Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 23The Springfield Cardinals went 6-0 on the week, winning the series against Corpus Christi and taking the first two games against Arkansas. Catcher Cade McGee did well throughout the week, totaling eight hits, eight runs scored, including three home runs, and seven RBIs, batting .320 in the week.
Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 22The Double-A Cardinals went 4-2 on the week and clinched the second half division title. Before going on the IL, outfielder Tai Peete was red-hot, hitting .615, 8-for-13, including two home runs, plus three walks, two steals, six RBI and eight runs scored.
photo: Route 66 Stadium (Springfield Cardinals)
On Tuesday, August 25th, Springfield General Manager Dan Reiter announced at a press conference that the team is leaving the Cardinals moniker behind at the end of this season. Springfield will continue to use the name throughout the rest of the current Minor League Baseball season.
Reiter mentioned the history of baseball in the Ozarks, dating back to 1905, and said that they will “always cherish the Springfield Cardinals era and we are excited to open this next chapter.”
The Double-A team has carried the Cardinals name since moving to the Queen City in 2005, but its St. Louis parent no longer owns it. Diamond Baseball Holdings has been the team owner since May of 2023. Springfield will remain an affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, despite the rebrand, and has no plans to leave the 417.
“We will remain a St. Louis affiliate for years to come and will continue to play right here in Springfield,” Reiter announced.
Both the Springfield Cashew Chickens and Ozarks Snipe Hunters names will still be used as alternate identities but neither will be the new name for the Springfield ball club.
“This rebrand is about becoming uniquely us and representing Southwest Missouri with pride and joy,” Reiter said.
In an FAQ released by the team after the announcement, the reasoning behind the rebrand is that teams across the country have “found it more important to connect with their community instead of using their MLB affiliate’s marks.”
It also said that back in 2005, 22 teams shared the same name as their parent ballclub. Only eight will remain as of 2027, with four of the teams being owned by their MLB affiliates.
This isn’t the first time Springfield has made a major branding change. Before this season, the ballpark was renamed from Hammons Field to Route 66 Stadium, in honor of the city being marked as the birthplace of the Mother Road.
The team has honored the Springfield Cardinal name since Tuesday night and will continue to do so throughout the final nine regular-season home games. Special in-game programming, fan opportunities and giveaways will be included in the celebration, including fans adding names onto a large sign that will be hung at the stadium and special giveaways given throughout the final two home stands.
“We want to honor our roots and offer fans an opportunity to celebrate the end of this chapter with us,” Reiter declared. “Just like the retirement tours for Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina, we felt it was important to let fans know ahead of time and give them the chance to celebrate 22 wonderful years with us. At the same time, we’re incredibly excited about what comes next and the opportunity to build something that feels distinctly unique to our community.”
A new name, logo and uniform will be released on Tuesday, October 6th at a free party in Route 66 Stadium in Springfield, MO. Timing and more information will be released in the coming weeks.
“Our franchise is committed to providing fun and affordability for everyone. And while the name of our team is changing, our dedication to our fans and our community is not,” Reiter said. “Excitement in Cardinals Nation continues to rise. We know that having a new identity for our team will build on that excitement too and give us all something to be proud of.”
What is next?
Catch Jamie Santner’s Springfield Cardinals Notebook, direct from Route 66 Stadium each Thursday for subscribers to The Cardinal Nation.
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Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 21The first place Double-A Cardinals are flying high on an eight-game winning streak. In the last six games, Jesus Baez and Texas League Player of the Week Rainiel Rodriguez combined for 10 home runs, four doubles and 21 RBI while hitting .415. Jamie Santner reports.
Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 20The first-place Double-A Cardinals went 4-2 on the week, led by top prospects Liam Doyle and Rainiel Rodriguez. Doyle has allowed two or fewer runs in eight straight starts. Rodriguez hit .550 for the week, increasing his streak to 11 games.
Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 19Despite a 2-4 week, the Double-A Cardinals are holding onto first place. No. 1 prospect Rainiel Rodriguez batted .375 including two doubles and two home runs for team highs in slugging (.708) and OPS (1.093).
Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 18The first-place Double-A Cardinals went 4-2 for the week while the organization heavily bolstered the roster for the second half stretch run. Liam Doyle is rounding into form with a 0.84 ERA and 14 strikeouts in his last 10 2/3 innings pitched.
Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 17The first-place Double-A Cardinals are on a six-game winning streak. Catcher Rainiel Rodriguez led Springfield in hits (nine) including three doubles and two home runs for a .429 batting average. Jesus Baez and Zach Levenson are also swinging hot bats.
Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 16Coming out of the break, the Double-A Cardinals are 1-4. Outfielder Won-Bin Cho had five hits including a double and a home run, led the team in walks (3), stole a base and drove in three.
Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 15The Double-A Cards split their final pre-break series at Tulsa before major roster changes that include Chase Davis and Jurrangelo Cijntje moving up to Memphis. Dakota Harris logged team highs in batting average at .376 and runs scored with seven.
Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 14The Double-A Cards went 3-3 on the week but have dropped three straight. Springfield is still just one game off a share of the division lead. Futures Game-bound Liam Doyle has a 2.08 ERA over his last two starts.
Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 13The Double-A Cardinals are off to a strong 6-2 second-half start. New arrivals Jesus Baez and Won-Bin Cho combined for seven home runs and 18 RBIs for the week. Mason Molina left Springfield on a high note and two players are headed to the Futures Game.
The Cardinal Nation Prospect Interview – Liam DoyleThe St. Louis Cardinals’ first round draft pick in 2025 and the organization’s top pitching prospect, left-hander Liam Doyle, fields questions from TCN’s Springfield reporter Jamie Santner.
Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 12The Double-A Springfield Cardinals finished the first half of the season on a four-game winning streak and look to continue the momentum as the second half began on Tuesday. Dakota Harris hit two home runs, collected five RBI, and stole four bases in his last six games. In that stretch, Springfield went 5-1.
Springfield Cardinals Notebook 2026 Week 11The Cardinals’ Double-A club resets for the second half after finishing the first half 10 games under .500. Rainiel Rodriguez is heating up, batting .550 with three home runs and 10 runs scored in just five games during the team’s 1-5 week.
Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 10Double-A Cardinals pitching yielded 46 runs on the way to a 2-4 week. In his last two starts, right-handed prospect Braden Davis struck out 14 in 9 1/3 innings while posting a 2.89 ERA.
Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 9The Double-A Springfield Cardinals had a 4-1 week, including a rainout. Ryan Campos drove in seven runs and Braden Davis threw 11 scoreless innings across his last two starts.
Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 8The Double-A Cardinals had one of their better weeks, going 4-2. Noah Mendlinger continued his hot hitting, batting 421, with five walks for a .542 OBP, driving in four and scoring five runs.
Springfield Cardinals Notebook 2026 Week 7The Double-A Cardinals won their second straight series but have currently lost four games in a row. For the week, versatile Noah Mendlinger hit .333 and drew 10 walks for a .593 OBP.
Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 6The Double-A Cards went 5-2 for the week including their first series win of 2026 and are riding a four-game winning streak. Infielder Jeremy Rivas remains hot, batting .385 with a team-high 10 RBI and stole three bases without being caught during the week.
Springfield Cardinals Notebook 2026 Week 5Infielder Jeremy Rivas hit .462 with two home runs and a team-high six runs scored as the Double-A Cardinals went 2-4 for the week to fall 10 games off the division pace.
Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 4The struggling Double-A Cardinals went 1-5 for the week. Catcher Ryan Campos led Springfield with a .421 batting average and five RBI.
photo: Route 66 Stadium (Springfield Cardinals)
The home ballpark for the Double-A Springfield Cardinals and Missouri State Bears is being renamed Route 66 Stadium.
The Springfield Cardinals, in cooperation with O’Reilly Auto Parts, the City of Springfield, Missouri State University and Mercy Hospitals, announced during a press conference on Thursday, April 23rd that the home ballpark for the Double-A Cardinals and the Missouri State Bears will be renamed from Hammons Field to Route 66 Stadium.
A multi-year agreement with all groups marks this as a first-of-its-kind naming rights deal to create a destination for all travelers, redefine the legacy of one of Springfield’s most recognizable landmarks, and celebrate the history of Route 66.
Springfield Cardinals General Manager Dan Reiter commented on the name change, saying that it is “a historic moment for our team and our local community.”
“It’s impossible to tell the story of Springfield without talking about Route 66,” said Reiter. “To cement the legacy of the Mother Road for years to come is something we’re extremely proud of. We know fans will continue to enjoy the baseball that they love, only now with even more community pride. We’re excited to continue John Q. Hammons’ vision for this community and bring forth a new era of baseball for years to come.”
Known as Hammons Field since 2005, Route 66 Stadium will bring all of Springfield together at one location, recognizing each part of the city that has made an impact on the community. Installation of new signage at the ballpark is expected to be complete throughout the next week. Each partner’s branding will be displayed on one of the five pillars beneath the marquee to create a unified entrance. As Route 66 itself plans to celebrate its centennial beginning in Springfield, the ballpark name will start a new chapter in its proud and storied history.
The final official Cardinals game under the Hammons Field name will take place on Sunday, as Springfield completes its home series against the Midland Rockhounds (ATH), starting at 1:15 p.m. The Hammons Field sign at the main entrance has been taken down as of Friday morning. The first official Cardinals game at Route 66 Stadium will be Tuesday, May 5th, against the Corpus Christi Hooks (HOU) at 6:05 p.m.
For more
Members of The Cardinal Nation can check out Jamie Santner’s Springfield Cardinals Notebook, with news and notes about the Double-A club, posted each Thursday morning all season long.
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.
Now available – 2026 Cardinals Prospect Guide
The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its ninth year. It includes 275 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including over five dozen all-new player scouting reports by Kyle Reis. Order your PDF or spiral-bound printed book today.
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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Contact Jamie Santner at jdsantner@gmail.com.
© 2026 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 3The Double-A Cardinals went 2-4 on the week as infielder Jon Jon Gazdar batted .300 with a team-high five RBI. Liam Doyle, Jurrangelo Cijntje and Braden Davis had improved results in their starts.
Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 2After a 4-0 start, the Double-A Cardinals have lost seven straight. Outfielder Travis Honeyman hit .385 last week and stole three bases in three tries.
Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2026 Week 1The defending Texas League Champions are off to a 4-1 start behind the bat of Dakota Harris and the pitching of Jurrangelo Cijntje.
