stats

In the following table, the finalists are listed in ascending ERA order.

Pitcher >10 IP Tm W L ERA G GS SV SVO IP H R ER HR HB BB SO WHIP BAA
Michael McGreevy Mem 1 0 0.00 2 2 0 0 10.1 7 0 0 0 0 1 10 0.77 0.206
Ricardo Velez Spr 1 0 0.00 5 0 1 2 10.2 5 0 0 0 1 2 10 0.66 0.143
Austin Love Spr 3 0 0.00 8 0 0 1 11.1 1 0 0 0 0 5 10 0.53 0.029
Gordon Graceffo Mem 0 1 0.63 10 0 2 2 14.1 11 3 1 0 0 7 16 1.26 0.224
Mason Burns PB 0 0 0.90 7 0 2 3 10 3 3 1 1 2 4 14 0.70 0.091
Jason Savacool Peo/PB 2 0 2.13 4 4 0 0 21.1 16 6 5 2 0 12 21 1.31 0.176
Yadiel Batista FCL 1 1 2.14 5 4 0 0 21 15 6 5 2 0 6 15 1.00 0.208
Bernard Mack FCL 0 1 2.45 4 3 0 0 14.2 8 5 4 0 1 10 20 1.23 0.167

The three with June ERAs of 0.00 are starter Michael McGreevy of Memphis and relievers Ricardo Velez and Austin Love of first half division champion Springfield.

Michael McGreevy

Given McGreevy’s status as the number six starter for St. Louis and his clear MLB readiness, the right-hander would be an easy choice for Pitcher of the Month. However, he barely qualified by making just two June minor league starts totaling 10 1/3 innings between his frequent spot starts for the Cardinals.

Austin Love

At first blush when comparing the Springfield relief duo, Love’s crazy low .029 batting average against (one hit in 41 batters faced) and resulting finalist-low 0.53 WHIP are strong points in his favor.

Though two unearned runs each occurred on their logs, Memphis reliever Gordon Graceffo (0.63 ERA) and Palm Beach’s Mason Burns (0.90) give up just one earned run all month.

Jason Savacool

Jason Savacool has handled his in-month promotion to Peoria well, with a 2.35 ERA through his three starts as a Chief and a 2.13 ERA overall for June.

Rookie ball starters Yadiel Batista (2.14 ERA) and Bernard Mack (2.45) are performing well in a challenging environment. In fact, Mack had a 0.00 ERA before giving up four earned runs on the final day of the month.

Four of the eight finalists allowed fewer than one baserunner per inning via walks and hits (WHIP). They are Love, Velez, McGreevy and Burns.

Additional stats

Here are additional statistics from the finalists in the same ascending ERA sequence.

Pitcher > 10 IP Tm NP P/IP QS GF HLD WP GO/AO SO/9 BB/9 K/BB BABIP
Michael McGreevy Mem 164 16 1 0 0 0 1.8 8.7 0.9 10.0 0.292
Ricardo Velez Spr 127 12 0 2 1 0 0.8 8.4 1.7 5.0 0.200
Austin Love Spr 171 15 0 1 3 1 0.5 7.9 4.0 2.0 0.040
Gordon Graceffo Mem 223 16 0 7 2 3 2.3 10.1 4.4 2.3 0.333
Mason Burns PB 153 15 0 3 0 3 0.6 12.6 3.6 3.5 0.105
Jason Savacool Peo/PB 336 16 1 0 0 1 ~1.5 8.9 5.1 1.8 ~.283
Yadiel Batista FCL 251 12 0 0 0 1 0.5 6.4 2.6 2.5 0.232
Bernard Mack FCL 213 15 0 0 1 2 0.9 12.3 6.1 2.0 0.276

In the selection process for their own Pitchers of the Month, the Cardinals organization seems to place great emphasis on strikeout to walk ratio.

In that measure during June, McGreevy stands tall at 10-to-1. In fact, the only other pitcher in the entire system with at least 10 innings pitched who also had a K/BB ratio of more than 5.0 is Springfield reliever Luis Gastelum at 11.5. However, the latter is a non-finalist after five earned runs charged on June 29 inflated his ERA for the month to 4.38.

Interestingly, that third-ranked pitcher with the 5-to-1 strikeout to walk ratio is Velez.

As one can see in the data, Love is fly-ball prone but somehow posted an amazingly fortunate BABIP of .040. He also walked four batters per nine innings, which coupled with a relatively low strikeout rate (7.9), makes for a pedestrian 2.0 K/BB ratio.

Gordon Graceffo

Graceffo’s 2.29-to-1 ground ball to fly ball rate is very strong, in fact it is second-best in the entire system in June (non-finalist Hunter Kublick at 2.33). This undoubtedly helped the former starter’s good month. His last major challenge seems to be a walk rate that remains too high at 4.4 per nine.

That is also the challenge facing Mack and Savacool, with June walk rates of 6.1 and 5.1 per nine innings, respectively.

Only three of the eight finalists struck out more than one batter per inning. Mason Burns was tops at 12.6 K/9 with Mack close behind at 12.3 and Graceffo next at 10.1.

McGreevy was stingiest with walks at 0.9 per nine. Next was Velez at 1.7.

Joining Love with an exceptionally low and unsustainable BABIPs (batting average on balls in play) was Burns at .105.

When considering all results, the relative unknown Velez is our choice as The Cardinal Nation’s June Pitcher of the Month, though McGreevy and Love were strong contenders.

Velez led the way in ERA (tied) and was second (to McGreevy) in WHIP, walk rate and strikeout to walk ratio. He was third in batting average against and fourth in ground ball rate.

About the winner

Ricardo Velez

At the age of 26, Velez is not a top prospect, and in fact, he is relatively new to the organization. The native of Puerto Rico originally signed with the Twins organization in 2021 but was released from their Double-A roster early in March.

Prior to joining the Cardinals as a free agent on April 15, the right-hander posted a 3.64 ERA with an 11.5 K/9 rate and a 3.6 BB/9 mark in 83 career appearances, all in relief. Velez is a veteran of winter ball, having recently pitched for Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Series.

Velez originally joined Peoria’s roster but after tossing 6 1/3 scoreless innings (one unearned run), he was promoted to Springfield just two weeks later.

At Double-A, he has a 1.53 ERA in 29 2/3 long relief innings over 13 appearances. Velez walked eight and struck out 23.

How last month’s winners fared

Our choice as May Pitcher of the Month, right-handed reliever Andre Granillo, received a 40-man roster spot and made his St. Louis debut during June. With the Cardinals, he allowed just one run over 6 1/3 innings. The 25-year-old will be back, having joined the I-55 Shuttle between Triple-A and the majors.

Back with Memphis, Granillo allowed two runs in four innings with six strikeouts before and after his promotion.

The Cardinals organization’s May selection, Tekoah Roby, made one final start for Springfield in June (1.50 ERA) before earning a spot in Memphis’ rotation. He struggled in his first two Triple-A starts (10.45 ERA) before tossing 11 innings of one-run ball (0.82) in his most recent two.

Companion article

Earlier, Memphis outfielder Nathan Church was named the top hitter in the system for the month per The Cardinal Nation. Check out the 24-year-old’s results and those of our other nine finalists here:

The Cardinal Nation June 2025 Player of the Month – Nathan Church

What is next?

The Cardinals organization should also name their own selections for June Player and Pitcher of the Month in the upcoming days.

Now Available – 2025 Cardinals Prospect Guide

The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its eighth year. It includes 256 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of all-new player scouting reports. Order and download the PDF today or order your printed book copy to ship the next business day.

All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!

Order TCN’s 2025 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide

Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation

Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2025 Week 13

Not yet a member?

Subscribe to 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. Follow Brian and The Cardinal Nation on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.

© 2025 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The Cardinal Nation June 2025 Player of the Month – Nathan Church

photo: Nathan Church (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The Cardinal Nation’s choice as the top hitter in the St. Louis Cardinals organization during June is Memphis outfielder Nathan Church, who led the system in batting average, slugging and OPS – in his first month at Triple-A!

This article details the selection of The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Month. Considered were offensive results during June across the entire St. Louis Cardinals system. The winner as well as a group of nine runners up are highlighted.

Starting with the usual 60 plate appearances requirement, a total of 52 hitters in the system qualified. Ten separated themselves with a June OPS above .900.

Triple-A Memphis, Double-A Springfield and the rookie-level Dominican Summer League dominated the finalist list with three each, while Low-A Palm Beach had one. High-A Peoria and the rookie level Florida Complex League were shut out in June.

Reminder

Please remember, this is NOT the “Player of the Month Among Top Prospects”. Every player in the system has an equal chance, with only their performance during the month used to differentiate the best of the best. Age and level, which are key prospect considerations, are not factors here, either.

We will take two views of the data. The first look will be basic stats, followed by rate stats. Names are listed in the same sequence in both tables, in descending OPS order.

Basic stats

Hitters > 60 PA Team G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO OPS
Nathan Church Mem 20 92 81 17 29 3 3 4 14 4 2 11 10 1.052
JJ Wetherholt Spr 21 94 73 15 26 4 1 2 10 6 1 19 14 1.021
Deniel Ortiz PB 21 98 81 18 27 6 0 4 11 8 1 14 21 1.005
Cristofer Lebron DSL 19 85 70 16 23 7 0 2 16 5 4 12 15 0.961
Leonardo Bernal Spr 20 84 77 17 26 4 0 5 18 3 1 4 12 0.945
José Fermín Mem 14 64 52 10 16 5 0 2 9 4 2 9 6 0.941
Bryan Torres Mem 19 74 57 12 19 3 1 1 5 8 0 15 9 0.940
Yaxson Lucena DSL 17 82 63 17 20 4 1 1 16 1 2 13 9 0.936
Yeferson Portolatin DSL 14 62 32 17 7 3 0 0 6 10 1 28 7 0.910
Joshua Baez Spr 21 88 68 12 15 4 0 6 22 6 2 17 24 0.908

Five finalists repeated from May. They are Jose Fermin, Joshua Baez, Nathan Church, Bryan Torres and Leonardo Bernal.

JJ Wetherholt

Three players led the way with a June OPS over 1.000. In his first month at Triple-A, outfielder Church posted a system best 1.052 mark. Next is his former Springfield teammate and the no. 1 prospect in the organization, JJ Wetherholt, at 1.021. Joining them at 1.005 is a player in his first professional season, Palm Beach corner infielder Deniel Ortiz.

Joshua Baez

While his OPS of .908 is the lowest among our best of the best, in terms of power and production, Springfield’s Baez led the way. The outfielder hit six June home runs, two more than anyone else in the organization. His 22 RBI (in 21 games) also led the system.

Deniel Ortiz

For the second consecutive month, Church tied for the finalist lead in extra base hits. He, Ortiz and Baez each had 10. (Only non-finalist Cade McGee of Palm Beach topped them, with 11 in June.)

Eight was the system’s top total for the month in doubles, hit by non-finalists Jeremy Rivas of Springfield and the May Player of the Month, Rainel Rodriguez, now with Palm Beach. Among those next with seven two-base hits was DSL outfielder/second baseman Cristofer Lebron.

Yeferson Portalatin

Six of the 10 June finalists drew more walks than they struck out. A special callout must be made to first-year DSL second baseman Yeferson Portolatin, who drew a whopping 28 free passes in 62 plate appearances.

Others with higher June walk counts than strikeouts are Church, Wetherholt, the Memphis duo of Fermin and Torres, and DSL outfielder Yaxson Lucena.

Fermin struck out just six times for the second consecutive month with Portolatin just behind with seven.

In runs scored, Ortiz has the finalist lead with 18 and tied for the tops in the system in June (with non-finalist Kenly Hunter of the DSL).

Portolatin’s 10 stolen bases was the most among finalists and tied for the system lead (with teammate Hunter). Ortiz and Torres were second among finalists with eight steals each.

Rate stats

Hitters > 60 PA Team AVG OBP SLG OPS BABIP ISO AB/HR BB/K BB% SO%
Nathan Church Mem 0.358 0.435 0.617 1.052 0.373 0.259 20.3 1.1 12.0% 10.9%
JJ Wetherholt Spr 0.356 0.500 0.521 1.021 0.421 0.164 36.5 1.4 20.2% 14.9%
Deniel Ortiz PB 0.333 0.449 0.556 1.005 0.411 0.222 20.3 0.7 14.3% 21.4%
Cristofer Lebron DSL 0.329 0.447 0.514 0.961 0.396 0.186 35.0 0.8 14.1% 17.6%
Leonardo Bernal Spr 0.338 0.361 0.584 0.945 0.339 0.247 15.4 0.3 4.8% 14.3%
José Fermín Mem 0.308 0.422 0.519 0.941 0.311 0.212 26.0 1.5 14.1% 9.4%
Bryan Torres Mem 0.333 0.466 0.474 0.940 0.375 0.140 57.0 1.7 20.3% 12.2%
Yaxson Lucena DSL 0.317 0.476 0.460 0.936 0.358 0.143 63.0 1.4 15.9% 11.0%
Yeferson Portolatin DSL 0.219 0.597 0.313 0.910 0.280 0.094 inf 4.0 45.2% 11.3%
Joshua Baez Spr 0.221 0.364 0.544 0.908 0.220 0.324 11.3 0.7 19.3% 27.3%

In batting average, there is a huge disparity between the top seven who all hit over .300 and Portolatin and Baez far below at .219 and .221, respectively. Compared to his exceptional May at .389, Baez dropped 168 points of batting average in June, yet as noted above, he still hit the most home runs and plated the most runners in the system.

Church at .358 and Wetherholt at .356 were the top hitters for average last month.

Thanks to his other-worldly walk total, Portolatin’s .597 OBP was tops, but Wetherholt’s .500 mark was exceptional, as well.

In slugging, Church led the way at .617 with his former Springfield teammate Leonardo Bernal next at .584. (In May, Church slugged .602 at Double-A, so this improvement may have staying power.)

Leonardo Bernal

Baez, Church and Bernal were 1-2-3 in Isolated Power (ISO) during June.

A high BABIP benefited every finalist somewhat other than Portolatin and Baez, who had poor BA’s. However, in the top tier of four in OPS, Church’s .373 BABIP was lowest. In a bit of a concern, Wetherholt led the way at .421.

Teammates Baez and Bernal are the clear leaders in fewest at-bats/per home run with Church and Ortiz next.

Bernal’s very low 4.8% walk rate really stands out, as no other finalist was below 12%. At the other end after Portolatin are Torres and Wetherholt at 20.3% and 20.2%, respectively.

For the second straight month, Baez struck out at the highest rate among finalists (27.3% in June). Fermin compiled the lowest K rate among finalists at 9.4%, followed by Church at 10.9%.

After Portolatin, Torres and Fermin were the next best two in walk-to-strikeout ratio.

When all is said and done, Church’s strong month across the board, his first at the highest level of the minor leagues, gives him the honor of The Cardinal Nation’s June Player of the Month.

The 24-year-old led the system in batting average, slugging percentage and OPS. Church was second in isolated power, lowest strikeout rate and extra-base hits (tied).

About the winner

Nathan Church

Church has shown consistent ability to make contact while hitting left-handed pitching well. In 2025, he has shown proficiency to hit right-handers, too, while increasing his power output, taking his offensive game to a higher level.

In fact, that “higher level” comment is true literally, as Church is being honored for his first month’s performance at Triple-A. That comes on the heels of his Double-A Texas League Player of the Month selection in May.

Defense had always been Church’s primary calling card. Following last season, Baseball America named him the “Best Defensive Outfielder” and “Best Outfield Arm” in the Cardinals system. But now, Church is making himself into more than the next Scott Hurst.

The former Cal Irvine player was a day three selection in the 2022 draft, selected in the 11th round.

A left-handed hitter with good contact skills, no platoon splits, good speed (24 stolen bases in 2024 and 11 so far this season), experience at all three outfield positions and with emerging power is a valuable player to have in the system. Now, Church is just one step away from St. Louis.

Congratulations to The Cardinal Nation’s 23rd-ranked prospect, Nathan Church, TCN’s June Player of the Month.

How last month’s winners fared

Our May choice as Player of the Month, to which the Cardinals organization agreed, was then-Florida Complex League catcher Rainiel Rodriguez. The 18-year-old earned a quick promotion to Palm Beach on June 3.

While his slash line at his new level is subpar at .197/.307/.342/.649, it was his first 88 plate appearances after the major jump to the Low-A Florida State League. As noted above, Rodriguez still hit eight doubles at his new higher level.

Most recently, the right-handed hitter seems to be hitting his stride with hits in five of his last six games and walks in six straight contests. During this 28-plate appearance stretch, Rodriguez has six hits and eight walks for a .500 OBP against just two strikeouts.

What is next?

Look for The Cardinal Nation’s June Pitcher of the Month article, the companion to this one, coming on Thursday.

Also, the Cardinals organization should name their own selections of June Player and Pitcher of the Month in the upcoming days.

Now Available – 2025 Cardinals Prospect Guide

The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its eighth year. It includes 256 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of all-new player scouting reports. Order and download the PDF today or order your printed book copy to ship the next business day.

All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!

Order TCN’s 2025 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide

Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation

Palm Beach Cardinals Notebook – 2025 Week 13

Not yet a member?

Subscribe to 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. Follow Brian and The Cardinal Nation on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.

© 2025 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Cardinals Minor League Notebook – June 14, 2025

photo: Leonardo Bernal (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals system was 4-3 on Friday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Springfield C Leonardo Bernal, was 3-for-3 including a three-run long ball, a walk and two runs scored. Other standouts include Jordan Walker, Thomas Saggese, César Prieto, Pete Hansen, Johnfrank Salazar and Yairo Padilla.

Results for games played Friday, June 13.

Memphis 8 at Gwinnett 3 (completion of suspended game)

The Triple-A Redbirds defeated the Stripers in the first game of a twin bill on Friday. This was the completion of the Thursday, June 12 suspended contest. Before the rain, starter Quinn Mathews pitched three innings, gave up two runs on two hits, fanned five and walked four.

Leonardo Taveras took over on Friday and surrendered one run in three innings of relief to earn the win. Matt Svanson threw two scoreless innings. Gordon Graceffo tossed a scoreless ninth.

Gwinnett took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. In the top of the third, Memphis took a 6-1 lead. Bryan Torres walked and stole second base. Mike Antico doubled to score Torres. Nathan Church walked. Jordan Walker grounded into a double play, eliminating Church. Jimmy Crooks walked. César Prieto hit a three-run home run. Matt Koperniak walked. José Fermín singled. Andy Yerzy plated Koperniak on a single. Torres drove in Fermín on a single.

César Prieto

The Stripers cut the lead to 6-2 in the home third. The Redbirds increased the lead to 7-2 in the top of the fifth. Koperniak doubled and scored on a single by Yerzy.

Gwinnett made it 7-3 in the home fifth. In the eighth, Memphis added a final run to lead 8-3. Torres walked. Antico doubled. Torres came home on a ground out by Church.

The Memphis offense scored eight runs on 12 hits. Prieto was 2-for-5 with three RBI. Yerzy was 2-for-5 with two RBI. Church and Antico were both 2-for-4 with an RBI. Koperniak was 2-for-2 with two runs scored. Torres scored two runs and had an RBI.

On the bases, Torres stole two bases. Church swiped his fourth bag. Koperniak and Prieto were both caught stealing.

Memphis 8 at Gwinnett 1 (seven innings, game two)

The Redbirds again scored eight runs in Game 2 to sweep the Stripers in the twin bill on Friday.

Starter Curtis Taylor pitched all seven innings, gave up one run on five hits, and struck out two to earn his fourth win.

Curtis Taylor

Memphis went up 3-0 in the first inning. Bryan Torres tripled and scored on a single by Jordan Walker. César Prieto doubled. Thomas Saggese plated Walker on a single. Luken Baker drove in Prieto on a single.

Jordan Walker

The Redbirds added a run in the second to lead 4-0. Brody Moore hit a ground-rule double and scored on a single by Walker.

Memphis made it 6-0 in the fifth. Torres singled. Walker reached on an error. Saggese drove in Torres and Walker on a single.

Thomas Saggese

The Redbirds added two more in the top of the sixth to increase the lead to 8-0. Matt Koperniak singled and stole second base. Mike Antico singled and Koperniak scored. Antico stole second base. Antico went to third on a wild pitch and came home on a Walker single.

Gwinnett finally scored in the home sixth to avert being shut out.

The Redbirds scored eight runs on 12 hits. Walker was 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Saggese was 2-for-3 with three RBI. Torres was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

On the bases, Koperniak stole his third base of the season. Antico swiped his 10th bag. Saggese was caught stealing.

Memphis is 37-28 on the season and is in third place in the International League West, 2.5 games back of Nashville.

Saturday’s game: at Gwinnett, Michael McGreevy RHP (6-1, 2.78) vs. Hurston Waldrep RHP (4-5, 6.35) 5:05 CT.

Springfield 6, Tulsa 4

The Double-A Cardinals were the winners over the Drillers in a 6-4 contest at Hammons Field on Friday. The game started an hour late due to a rain delay.

Starter Pete Hansen pitched six scoreless innings, allowed two hits, fanned four and walked three.

Pete Hansen

Edwin Nuñez relieved Hansen and surrendered four runs without recording an out. He was charged with a blown save. Jack Ralston threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Osvaldo Berrios tossed the final 1 1/3 scoreless innings to earn the win.

The game was scoreless until the sixth when Cardinals took a 3-0 lead. Noah Mendlinger walked. Dakota Harris singled. Leonardo Bernal cleared the bases with a three-run home run.

Leonardo Bernal

Tulsa came back in the seventh to take a 4-3 lead. Springfield answered with three runs in the eighth to regain the lead 6-4. Bernal singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Jeremy Rivas singled to score Bernal. Trey Paige plated Rivas on a double. Ramon Mendoza walked. Paige came home on an error on a pickoff attempt.

The Cardinals scored six runs on 11 hits. Bernal was 3-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored. Rivas and Paige were both 2-for-4 with an RBI.

On the bases, Bernal was caught stealing. Mendlinger was picked off second base. On defense, Darlin Moquete had an outfield assist at second base.

Springfield is a season best 11 games over .500 at 36-25. The Cardinals are in first place in the Texas League North by four games with eight games remaining in the first half. Their magic number to clinch is five.

Saturday’s game: vs. Tulsa, Max Rajcic RHP (2-3, 4.24) vs. Peter Huebeck RHP (1-3, 4.61) 6:35 CT.

Peoria 2 at Cedar Rapids 6

The High-A Chiefs lost to the Kernels by the score of 6-2 on Friday. Rehabbing Memphis starter Tink Hence pitched 3 2/3 innings, gave up two runs on two hits, struck out one and walked three. Hence took the loss as just 34 of his 65 pitches went for strikes.

Tyler Bradt relieved Hence and surrendered one run in 1 2/3 innings. D.J. Carpenter yielded three runs in 1 1/3 innings. Jawilme Ramirez tossed the final 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

Cedar Rapids took a 1-0 lead in the third inning and extended it to 2-0 in the fourth. The Kernels increase the lead to 6-0 with one run in the sixth and three in the seventh.

Peoria finally got on the board in the ninth to shrink the final score to 6-2. Brayden Jobert walked. Michael Curialle singled. Won-Bin Cho singled to score Jobert. Jon Jon Gazdar plated Curialle on a single.

Jon Jon Gazdar

The Chiefs scored two runs on eight hits. Gazdar was 3-for-5 with an RBI. Curialle was 2-for-3.

On defense, Curialle made a throwing error.                                                

Peoria is 25-36 on the season and is in fifth place in the Midwest League West, 11 games back of Cedar Rapids and Quad Cities.

Saturday’s game: at Cedar Rapids, RHP Chen-Wei Lin (0-1, 3.31) vs. RHP Tanner Hall (2-3, 4.98), 6:35 CT.

Palm Beach 7, Lakeland 10 (10 innings)

The Low-A Cardinals fell to the Flying Tigers by a 10-7 score in extra innings at Roger Dean Stadium. In his Palm Beach debut, starter Jacob Odle pitched two innings, gave up four runs on two hits, fanned five and walked two.

Conor Steinbaugh relieved Odle and surrendered two runs in 1/3 of an inning. Christian Worley yielded one run in 2 2/3 innings. Randel Clemente threw two scoreless innings. Angel Cuenca allowed three runs, two earned, in 2 1/3 innings and took the loss. With the pen depleted, catcher Maikel Hernandez tossed the final 2/3 of a scoreless inning.

Lakeland went up 4-0 in the top of the first inning. The Beach Birds answered in the home first to tie the game. Bryce Madron was hit by a pitch. Rainiel Rodriguez doubled to score Madron. Rodriguez went to third on a wild pitch. Luis Pino walked. Cade McGee plated Rodriguez on a single. Pino scored on an error. Johnfrank Salazar drove in McGee on a single.

In the third, the Flying Tigers broke the tie to lead 6-4 and added another run in the fifth.

In the ninth, Palm Beach came back to tie the game. Pino walked. Jose Suarez reached on an error. Salazar doubled to score Pino and Suarez. Salazar advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a ground out by Sammy Hernandez.

Johnfrank Salazar

Lakeland put up three runs in the 10th to win 10-7.

The Cardinals scored seven runs on eight hits. Salazar was 3-for-5 with three RBI. Pino scored two runs.

On defense, Rodriguez made a throwing error.

Palm Beach is 29-31 on the season and is in second place in the FSL East, four games back of St. Lucie.

Saturday’s game: vs. Lakeland, TBD vs. TBD 5:30 CT

FCL Cardinals 4 at FCL Mets 1 (six innings)

In the completion of Tuesday’s suspended game, the Florida Complex League Cardinals beat the Mets by the score of 4-1. Starter Yadiel Batista pitched three innings, gave up one run on one hit, struck out two and walked two.

Ruben Menes relieved Batista and threw a scoreless fourth to earn the win. Juan Severino tossed the final two scoreless innings to earn his first save.

In the second inning, the Mets went up 1-0. The Cardinals put up two runs in the fourth to take the lead. Yancel Guerrero doubled. Paulo Asprilla reached on an error. Yoerny Junco singled to score Guerrero. Asprilla came home on a wild pitch.

The Cardinals added to their lead in the fifth to make it 4-1. Yairo Padilla singled and later scored on a single by Bracewell Taveras. Taveras stole second base and came home on a single by Asprilla.

Yairo Padilla

The Cardinals scored four runs on eight hits. Padilla was 3-for-3 plus a walk and a run scored.

Padilla also stole two bases. Taveras swiped his second bag.

FCL Cardinals at FCL Mets (game two, postponed)

Friday’s regularly scheduled game was postponed due to rain. It will be made up on a date to be determined.

The Cardinals are 12-13 on the season and are in third place in the Florida Complex League East, four games back of the FCL Astros.

Saturday’s game: Off

DSL Cardinals 3 at DSL Mets Orange 4 (seven innings)

The Dominican Cardinals were edged by the Mets Orange by one run on Friday.

Starter Hendrick Cana pitched four scoreless innings, allowed three hits, fanned five and walked one.

Hendrick Cana

Xavier Cruz relieved Cana and surrendered four runs, two earned, in two innings. Cruz took the loss.

The Cardinals took a 3-0 lead in the third inning. Yeferson Portolatin drew a walk and stole second base. Miguel Hernandez followed with a two-run home run. Yaxson Lucena was hit by a pitch and scored on a double by Cristopher Lebron.

Miguel Hernandez

The Mets Orange put up a four run fifth to take the lead and the game 4-3.

The Cardinals scored three runs on four hits. No Cardinal had multiples. Hernandez had two RBI. The offense was 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base.

Portolatin stole two bases. Hernandez swiped his fourth bag. Lucena was picked off and caught stealing.

On defense, Sebastian Dos Santos and Juan Rujano each made a throwing error.

The DSL Cardinals are 5-4 on the season.

Saturday’s game: vs. DSL Colorado, TBD vs. TBD 9:00 am CT

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Cardinals Rank Favorably in June YTD SABR Defensive Index

photo: Pedro Pages (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

SABR’s defensive metrics through June 8, with the final results accounting for 25 percent of the Gold Glove Award scoring, rank seven of eight St. Louis Cardinals position players positively. Catcher Pedro Pagés leads the way.

Our eyes tell us that the 2025 St. Louis Cardinals have addressed many of their defensive woes from recent seasons – and the metrics back up the perception. One big reason why is the improving play up the middle – with catcher Pedro Pagés, center fielder Victor Scott and shortstop Masyn Winn among the top defenders at their positions.

This week, the trio were announced as being among the National League’s better defenders during the first period of the 2025 season. This is according to the SABR Defensive Index, or SDI, compiled through June 8.

In fact, seven of eight Cardinals position players have a positive SDI score, as do three of the five members of the team’s starting rotation.

Since 2013, the consolidated metrics-based view of player performance in the field has accounted for 25 percent of the annual Gold Glove Award scoring, with further updates coming during the second half and at season’s end.

No measure is the be-all, end all, which is why actual voting by managers and coaches still make up the lion’s share of the Gold Glove scoring, 75 percent. But the SDI has a solid foundation, based on not one, but a group of defensive metrics. Though some discount any single-season’s worth of fielding results, those behind the SDI originally created and refined many of the measurements and devised the Index as a blended measure of multiple stats. (SDI background can be viewed here.)

How Cardinals fared

With SDIs of 3.5, 2.1 and 1.3, respectively, Pagés, catcher-turned first baseman Willson Contreras and Scott rank second, third and fourth, among National League players at their positions. In fact, Pages’ score, tops among Cardinals, is 15th highest among all NL defenders regardless of position.

Pedro Pagés

That Contreras has transitioned so quickly to his new position has to be considered a major positive, as a plus defender at first helps the other infielders, as well.

Willson Contreras

Also in the top half of qualifying NL players at their respective positions are Winn, down to fifth among shortstops after ranking first in SDI last season, Nolan Arenado, sixth at third base and in another positive development, Jordan Walker is seventh among NL right fielders.

Sonny Gray

Sonny Gray is eighth among the 39 qualifying NL pitchers. Miles Mikolas and Matthew Liberatore each have a positive SDI, though they are below the midpoint of pitchers ranked (at 20th and 21st). Andre Pallante and Erick Fedde have negative SDIs and are near the bottom of the NL pack.

Brendan Donovan has an SDI of 0.8, which is just 10th of 14 qualifying second basemen. Yet his SDI for 2025 to date at second base is substantially higher than his 2024 -1.2 mark in left field.

Lars Nootbaar

The major negative surprise among Cardinals is Lars Nootbaar, who stands out as the only ranked Cardinals position player with a negative SDI, at -2.0. Ranking third to last among left fielders to date in 2025 is in major contrast to his 2024 placement of second among NL right fielders.

Other declines are less surprising. Arenado is no longer considered the top hot corner defender in the NL but remains considerably above average. Though Winn has slipped to fifth in the early going in 2025, there is time for that trend to be reversed.

In the table below, the NL leaders by position are listed to the left with Cardinals’ scores to the right and how they rank among NL players at their respective positions. The “Trend” field indicates whether each Cardinal’s SDI is higher or lower compared to his full season 2024.

NL Jun 2025 Top NL SDI SDI Cards Jun 2025 SDI Rank Trend from 2024 FY
Pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach, Atl 3.7 Sonny Gray 1.1 8th of 39 up
Miles Mikolas 0.2 20th up
Matthew Liberatore 0.1 21st NR
Andre Pallante -1.0 T32nd NR
Erick Fedde -1.2 T36th down
Catcher Patrick Bailey, SF 6.8 Pedro Pagés 3.5 2nd of 16 NR
First base Matt Olson, AtL 9.6 Willson Contreras 2.1 3rd of 14 NR at 1B
Second base Nico Hoerner, ChC 6.1 Brendan Donovan 0.8 10th of 14 up from LF
Third base Ryan McMahon, Col 7.0 Nolan Arenado 1.9 6th of 15 down from #2 3B
Shortstop Nick Allen, AtL 5.3 Masyn Winn 0.6 5th of 14 down from #1 SS
Left field Ian Happ, ChC 3.9 Lars Nootbaar -2.0 10th of 12 down from #2 RF
Center field Pete Crow-Armstrong, ChC 4.9 Victor Scott 1.3 4th of 13 NR
Right field Fernando Tatis, SD 8.3 Jordan Walker 0.1 7th of 14 NR

While it would be easy and not inappropriate to feel good about the Cardinals’ overall SDI showing, it should not be overlooked that the Central Division-leading Chicago Cubs employ three of the National League’s current leaders in SDI.

If the SDI was worth 100% of the Gold Glove Award scoring (which it is not), with no current leaders, the Cardinals would be shut out.

It will be interesting to see how these scores change during the second half, with updates likely coming roughly each month. The final SDIs are not published until after the Gold Glove Award winners are disclosed in November.

Now Available – 2025 Cardinals Prospect Guide

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Wednesday With Walton and Reis – June 11, 2025

photo: Joshua Baez (Peoria Chiefs)

The Cardinal Nation’s Brian Walton is joined by analyst Kyle Reis for a weekly discussion of St. Louis Cardinals news, with a focus on player development and the minor leagues.

Our podcasts are quick hitting and timely, covering a short list of current topics in approximately 30 minutes. More information on almost everything we discuss can be found in articles here at The Cardinal Nation.

After a week off, Brian and Kyle recap the recent Cardinals Blogger Day and a special presentation made by Kyle. They highlight a series of player promotions including Rainiel Rodriguez, Josh Kross, Joshua Baez and Nathan Church on the offensive side plus pitchers Tekoah Roby, Hancel Rincon, Jason Savacool and Jacob Odle. The consensus Player of the Month and various views of the top May pitcher in the system were covered. The two closed with a preview of next week’s edition, which will focus on rising and falling prospects.

Check out Kyle’s work at Birds on the Black and his very popular Prospects After Dark interactive podcasts. He is also one of the most informative and entertaining Cardinals related social media follows at @kyler416.

All video of episodes of the return of Wednesday With Walton at The Cardinal Nation can be found here.

The audio is also simulcast each week via the Scoops Sports Network and your favorite podcast apps.

Now Available – 2025 Cardinals Prospect Guide

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Palm Beach Cardinals Notebook – 2025 Week 10

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The Cardinal Nation’s May 2025 Pitcher of the Month – Andre Granillo

photo: Andre Granillo (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Improving Memphis right-handed relief pitcher Andre Granillo put together the top overall pitching performance in the St. Louis Cardinals system in May, in our view.

It is time to select The Cardinal Nation’s May 2025 Pitcher of the Month. This article covers pitchers across all levels of the St. Louis Cardinals minor league system during the period.

As a reminder, this is NOT the “Pitcher of the Month Among Top Prospects”. Every player in the system has an equal chance, with only their performance during the month used to differentiate the best of the best. Age and level, which are key prospect considerations, are not primary factors here.

Guidelines

To qualify, a pitcher must have thrown at least 10 innings during May. 52 of 91 total pitchers made the first cut. To reach the list of 11 finalists, an ERA below 2.00 was required. The group consists of five starters and six relievers.

The finalists represent all five levels of the organization playing during May, from the rookie level Florida Complex League up through Triple-A Memphis. Double-A Springfield leads the pack with four finalists, followed by the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds and High-A Palm Beach with three and Low-A Palm Beach and the Florida Complex League had just one finalist each.

One finalist did not allow an earned run all month and only one other had an ERA below 1.00.  But as you probably know, there is more to our process than just selecting the pitcher with the lowest ERA.

Starters vs. Relievers

Not too many years ago, I used to select separate Starting Pitcher and Relief Pitchers of the Month. Because they are different jobs, I submit that it is easier for a reliever to generate standout results. However, I don’t have a formula to equalize them. I use my best judgement.

The three pitchers with the lowest May ERA are relievers. The starter with the lowest ERA, Ruben Menes of the FCL, threw just 12 innings, fewer than many relievers.

Michael McGreevy’s ERA of 1.64 is only tied for seventh lowest among our finalists. However, the right-hander’s results are exceptional enough that many believe he is ready for St. Louis’ rotation.

Michael McGreevy

As his results are considered on their own merit, I could understand if he was the choice of some as their Pitcher of the Month, even though he is not our selection. If there was a separate Starter award, McGreevy would be our honoree.

Relievers vs. Relievers

The top three in May ERA are Jack Ralston (0.00) and Nick Raquet (0.64) of Springfield plus Andre Granillo (1.17) of Memphis. They allowed zero, one and two runs during the month, respectively.

Jack Ralston

While their results speak for themselves, there are extenuating circumstances. Ralston is 27 years old and first reached Springfield in 2023. Despite strong results last season, he has never been given a shot at Memphis.

Nick Raquet

On the other hand, Raquet, 29, spent most of 2024 in Triple-A, but returned to Double-A for 2025. One could argue that both are currently pitching below their level.

That is not the case for Granillo, 25. Always possessing great strikeout stuff, his change for 2025 is a greatly improved ability to reduce his walks year to year, from 6.0 per nine innings to 2.6.  As a result, Granillo seems to have checked his final box to qualify for his Major League debut.

When all is said and done, Granillo is The Cardinal Nation’s May Pitcher of the Month.

Counting Stats

In the following table, the finalists are listed in ascending ERA order.

Pitcher Tm W L ERA G GS SV SVO IP H R ER HR HB BB SO WHIP AVG
Jack Ralston Spr 0 0 0.00 6 0 2 2 13 4 0 0 0 0 5 17 0.69 0.098
Nick Raquet Spr 3 0 0.64 8 0 1 1 14 10 1 1 0 1 2 14 0.86 0.192
Andre Granillo Mem 1 0 1.17 9 0 0 0 15.1 7 2 2 1 0 3 24 0.65 0.130
Ruben Menes FCL 0 1 1.50 4 3 0 0 12 12 6 2 0 1 3 10 1.25 0.240
Riley O’Brien Mem 1 0 1.59 11 0 2 3 11.1 8 2 2 0 2 4 17 1.06 0.190
Michael Watson Peo 1 0 1.62 9 0 2 2 16.2 7 5 3 0 2 8 21 0.90 0.121
Michael McGreevy Mem 3 0 1.64 4 4 0 0 22 24 7 4 0 1 4 29 1.27 0.273
Tanner Jacobson Peo 2 1 1.64 7 0 0 0 11 8 2 2 1 0 9 11 1.55 0.211
Jason Savacool PB 2 1 1.73 5 4 0 0 26 18 6 5 1 1 5 21 0.88 0.191
Ixan Henderson Spr 1 2 1.91 5 5 0 0 28.1 19 7 6 2 1 10 32 1.02 0.194
Chen-Wei Lin Peo 0 1 1.93 4 4 0 0 14 8 7 3 0 0 5 15 0.93 0.160

Six of the 11 finalists allowed fewer than one baserunner per inning via walks and hits (WHIP). Lowest was Granillo (0.65), with Ralston close behind (0.69).

Michael Watson

In batting average against, Ralston was truly exceptional at .098, with Peoria’s Michael Watson at .121 and Granillo next at .130. McGreevy was highest among finalists at .273.

It may not be their fault, but four unearned runs occurred on the ledgers of starters Menes and Chen-Wei Lin of Peoria while McGreevy had three.

Advanced stats

Here are additional statistics from the finalists in the same ascending ERA sequence.

Pitcher > 10 IP Tm NP P/IP QS GF HLD WP GO/AO SO/9 BB/9 K/BB BABIP
Jack Ralston Spr 176 13.5 0 3 1 1 0.8 11.8 3.5 3.4 0.167
Nick Raquet Spr 168 12.0 0 4 1 2 1.4 9.0 1.3 7.0 0.263
Andre Granillo Mem 259 16.9 0 3 1 1 0.5 14.1 1.8 8.0 0.207
Ruben Menes FCL 156 13.0 0 1 0 2 1.3 7.5 2.3 3.3 0.300
Riley O’Brien Mem 165 14.6 0 9 0 0 4.7 13.5 3.2 4.3 0.320
Michael Watson Peo 271 16.3 0 3 2 1 0.6 11.3 4.3 2.6 0.189
Michael McGreevy Mem 366 16.6 2 0 0 1 1.5 11.9 1.6 7.3 0.407
Tanner Jacobson Peo 220 20.0 0 2 0 2 1.5 9.0 7.4 1.2 0.269
Jason Savacool PB 382 14.7 2 0 0 1 1.3 7.3 1.7 4.2 0.236
Ixan Henderson Spr 424 15.0 3 0 0 2 0.9 10.2 3.2 3.2 0.262
Chen-Wei Lin Peo 220 15.7 0 0 0 0 1.3 9.6 3.2 3.0 0.229

The groundball to fly ball ratio of 4.7 to 1 crafted by Memphis reliever Riley O’Brien is truly exceptional. The next closest finalists were at 1.5!

Riley O’Brien

All but two of the 11 finalists struck out more than one batter per inning. Granillo was tops at 14.1 K/9 with O’Brien next at 13.5.

Raquet was stingiest with walks at 1.3 per nine. Next were McGreevy (1.6), Palm Beach starter Jason Savacool (1.7) and Granillo (1.8).

Jason Savacool

Put the two together and Granillo’s K/BB ratio of 8.0/1 is best with McGreevy at 7.3 and Raquet at 7.0 following.

BABIP (batting average on balls in play) really makes a case for McGreevy. The right-hander put up his strong May results despite an unbelievably high BABIP of .407. Call him up!

On the other hand, the very low .167 BABIP from Ralston and the .189 mark by Watson are not sustainable. The two had considerable good fortune that should balance out (with poorer results) over time. Even Granillo may have a hard time keeping a BABIP as low as .207. This is the only question mark against his candidacy, in my view.

Still, when considering all results, Granillo is our choice as The Cardinal Nation’s May Pitcher of the Month.

The right-hander led the way in WHIP, strikeout rate and strikeout to walk ratio. Granillo was third in ERA and batting average against and fourth in walk rate, with the latter a tremendous improvement over his pre-2025 results.

About the winner

Andre Granillo

Granillo was selected by the Cardinals in the 14th round of the 2021 draft. Across three levels in 2022 including his Springfield debut, he was the organization’s strikeout king at 14.1 per nine innings and logged the system-leading total of 31 games finished. Granillo tied for fourth in the system with his eight saves, a very good showing in his first full professional season.

In 2023, his 14 saves led the Texas League and he earned a promotion to Memphis in August. The slider specialist followed a slow Triple-A beginning with a good stint in the Arizona Fall League.

His 2024 was a disappointment, highlighted by that 6.0 per nine walk rate and pronounced struggles against left-handed hitters. These have both been addressed in 2025, perhaps opening the door for Granillo to get a shot with St. Louis.

Granillo is The Cardinal Nation’s 21st-ranked prospect.

Companion article

Earlier, Florida Complex League catcher Rainiel Rodriguez was named the top hitter in the system for the month per The Cardinal Nation. Check out the 18-year-old’s results and those of our finalists here:

The Cardinal Nation May 2025 Player of the Month – Rainiel Rodriguez

What is next?

The Cardinals organization should also name their own selections for May Player and Pitcher of the Month in the upcoming days.

Now Available – 2025 Cardinals Prospect Guide

The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its eighth year. It includes 256 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of all-new player scouting reports. Order and download the PDF today or order your printed book copy to ship the next business day.

All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!

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Palm Beach Cardinals Notebook – 2025 Week 9

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Cardinals Jordan Walker Placed on Injured List

photo: Jordan Walker (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

On Saturday, May 31, the St. Louis Cardinals announced two pairs of transactions, including starting right fielder Jordan Walker moving to the injured list.

  • OF Jordan Walker to St. Louis’ 10-day IL, retroactive to May 29.
  • IF/OF Ryan Vilade added to 40-man roster, from Memphis to St. Louis.
  • RHR Roddery Muñoz from Memphis to St. Louis.
  • RHR Gordon Graceffo from St. Louis to Memphis.

Jordan Walker

Walker’s left wrist inflammation has come at a bad time, as until recently he had struggled this season. Through his initial 138 plate appearances in 2025, the outfielder had a .502 OPS, despite the Cardinals showing their confidence by playing him every day.

In his most recent 34 PAs, Walker slashed a very respectable .333/.353/.545/.898. Potential recipients of additional playing time during his absence include another warming up hitter, Alec Burleson, and an ice-cold one in Nolan Gorman.

Ryan Vilade

Vilade is a veteran utilityman who played in 20 MLB games previously with Detroit and Colorado. This season, the 26-year-old has played every position with Memphis other than pitcher, catcher and shortstop. In 192 plate appearances over 48 games with Memphis, Vilade slashed .280/.375/.476/.851. He will likely serve as a late-game bench option with St. Louis.

Vilade takes the open spot on the Cardinals’ 40-man roster created when Michael Helman was placed on waivers mid-month.

It is interesting that Vilade was promoted ahead of five 40-man infielders and outfielders – OFs Michael Siani and Matt Koperniak and IFs Jose Fermin and Thomas Saggese. First baseman Luken Baker is another hitter already on the roster who was passed over this time.

Roddery Muñoz

Muñoz has been a regular on the Memphis shuttle as this is his fifth time up this season. In Triple-A, the right-hander has a 5.06 ERA in 15 relief appearances. With St. Louis, the 26-year-old’s ERA is 7.71 in four appearances.

Gordon Graceffo

With his most recent promotion to St. Louis, on May 5, the Cardinals declared that Graceffo would work out of the bullpen. Since May 16, he has been scored upon in three of his four outings, including being charged with four runs in one inning against the Rangers on Friday. Hence, the addition of a fresh arm in Muñoz.

With St. Louis, Graceffo has a 7.47 ERA in nine relief appearances. At Triple-A, he has no results to date as a reliever. In four starts for Memphis, his ERA was 5.71.

Update: Saturday Minor League News

At Triple-A Memphis, two left-handed pitchers exchanged places on the injured list.

  • LHS Quinn Mathews activated from Memphis’ 7-day IL.
  • LHR Rob Kaminsky placed on Memphis’ 7-day IL.

Plus Peoria right handed reliever Joseph King was returned to the injured list.

Quinn Mathews

Mathews, 24, is the organization’s top pitching prospect. He had been out since April 13 due to shoulder soreness. In one rehab outing each in the FCL and Class-A, Mathews threw five innings on three hits, no walks and with eight strikeouts.

In this space yesterday, I speculated that newly added Leonardo Taveras could get the Saturday start for Memphis. This news could change those plans as Mathews last threw in game action six days ago, on May 25.

Rob Kaminsky

This is very disappointing news for the 30-year-old Kaminsky, who had just been activated for the first time in 2025 on May 20. In his only outing with Memphis, Kaminsky threw a scoreless inning with no hits, a walk and a strikeout.

Joseph King

Like Kaminsky, King began the season on the IL and only recently returned. After a rehab stint with Palm Beach, King was activated at Palm Beach on April 29.

In seven Midwest League contests, the right-hander was charged with five earned runs in 9 1/3 innings for a 4.82 ERA. King dealt with  a lot of baserunners, allowing 11 hits and walking eight (2.04 WHIP_ against 15 strikeouts.

For roster and player information

The team rosters here at The Cardinal Nation are kept up to date daily. To access them, click on “ROSTERS/PLAYERS/MOVES” located on the red menu bar on the left of the page beneath The Cardinal Nation site logo.

To see the Cardinals’ entire system by level and position on one page along with every player transaction for every club all year long, check out the always current Roster Matrix at The Cardinal Nation. It has been updated for the regular season and is accessible from the same menu as the team rosters.

Now Available – 2025 Cardinals Prospect Guide

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All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!

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Florida Complex League Cardinals Notebook – 2025 Week 4

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Cardinals AGM Rob Cerfolio in Action

photo: Rob Cerfolio, Chaim Bloom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Brian Walton’s photos of St. Louis Cardinals Assistant General Manager, Player Development and Performance Rob Cerfolio on the job.

Dealin’ the Cards podcast had a special guest this week, Rob Cerfolio. The St. Louis Cardinals Assistant General Manager, Player Development and Performance went into detail about his background and how he blends that experience with the skills of many others in his new assignment.

A key message that resonated with me is one that seems so simple and basic but takes serious and sustained effort to execute. That is two-way communication – upward, downward and most importantly to develop a bought-in action plan with every player.

For there, I thought back to this spring. As regular readers of The Cardinal Nation know, I was an interested daily observer from early camp in January through STEP Camp and regular minor league spring training camp in March.

I found it fascinating to watch the new staffers, new coaches and new executives interacting with returning coaches, including some who seemed re-energized. All were there to assist dozens of players – as many of these in-uniform individuals were working together for the first time.

Over the weeks, I took the following photos of Cerfolio in action. While they originally trickled out over time via my daily camp reports from Jupiter, I am pulling them together here as they reinforce Cerfolio embracing the people part of his mission.

Again, make sure you watch or listen to Cerfolio’s interview with Josh Jacobs and Andrew Wang of Dealin’ the Cards.

I had the opportunity to sit down with Cerfolio for the first time in January during 2025 Winter Warm-Up in St. Louis. From there, I returned to Florida.

Interview: New Cardinals AGM of Player Development and Performance Rob Cerfolio

Also, while there, Cerfolio participated in a fan Question and Answer session with the other two AGMs, Randy Flores (scouting) and Moises Rodriguez (international).

Rob Cerfolio, Randy Flores, Moises Rodriguez (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Here, Cerfolio chats with outfield prospect Won-Bin Cho.

Won-Bin Cho, Rob Cerfolio (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

As top pitching prospect Quinn Mathews finished his workout, the boss offered a fist bump of encouragement.

Rob Cerfolio, Quinn Mathews (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

It isn’t just about minor leaguers. Here, Cerfolio chats with St. Louis star Brendan Donovan, who was getting some work in on the back fields.

Rob Cerfolio and Brendan Donovan (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The scouting community is the life blood of every successful organization. Cardinals scout Aaron Klinec offers his observations to Cerfolio.

Aaron Klinec and Rob Cerfolio (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

In the referenced podcast, Cerfolio shares details of his family history as it relates to the field of medicine. Fans certainly understand the “Player Development” part of his title, but many may not realize the importance of the “and Performance” aspect of his job and how it all needs to work together.

Heading the Performance function as its director is Carl Kochan, most recently with the Dodgers. This includes medical, trainers, strength and conditioning and more.

Carl Kochan and Rob Cerfolio (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Another key addition to the organization from Cleveland is Cerfolio’s right hand man, Director of Player Development Larry Day. With his back to us in this photo is the organization’s most important link to the Herzog and La Russa years, Fundamentals Coordinator Jose Oquendo.

Rob Cerfolio, Jose Oquendo and Larry Day (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Other top staffers in Cerfolio’s organization include new Director of Pitching Matt Pierpont (Mariners), new Field Coordinator Ryan Barba (Angels) and Hitting Coordinator Russ Steinhorn (returnee).

In closing, I cannot leave out the person most responsible for Cerfolio’s hiring, his boss, Chaim Bloom. While officially the Advisor to the President of Baseball Operations, Bloom is well into his second-year mission to revitalize player development and performance. His in-the-background mode will flip 180 degrees following this season as he steps into the spotlights as President of Baseball Operations, succeeding John Mozeliak.

During the Spring Breakout prospect showcase game in the main stadium on March 14, the two, Bloom and Cerfolio, sat side-by-side.

Chaim Bloom and Rob Cerfolio (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

You will notice in the back fields photos that Cerfolio is “dressed out” instead of wearing a polo shirt and khakis. Same with the farm director Day, who seemingly always has a fungo bat in hand. This sends a subtle message of unity and commitment to the players and coaches alike.

Now Available – 2025 Cardinals Prospect Guide

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Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2025 Week 8

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