All posts by Michael Goff

Cardinals Minor League Notebook – April 25, 2025

photo: Tekoah Roby (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals minor league system was 3-1 on Thursday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Springfield’s Tekoah Roby, dominated over five scoreless innings and struck out two en route to his first win of the season. Other standouts include Andy Yerzy, Tanner Jacobson and Deniel Ortiz.

Results for games played on Thursday, April 24.

Memphis Redbirds 7 at Norfolk Tides 6

The Triple-A Memphis Redbirds edged the Tides in Norfolk on Thursday to take the first two games of the six-game road series.

Alex Cornwell made his second career Triple-A start for Memphis. The left-hander pitched three innings and allowed two runs on two hits, three walks, and one strikeout.

Right-hander Andre Granillo fanned two and yielded one run over 1 ⅔ innings in relief of Cornwell. Michael Gomez followed with 1 ⅓ innings of scoreless ball. Nick Anderson tossed a scoreless seventh inning. Roddery Muñoz surrendered two runs in two innings to finish the game. Granillo earned the win. Gomez has not allowed a run in his first 9 ⅓ innings of the year.

Michael Gomez

The Redbirds’ bats were hot from the start with three runs in the top of the first inning. Matt Koperniak lined a two-run double and came home on a Jose Barrero single.

Following back-to-back walks from César Prieto and Ryan Vilade to load the bases, Matt Lloyd singled to bring home Barrero and Prieto.

Matt Lloyd

Norfolk tied the game with three runs across the third and fourth innings, but the Redbirds quickly retook the lead in the fifth. José Fermín walked and swiped second base to begin the frame. Fermín moved to third on a Koperniak flyout. Barrero hit his first triple of 2025 to score Fermín for a 4-3 lead.

Jose Barrero

Memphis plated two more runs to extend their lead in the sixth.

Andy Yerzy and Michael Siani hit back-to-back singles. Fermín doubled them both home to extend the lead to 6-3.

Yerzy, making his Memphis debut, added an insurance run via a solo home run.

Andy Yerzy

The Tides scored three runs across the final two frames, as the Cardinals’ bullpen barely held the lead in the victory.

The Redbirds scored seven runs on eight hits. Yerzy was 2-for-2, plus two walks, two runs scored, and a home run. Barrero hit his first triple of the season and drove in two runs. Lloyd tallied a two-run single and drew a walk. Fermín tallied a double, a walk, and two RBI.

Yerzy swiped his first base. Fermín stole second and third base, increasing his steal total to six for the season.

Defensively, Vilade recorded an unusual outfield assist, throwing out a runner at first base from right field. Catcher Yerzy had two passed balls. First baseman Gavin Collins committed a fielding error.

Memphis is 12-9 on the season. They will play a doubleheader on Friday, with game two being the makeup of Wednesday’s postponement due to wet grounds.

Friday’s games: at Norfolk.

Game 1: RHP Gordon Graceffo (0-2, 7.94) vs. RHP Cameron Weston (0-1, 4.96) 4:35 PM CT.

Game 2: RHP Ian Bedell (0-1, 7.07) vs. LHP Raúl Alcantara (0-1, 3.86)

Springfield Cardinals 5 at Wichita Wind Surge 2

The Double-A Springfield Cardinals bested the Wind Surge in Wichita on Thursday to snap their six-game losing streak.

Tekoah Roby dazzled in his fourth start of the season for the Cardinals. The right-hander fired five shutout innings on two hits, three walks and two strikeouts. Roby lowered his ERA to 1.06 and picked up his first win of 2025.

Tekoah Roby

Sean Harney pitched two innings in relief of Roby and yielded one run. Austin Love threw 1 ⅔ innings and surrendered one run. Andrew Marrero recorded the final out of the game and received his first save of the season.

Springfield struck in the top of the first inning. Chase Davis smoked a lead-off double, and advanced to third on a Jeremy Rivas flyout. Davis scored on a Leonardo Bernal fielder’s choice.

The Cardinals doubled their lead in the second inning. Darlin Moquete singled, and scored via a throwing error on a Chase Davis single.

Springfield tacked on two more runs in the third inning. R.J. Yeager led off with a single. Fresh off the injured list, Noah Mendlinger doubled to move Yeager to third base. Dakota Harris knocked in Yeager on a single. Mendlinger scored on a double play to make it 4-0.

Wichita scored one run in the sixth inning, but Springfield took the run back in the eighth. Ramon Mendoza reached second base with two outs on a fielding error. Mendoza crossed home plate on a Ugueto single for a 5-1 Springfield lead.

Springfield never trailed in the victory. The Cardinals scored five runs on 10 hits. Davis was 3-for-5 with a run scored. Harris was 2-for-4, with one RBI. Moquete tallied two singles in four trips to the plate.

On the basepaths, Ugueto swiped his first base at the Double-A level. Moquete was caught stealing.

On defense, third baseman Mendoza committed a fielding error. Roby picked off a runner at first base. Bernal recorded a passed ball.

Springfield is 9-9 on the season.

Friday’s game: at Wichita, RHP Max Rajcic (1-1, 5.27) vs. RHP Darren Bowen (2-0, 1.38) 6:35 PM CT.

Peoria Chiefs 0 at Quad Cities River Bandits 5

The High-A Chiefs fell to the River Bandits in Davenport, Iowa on Thursday.

Cade Winquest started for the Chiefs. The right-hander tossed 3 ⅔ innings and surrendered four runs, three earned, on seven hits, one walk, and three strikeouts. Winquest took the loss.

Jawilme Ramirez struck out a pair of batters in 1 ⅓ innings in relief. Zack Showalter followed and allowed one run while securing four outs with two strikeouts. Tanner Jacobson pitched 1 ⅔ hitless innings following Showalter and struck out three. Jacobson has started his season with nine scoreless innings over six appearances.

Tanner Jacobson

The River Bandits scored once in the bottom of the first. They plated two more in the third and another in the fourth to extend their lead. The River Bandits added an insurance run in the seventh inning. The Chiefs failed to respond.

Peoria scored no runs on two hits, both singles. Levenson was 1-for-3 with a walk. Salazar tallied a single. Won-Bin Cho drew a walk.

Defensively, third baseman Salazar committed a throwing error. Second baseman Tre Richardson made a fielding error. Salazar made a bare-handed play to nail a River Bandit at first base.

Johnfrank Salazar

The Chiefs are 5-12 on the season.

Friday’s game: at Quad Cities, RHP Jose Davila (1-1, 7.53) vs. RHP Logan Martin (1-1, 2.51) 6:30 PM CT.

Palm Beach Cardinals 5 at Jupiter Hammerheads 4

The Low-A Palm Beach Cardinals won a thrilling contest against the Jupiter Hammerheads on Thursday.

Braden Davis made his fourth start for Palm Beach. The right-hander threw 3 ⅔ innings of shutout baseball on four hits, three walks, and five strikeouts.

Braden Davis

Right-hander Conor Steinbaugh made his system debut in relief of Davis and allowed two runs over one inning. Samuel Fabian pitched 2 ⅓ scoreless frames with a pair of strikeouts. Randel Clemente yielded two runs over the final two innings of the game and fanned three. Thanks to the offense, Clemente still received his first win of the season.

Palm Beach was first to enter the scoring column in the top of the first inning. Jonathan Mejia led off the game with a single and swiped second base. Mejia moved to third on a Christian Martin groundout. Cade McGee lined his third double of the season to plate Mejia for the Cardinals’ first run.

Palm Beach scored two more runs in the fourth inning. Just activated on Thursday, Jose Suarez singled and moved to third base on a Yordalin Pena double. Suarez came home on a Luis Pino groundout, with Pena to third base on the play. Sammy Hernandez smoked a single to plate Pena for a 3-0 lead.

Jupiter scored a pair of runs in the fifth and eighth innings to take a 4-3 lead into the ninth. Palm Beach was ready to respond. Hernandez began with a walk. Deniel Ortiz launched a two-run home run to put the Cardinals on top 5-4.

Deniel Ortiz

Palm Beach held its lead in the bottom of the ninth for the come-from-behind victory.

The Cardinals scored five runs on 10 hits. Martin was 3-for-5, including two doubles. Hernandez was 1-for-2, including two walks and one RBI. Ortiz hit the go-ahead two run home run in the ninth inning. McGee and Pena doubled.

On the basepaths, Mejia swiped his first base of the season. Hernandez was picked off at first base.

On defense, second baseman Martin committed a fielding error. First baseman Ortiz dropped a ball in foul territory. Pitcher Davis picked off a runner at first base.

Palm Beach is 11-7 on the season.

Friday’s game: at Jupiter. RHP Jose Davila (1-1, 7.43) vs. TBA, 5:30 PM CT.

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Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2025 Week 3

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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – April 21, 2025

photo: Gavin Collins (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals minor league system was 0-2 on Sunday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Memphis catcher Gavin Collins, was 2-for-4 with a home run, double, a walk, two runs scored and four RBI. Other standouts include Michael Gomez, Matt Koperniak, Randel Clemente and Josh Kross.

Results for games played on Sunday, April 20:

Memphis Redbirds 7, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 8 (10 innings)

The Triple-A Memphis Redbirds fell to the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in extra innings in Sunday’s series finale at AutoZone Park, finishing the set at three wins apiece.

Sem Robberse made his fourth start of the season for the Redbirds. The right-hander pitched 2 ⅔ innings and allowed seven runs on nine hits, one walk, and five strikeouts.

Memphis’ bullpen was fantastic. Zack Weiss, Riley O’Brien, Michael Gomez, Ryan Loutos, Nick Anderson, and Oddanier Mosqueda combined for 7 ⅓ innings and allowed one unearned run on one hit and seven strikeouts. Gomez has begun his Memphis career with eight scoreless frames and seven strikeouts over five appearances. Mosqueda took the loss in extras.

Michael Gomez

The Jumbo Shrimp scored the first run of the game in the second inning, but the Redbirds answered immediately. Jose Barrero began the home second with a single, and advanced to second base on a César Prieto sacrifice bunt. Ryan Vilade followed with a walk. Gavin Collins brought Barrero and Vilade home on his first home run of 2025 to give Memphis a 3-1 lead.

Gavin Collins

Jacksonville pulled ahead in the third inning with six runs for a 7-3 lead. Memphis began to chip into the deficit in the home sixth. Prieto lined a double. Vilade followed with his seventh double on the year to bring Memphis within three runs.

Matt Koperniak crushed his first home run of 2025 to pull the Redbirds within two in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Matt Koperniak

The Jumbo Shrimp carried the 7-5 lead into the bottom of the ninth, but Memphis had more late-inning magic in them. Vilade walked and Collins doubled him home to make it a one-run game.

Mike Antico swung at the second pitch he saw from Jacksonville’s new pitcher to tie the score at seven apiece.

Mike Antico

Jacksonville scored the ghost runner in the 10th inning on a double. Memphis failed to respond.

The Redbirds scored seven runs on seven hits. Collins was 2-for-4, including a three-run home run, a double, a walk, two runs scored, and four RBI. Koperniak hit a solo shot, scored a run, and tallied one RBI. Prieto doubled and scored a run. Vilade hit a double, scored two runs, walked twice, and drove in one run. Antico knocked in the game-tying run on a single.

On the bases, José Fermín stole his fourth base of the season.

Defensively, right fielder Koperniak threw out a runner at home plate. Prieto committed a throwing error.

Memphis is 10-9 on the season. The Redbirds will travel to Harbor Park in Norfolk, Virginia to begin a six-game road series with the Norfolk Tides, beginning Tuesday.

Tuesday’s game: at Norfolk (BAL). Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 5:35 PM CT.

Springfield Cardinals (off-day)

The Double-A Springfield Cardinals were off Sunday, and will travel to Equity Bank Park in Wichita, Kansas to begin a six-game road set against the Wichita Wind Surge, beginning Tuesday.

Springfield enters play on Tuesday with an 8-7 record.

Tuesday’s game: at Wichita (MIN). LHP Brycen Mautz (0-0, 3.38) vs. TBA, 6:05 PM CT.

Peoria Chiefs vs. Cedar Rapids Kernels (postponed)

The High-A Peoria Chiefs’ series finale against the Cedar Rapids Kernels at Dozer Park was suspended on Sunday due to rain. The makeup game date has not yet been announced, but it will be played in Cedar Rapids, as the Kernals are not scheduled to return to Dozer Park in the first half.

The Chiefs are 4-10 on the season. They will travel to Modern Woodmen Park in Davenport, Iowa to begin a six-game road series with the Quad Cities River Bandits, starting Tuesday.

Tuesday’s game: at Quad Cities (KC). Pitching probables have not yet been announced, though Darlin Saladin was slated to start for Peoria on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 PM CT.

Palm Beach Cardinals 2, Clearwater Threshers 4

The Low-A Palm Beach Cardinals lost a close series finale on Sunday to the Clearwater Threshers at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.

Brandt Thompson made his third start for Palm Beach. The right-hander tossed four innings and yielded two runs on five hits, no walks, and three strikeouts.

Randel Clemente fired two shutout innings in relief with three strikeouts. Samuel Fabian fanned three and surrendered two runs in two innings following Clemente. Mason Burns pitched a scoreless ninth with a pair of strikeouts. Fabian took the loss.

Palm Beach struck first on Josh Kross’ fifth home run of the season to begin the bottom of the second inning.

Josh Kross

Clearwater took a 2-1 lead with a pair of runs in the fourth inning, but the Cardinals evened the score in the seventh. Jonathan Mejia lined a two-out single and crossed home plate on rehabber Nathan Church’s double.

The Threshers scored a pair of runs in the eighth for a 4-2 lead. Palm Beach failed to respond.

The Cardinals scored two runs on seven hits. Kross hit a home run. Church doubled and tallied one RBI.

On the basepaths, Anyelo Encarnacion swiped his fifth bag and was also caught stealing. Hernandez was picked off at first base.

Defensively, catcher Hernandez picked off a runner at first base.

Palm Beach is 9-6 on the season. They will stay at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium over Monday’s off-day and begin a six-game series as the away team with their neighbors, the Jupiter Hammerheads, on Tuesday.

Tuesday’s game: at Jupiter (MIA). Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 5:30 PM CT.

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 your PDF or printed book copy today!

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

Order The Cardinal Nation’s 2025 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide

Exclusively for TCN subscribers

Cardinals Augment Minor League Bullpens

Not yet a member of The Cardinal Nation?

Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.

Contact Michael Goff at mgoff@mail.bradley.edu.

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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – April 20, 2025

photo: Jose Barrero (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals minor league system was 2-4 on Saturday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Memphis shortstop Jose Barrero, was 3-for-4, including a home run and two RBI. Other standouts include Nolan Sparks, Masyn Winn, Matt Koperniak and Ryan Campos.

Results from games played on Saturday, April 19.

Memphis Redbirds 6, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 5

The Triple-A Memphis Redbirds won in walk-off fashion against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp at AutoZone Park on Saturday.

Ian Bedell made his fourth start of the year for Memphis. The right-hander pitched 4 ⅔ innings and allowed three runs on six hits, one walk, and three strikeouts.

Curtis Taylor tossed 1 ⅓ scoreless innings in relief of Bedell. Chris Roycroft surrendered one run in one inning, and was tagged with a blown save in his second appearance for Memphis. Roddery Muñoz allowed one run in the final two innings of the game and struck out three. Muñoz received his first win of the season.

The Redbirds wasted no time putting the first run on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Masyn Winn lifted the first pitch he saw out of the park for a leadoff home run, and his first hit of his rehab assignment.

Masyn Winn

Winn struck again in the bottom of the third with his second home run of the game which doubled Memphis’ lead to 2-0.

Jacksonville pulled ahead with three runs across the fourth and fifth frames, but Memphis wasn’t done flexing their muscles.

José Fermín led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a single and scored on Jose Barrero’s second home run of the season to give Memphis a 4-3 lead.

Jose Barrero

The Jumbo Shrimp regained the lead with single runs in the seventh and eighth innings, but the Redbirds continued to fight. Fermín began the home eighth with a double, and crossed home after a Jacksonville throwing error allowed Ryan Vilade to reach second base and tie the game at five.

Muñoz slammed the door in the ninth inning on the mound, setting Memphis up for the walk-off win.

Bryan Torres smoked his first double of the season with one out. Following a flyout, Matt Koperniak doubled home Torres for Memphis’ first walk-off win of 2025.

Matt Koperniak

Memphis scored six runs on 12 hits. Barrero was 3-for-5, including a two-run home run and two RBI. Winn was 2-for-5, with two solo home runs. Fermín went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Torres tallied a double and Koperniak hit the walk-off double.

Memphis is 10-8 on the season. The Redbirds look to clinch the home series win over Jacksonville on Sunday.

Sunday’s game: vs. Jacksonville, RHP Sem Robberse (1-1, 3.75) vs. RHP Janson Junk (2-2, 3.60) 1:05 PM CT.

Springfield Cardinals 2, Arkansas Travelers 5 (Game one, seven innings)

The Double–A Springfield Cardinals dropped game one of their Saturday home doubleheader with the Arkansas Travelers.

Pete Hansen started for the Cardinals. The left-hander threw 4 ⅔ innings and allowed three unearned runs on three hits, three walks, and six strikeouts in his longest outing of 2025 thus far. Hensen took the loss.

Andrew Marrero recorded four outs and fanned three in relief of Hansen. Austin Love yielded two runs in the seventh inning.

Springfield fell behind 3-0 early before scoring their first run of the game in the bottom of the third inning. Bryce Madron drew a walk and advanced to second base on a Brody Moore single. Madron touched home plate on a Chase Davis single.

Springfield narrowed the deficit to one run in the fifth. Moore walked, and Jeremy Rivas singled. Davis advanced Moore and Rivas on a groundout. Moore crossed home on a R.J. Yeager sacrifice fly to make it a 3-2 game.

Arkansas scored two runs in the seventh to pull away and Springfield failed to answer.

The Cardinals scored two runs on four hits, all singles, by Rivas, Davis, Moore and Miguel Ugueto. Davis and Yeager each recorded one RBI.

Defensively, third baseman Dakota Harris committed a fielding error.

Springfield Cardinals 2, Arkansas Travelers 3 (Game two, seven innings)

The Cardinals lost a close game two of Saturday’s doubleheader to the Travelers at Hammons Field.

In a bullpen game, Osvaldo Berrios made his first career Double-A start. The right-hander pitched 2 ⅔ innings and allowed three runs, two earned, on four hits, no walks, and five strikeouts. Berrios took the loss.

Sean Harney, Nick Raquet and Edwin Nuñez were lights-out from the bullpen. The trio combined for 4 ⅓ scoreless innings in relief of Berrios.

Arkansas took a 3-0 lead in the first inning, but Springfield chipped into the deficit in the sixth. Dakota Harris reached on a fielding error, and Ramon Mendoza walked. The runners advanced on a wild pitch. Harris scored for Springfield’s first run of the game on a Miguel Ugueto groundout.

The Cardinals scored their second run in the seventh inning. Brody Moore reached on a fielding error and moved to second base with a Bryce Madron walk. Carlos Linarez’ sacrifice bunt advanced the runners. Jeremy Rivas brought home Moore on a groundout to narrow the deficit to 3-2, but the scoring and game ended there.

The Cardinals scored two runs on six hits. They did not record an extra-base hit in either game of Saturday’s doubleheader. Jeremy Rivas tallied two hits and one RBI. Ugueto was 2-for-3 with one RBI. Darlin Moquete drew the only walk of the game.

On the bases, Rivas swiped his fourth bag of the season. Ugueto was caught stealing.

Defensively, shortstop Moore committed a fielding error. Madron tallied an unusual outfield assist and threw out a runner at first base from center field.

JJ Wetherholt, removed from Friday’s game in the first inning, did not appear in either game of Saturday’s twin bill.

The Cardinals are 8-7 on the season. They will travel to Equity Bank Park in Wichita, Kansas to begin a six-game series against the Wichita Wind Surge on Tuesday, following two off days.

Tuesday’s game: at Wichita (MIN). LHP Brycen Mautz (0-0, 3.38) vs. TBA, 6:05 PM CT.

Peoria Chiefs 6, Cedar Rapids Kernels 13 (Game one, resumed in the fourth inning)

The High-A Peoria Chiefs fell to the Cedar Rapids Kernels in the first game at Dozer Park on Saturday, the continuation of Friday’s game which was suspended in the fourth inning due to rain.

Jose Davila started for the Chiefs. The right-hander pitched 3 ⅔ innings and allowed eight runs on 11 hits, one walk, and zero strikeouts. Davila took the loss.

Hancel Rincon surrendered five runs in 3 ⅓ innings in relief of Davila. Jawilme Ramirez fired scoreless eighth and ninth innings following Rincon.

The Chiefs plated two runs in the first inning. Ian Petrutz drew a leadoff walk and came home on Ryan Campos’ first professional home run.

Ryan Campos

Cedar Rapids answered with three runs in the top of the second and took the lead, but Peoria quickly tied the game in the bottom half. Michael Curialle lined his first triple of 2025 and came home on a Johnfrank Salazar groundout.

Michael Curialle

The Kernels retook the lead and went into the bottom of the fifth leading 9-3, when Peoria strung together its fourth run of the game. Trey Paige singled and moved to third on a Petrutz double. Paige came home on a balk.

The Kernels extended their lead in the seventh to 13-4, but Peoria scored two more in the home seventh. Paige reached on a fielding error and moved to second with Jon Jon Gazdar lining a pinch-hit single. Paige scored on the second Kernel error of the frame. Miguel Villarroel loaded the bases with a single, and Gazdar scored on a wild pitch to make the final 13-6.

Peoria scored six runs on 11 hits. Petrutz was 2-for-2, with a double, a walk and a run scored. Salazar was 2-for-4, including a double and one RBI. Curialle recorded a triple. Campos launched his first professional home run, and tallied a run scored and career-high three RBI. Zach Levenson, Brayden Jobert, Villarroel, Gazdar, and Paige each singled.

On the basepaths, Petrutz and Won-Bin Cho were each caught stealing. Cho was also picked off first base. Defensively, left-fielder Jobert nailed a runner at home plate.

Peoria Chiefs 1, Cedar Rapids Kernels 4 (Game two, seven innings)

The Chiefs fell to the Kernels in the second game of the day on Saturday at Dozer Park.

Right-hander Dionys Rodriguez made his first start of the season for the Chiefs. The 24-year-old tossed 1 ⅔ innings and allowed two runs on one hit, two walks, and two strikeouts. Rodriguez took the loss.

D.J. Carpenter pitched 1 ⅓ innings in relief of Rodriguez and has started his 2025 season with four straight scoreless relief appearances. Tanner Jacobson followed with two scoreless frames and three strikeouts to mark five consecutive scoreless outings to begin his season. Angel Gonzalez yielded two big Kernels insurance runs over two innings following Jacobson.

The Kernels scored two in the top of the second inning to begin the scoring, but Peoria split the lead in half in the bottom of the frame. Chase Adkinson reached first out on a forceout play and moved to second base on a wild pitch. Johnfrank Salazar lined a single to center field to bring home Adkinson.

Peoria scored one run on three hits, all singles. Jon Jon Gazdar singled and walked. Brayden Jobert and Johnfrank Salazar recorded the other two hits. Salazar tallied the Chiefs’ lone RBI.

On the bases, Miguel Villarroel swiped his eighth base of the year. The Chiefs did not commit an error.

Peoria is 4-10 on the season.

Sunday’s game: vs. Cedar Rapids, RHP Darlin Saladin (0-0, 2.45) vs. RHP Jose Olivares (0-0, 0.00) 2:05 PM CT.

Palm Beach Cardinals 4, Clearwater Threshers 2

The Low-A Palm Beach Cardinals edged the Clearwater Threshers at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Saturday.

Nelfy Ynfante started his third game of the year for the Cardinals. The right-hander pitched 4 ⅔ innings and allowed one run on three hits, one walk, and three strikeouts.

Nelfy Ynfante

Yordy Herrera recorded four outs in relief of Ynfante and fanned two. Herrera picked up his second win of the season, and the 10th win of his professional career. Right-hander Nolan Sparks threw the final three frames and allowed one run on three hits, two walks, and two strikeouts. Sparks earned his first save of 2025.

Clearwater struck first with one run in the top of the first inning, but Palm Beach tied the game in the bottom of the frame. Nathan Church reached first on a fielding error. Church stole second base and advanced to third on the Threshers’ second error. Josh Kross singled Church home to tie the game at one.

The Cardinals doubled their lead in the bottom of the fourth. Cade McGee took a one-out walk and advanced to second base on a Luis Pino single. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch. McGee scored on another wild pitch.

Palm Beach tacked on another run in the fifth inning. Christian Martin was hit by a pitch. Church reached on a fielder’s choice, with Martin to third base on the play via an error. Travis Honeyman singled to center field to plate Martin.

The Cardinals extended their lead to 4-1 in the sixth. Ortiz hit a two-out single, and advanced to second on a passed ball. Martin doubled in Ortiz to extend the lead to 4-1.

Christian Martin

The Cardinals scored four runs on eight hits. Honeyman was 2-for-4, with one RBI. Hernandez hit two singles. Ortiz singled and drew a walk. Martin doubled for the only extra-base hit of the game and drove in one run. Kross singled and tallied one RBI.

On the bases, Church stole his first bag of the season. Ortiz and Honeyman swiped their second and fourth bases, respectively. Church was caught stealing at home plate.

Second baseman Martin committed a fielding error.

Palm Beach is 9-5 on the season.

Sunday’s game: vs. Clearwater. RHP Brandt Thompson (1-0, 1.00) vs. TBA, 11:30 AM CT.

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 your PDF or printed book copy today!

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

Order The Cardinal Nation’s 2025 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide

Exclusively for TCN subscribers

Cardinals Augment Minor League Bullpens

Not yet a member of The Cardinal Nation?

Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.

Contact Michael Goff at mgoff@mail.bradley.edu.

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

Cardinals Minor League Notebook – April 18, 2025

photo: Jason Savacool (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals minor league system was 2-2 on Thursday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Palm Beach’s Jason Savacool, pitched five shutout innings on four hits and three strikeouts en route to his first win of the season. Other standouts include Zack Weiss, JJ Wetherholt, Michael Curialle and Jon Jon Gazdar.

Results for games played on Thursday, April 17:

Memphis Redbirds 1, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 4

The Triple-A Memphis Redbirds fell to the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp at AutoZone Park on Thursday.

Alex Cornwell made his first start of the season for Memphis. The left-hander pitched 2 ⅔ innings and allowed three runs on eight hits, one walk, and two strikeouts. Cornwell took the loss.

Zack Weiss

Right-hander Zack Weiss tossed 2 ⅓ innings of shutout ball in relief of Cornwell with one hit and four strikeouts. Oddanier Mosqueda followed with two scoreless innings. Nick Anderson pitched the eighth and ninth inning and yielded one run.

The Redbirds fell behind early 3-0 but plated one in the bottom of the sixth inning. Michael Helman doubled and Jose Barrero walked. Helman advanced to third base on a double play and came home on a wild pitch.

Memphis was unable to answer further in the loss.

The Redbirds scored one run on six hits. Mike Antico and Helman doubled. José Fermín singled and walked. Matt Koperniak recorded two singles.

On defense, pitcher Weiss made a pickoff error.

Memphis is 9-7 on the season.

Friday’s game: vs. Jacksonville, RHP Gordon Graceffo (0-0, 11.37) vs. Freddy Tarnok (0-0, 3.86), 3:05 PM CT.

Springfield Cardinals 2, Arkansas Travelers 5

The Double-A Springfield Cardinals lost a close contest to the Arkansas Travelers on Thursday at Hammons Field.

Tekoah Roby started for Springfield. The right-hander threw four innings and allowed three runs, two earned, on three hits, two walks, and four strikeouts in his third start of the year. These were first runs Roby has allowed this season. Roby took the loss.

Zane Mills yielded two runs over three innings in relief. Left-hander Luis Gastelum tossed a scoreless eighth and ninth with three strikeouts.

Springfield fell behind 3-0 early but tallied their first run in the third inning. Chase Davis and JJ Wetherholt lined back-to-back singles, and Leonardo Bernal hit the third-straight single of the frame to score Davis.

The Travelers tacked on two more runs in the seventh to extend their lead, but the Cardinals narrowed the deficit on a Dakota Harris home run, his second in as many games.

Dakota Harris

Springfield was unable to respond further in the loss.

The Cardinals scored two runs on six hits. Wetherholt was 2-for-3 with a walk and extended his hitting streak to seven games. Harris homered. Bernal singled and drove in one run. Davis singled and scored a run.

Defensively, pitcher Roby and catcher Bernal each committed a throwing error. Pitcher Mills picked off a runner at first base.

Springfield is 8-4 on the season.

Friday’s game: vs. Arkansas, RHP Max Rajcic (1-1, 6.48) vs. RHP Garrett Hill (0-0, 1.15). 6:35 PM CT.

Peoria Chiefs 9, Cedar Rapids Kernels 4

The High-A Chiefs bested the Kernels at Dozer Park on Thursday.

Zack Showalter started for Peoria. The right-hander threw 1 ⅔ innings of no-hit baseball and struck out three but also walked three.

Right-hander Ricardo Velez made his system debut in relief of Showalter. The 26-year-old pitched 2 ⅔ innings on one hit, one walk, and two strikeouts. Cade Winquest followed with 3 ⅔ innings and five strikeouts. Three runs scored against Winquest, all unearned. Hunter Hayes surrendered one run in the ninth to finish the game. Velez earned the win.

In the third inning, Peoria was first to enter the scoring column. Zach Levenson singled and swiped second base. Chase Adkinson advanced Levenson to third on a single. Levenson crossed the plate on a Johnfrank Salazar groundout.

The Chiefs doubled their lead in the fourth inning. Michael Curialle doubled and advanced to third on a Greyson Tarlow groundout. Curialle scored on a wild pitch to put the Chiefs up 2-0.

The bats heated up in the fifth inning. Salazar and Brayden Jobert took back-to-back walks. Tarlow brought Salazar home on a single for the Chiefs’ third run.

Graysen Tarlow

Tre Richardson scored Jobert on his first double of 2025.

https://twitter.com/peoriachiefs/status/tre-richardson/

Jon Jon Gazdar drove in Tarlow and Richardson on a two-run single to stretch the lead to 6-0. All four runs scored with two outs in the inning.

https://twitter.com/peoriachiefs/status/jon-jon-gazdar/

Peoria tacked on another run in the sixth. Joshua Baez walked and stole second base. Baez moved to third on a balk and came home on an Adkison sac fly.

Cedar Rapids scored three runs in the seventh, but the Chiefs’ offense was still hot.

In the eighth, Curialle drew a lead-off walk and swiped second base. Tarlow singled and moved Curialle to third base. Tarlow stole second base on a strikeout. Gazdar plated Curialle and Tarlow on his third double of the season.

Peoria never trailed in the victory.

The Chiefs scored nine runs on 12 hits. Gazdar was 2-for-5, including a double and four RBI. Adkinson recorded one hit and one RBI. Salazar singled and drove in a run. Tarlow tallied two hits and drove in one run. Richardson was 2-for-4, including a double and one RBI. Curialle was 2-for-3, including a double and a walk. Baez hit his first triple of the season.

The Chiefs were busy on the basepaths. Levenson, Curialle, and Tarlow each stole their first base of the season. Richardson snagged his second steal. Baez swiped his sixth bag.

On defense, Curialle made a throwing error. The Chiefs turned two double plays in the game.

Peoria is 4-8 on the season.

Friday’s game: vs. Cedar Rapids, RHP Jose Davila (1-0, 2.79) vs. RHP Alejandro Hidalgo (0-0, 5.63) 7:05 PM CT.

Palm Beach Cardinals 3, Clearwater Threshers 0

The Low-A Cardinals blanked the Threshers at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Thursday.

Jason Savacool made his third start for Palm Beach. The right-hander tossed five shutout innings on four hits, one walk and three strikeouts. Savacool picked up his first win of 2025.

Jason Savacool

Michael Watson fanned four batters over two scoreless innings in relief of Savacool. Mason Burns earned his first professional save and struck out a pair in two innings of work.

Palm Beach scored the first in the inning. Cade McGee took a two-out walk and stole second base, McGee moved to third on the  play. McGee came home on a wild pitch.

The Cardinals plated their second run in the third inning. Nathan Church and McGee singled to start the frame. Church came home on a Christian Martin sacrifice fly.

Palm Beach scored the third run of the game in the seventh. Deniel Ortiz blasted his first professional home run.

Deniel Ortiz

Palm Beach pitching allowed just five hits in the shutout victory.

The Cardinals scored three runs on seven hits. McGee was 2-for-3, including a run scored and a walk. Ortiz homered and collected his fifth professional RBI. McGee swiped two bases.

Palm Beach shined defensively. Church threw out a runner at home plate. Savacool picked off a runner at first base. The Cardinals turned four double plays in the game.

Palm Beach is 8-4 on the season.

Friday’s game: vs. Clearwater. LHP Braden Davis (0-0, 2.25) vs. TBA, 5:30 PM CT.

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Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2025 Week 2

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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – April 14, 2025

photo: RJ Yeager (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals minor league system was a perfect 4-0 on Sunday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Springfield first baseman R.J. Yeager, was 2-for-5, including two home runs, three runs scored, one walk, and four RBI. Other standouts include Ramon Mendoza, Nolan Sparks, Hancel Rincon and Brody Moore.

Games played on Sunday, April 13.

Memphis Redbirds 5 at Nashville Sounds 1

The Triple-A Memphis Redbirds defeated the Sounds in Nashville in the series finale on Sunday, salvaging win two in the six-game set.

Ian Bedell made his second start of the series, and third overall for the Redbirds. The right-hander threw four innings of one-run ball over two hits, one walk, and six strikeouts. Bedell struck out more batters in this start than his previous two starts combined (four).

Ian Bedell

Andre Granillo, Oddanier Mosqueda and Matt Svanson combined for five lights-out innings from the bullpen. The trio allowed just one hit and fanned three collectively. Granillo earned his first win of the season.

Memphis scored the first two runs of the game in the third inning. Mike Antico singled and advanced on a César Prieto sacrifice bunt. José Fermín drove in Antico on a two-run home run, his first of the season.

José Fermín

The Sounds halved the gap in the fourth, but Memphis doubled their lead again in the fifth. Antico led off the frame with a double and scored his second run of the game on a two-out single from Jimmy Crooks.

Jimmy Crooks

Memphis extended its lead in the seventh. Antico reached on a fielding error and crossed home plate on a Prieto triple to extend the lead to 5-1. South Bend failed to respond.

César Prieto

The Redbirds scored five runs on 11 hits. Crooks was 3-for-5, with two RBI. Antico was 2-for-4, with a double and three runs scored. Prieto tripled. Fermín hit a two-run home run. Jose Barrero and Ryan Vilade each tallied two singles. Three of the Redbirds’ five runs scored with two outs in an inning.

Memphis did not commit an error in the final two games of the series.

The Redbirds will head home to AutoZone Park to begin a six-game set against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (MIA).

Tuesday’s game: vs. Jacksonville. Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 PM CT.

Springfield Cardinals 17 at Amarillo Sod Poodles 12

The Double-A Springfield Cardinals prevailed in a slugfest with the Amarillo Sod Poodles on Sunday in Hodgetown, taking five of six in the road series.

Pete Hansen started for Springfield. The left-hander pitched 2 ⅔ innings and allowed five runs, two earned, on four hits, four walks, and four strikeouts.

Right-hander Leonardo Taveras entered in relief of Hansen and yielded three runs in 2 ⅓ innings and fanned three. Jack Ralston allowed one unearned run in two innings and struck out three. Luis Gastelum recorded four strikeouts and surrendered three runs in 1 ⅔ innings. Left-hander Nathanael Heredia recorded the final out of the game via a strikeout. Taveras picked up his second win of 2025.

Springfield’s bats were hot from the start, plating four runs in the top of the first inning. JJ Wetherholt was hit by a pitch and came around to score on a throwing error. R.J. Yeager smashed his first home run of the year to score two more and give Springfield a 3-0 lead.

R.J. Yeager

Following the home run, Dakota Harris legged out a bunt single and Ramon Mendoza walked. Brody Moore plated Harris on a single for Springfield’s fourth run.

Amarillo scored once in the second, but Springfield made it a 6-1 game in the third inning. Mendoza drew his second walk of the game with two outs and came home on Moore’s two-run blast, his first Double-A home run.

Brody Moore

Amarillo stormed into an 8-6 lead with a seven-run bottom of the third. The Cardinals answered immediately in the fourth with their own seven-run frame.

Wetherholt began the rally with a double and scored on a Leonardo Bernal single. Yeager blasted his second home run of the day to put Springfield back in front 9-8. This marked Yeager’s first multi-homer game at the Double-A level, and second of his career.

Harris followed with a single and Jeremy Rivas drew a walk. Mendoza joined the home run party with a three-run blast for Springfield’s fourth home run in as many innings to give Springfield a 12-8 lead.

Ramon Mendoza

Moore walked and scored with two outs on Wetherholt’s second hit of the inning, a single, for a 13-8 lead and the seventh run of the inning.

Amarillo came within three runs after scoring one in the home sixth. Springfield padded their lead in the eighth.

Yeager and Rivas walked, and Mendoza was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one away. Moore singled home Yeager. Darlin Moquete reached on a fielder’s choice, with Rivas scoring. Mendoza plated the Cardinals’ 16th run on Chase Davis’ groundout.

The Sod Poodles answered with three in the bottom of the eighth, but Springfield added one more insurance run in the ninth inning.

Harris and Rivas walked. Harris came in on back-to-back balks to score an unconventional 17th run.

Springfield amassed 17 runs on 12 hits. Moore went 3-for-5, including a three-run home run, three runs scored, one walk, and four RBI. Yeager was 2-for-5, including two, two-run home runs, three runs scored, one walk, and four RBI.  Mendoza hit a three-run home run, scored three times, took three free passes, and drove in three runs. Wetherholt was 2-for-4, including a walk, a run scored, and one RBI in his fourth consecutive multi-hit game. Harris drew two walks and singled twice, with three runs scored.

Defensively, third baseman Harris committed a fielding error and reliever Ralston made a pickoff error. Catcher Bernal tallied a passed ball.

The Cardinals were 6-for-13 with runners in scoring position. Their 17 runs marked the highest run total for the team in the young season, passing their previous high of 16, in Tuesday’s series opener at Amarillo.

Springfield is 7-2 on the season. They will return to Hammons Field for their second home series of the season, this time against the Arkansas Travelers (SEA). The six-game set begins on Tuesday.

Tuesday’s game: vs. Arkansas. LHP Brycen Mautz (0-0, 9.00) vs. TBA, 6:35 PM CT.

Peoria Chiefs 11 at South Bend Cubs 9

The High-A Peoria Chiefs won a wild series finale over the Cubs in South Bend on Sunday.

Hancel Rincon dazzled in his second start of the season. The right-hander fired four shutout innings and allowed two hits, walked one, and struck out two. Rincon has yet to allow an earned run across his first two starts totaling eight innings.

Hancel Rincón

Jawilme Ramirez tossed two innings in relief of Rincon and allowed one run. Tyler Bradt followed and struggled, walking four and surrendering six runs, three earned while recording just two outs. Hunter Hayes yielded one run in 1 ⅔ innings. Tanner Jacobson pitched a scoreless ninth and earned his first save of the season. Ramirez picked up his first win in the Cardinals organization.

The Chiefs kicked off the scoring frenzy in the first inning. With two out, Zach Levenson and Joshua Baez hit back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners. Baez swiped second base and Levenson came home on the play after a throwing error.

Peoria doubled their lead in the second inning. Michael Curialle smoked a ball out to left field for his second home run of the season.

Michael Curialle

The Chiefs plated three more in the fifth inning. Ryan Campos walked and Levenson hit his first double of the season to put two men in scoring position. Won-Bin Cho lined a single into center field to give Peoria a 4-0 lead with Campos and Levenson coming home.

Won-Bin Cho

The Chiefs were then beneficiaries of wildness by the Cubs pitcher. Miguel Ugueto and Brayden Jobert were plunked to load the bases. Curialle was then hit by a pitch to plate the Chiefs’ fifth run.

The Chiefs showed off their speed on the bases to score their sixth run in the sixth inning. Miguel Villarroel singled and stole second base. Campos walked. Villarroel and Campos pulled off a double-steal. That forced another South Bend throwing error which scored Villarroel and put Peoria up 6-0.

The Cubs took one run back in the home sixth, but Peoria responded immediately in the seventh. Jobert smoked a lead-off double. Curialle and Jon Jon Gazdar walked to load the bases with no outs. Villarroel reached on catcher’s interference to bring Jobert home. Levenson brought home Curialle and Gazdar on a line-drive single and extended the lead to 9-1.

Zach Levenson

Peoria barely held the eight-run lead as South Bend logged a seven-run seventh, but their bats weren’t done yet.

Ugueto led off the eighth with a single. Gazdar, Villarroel, and Campos drew consecutive two-out walks to score Ugueto. Gazdar came home on a wild pitch to give Peoria an 11-8 lead.

The Chiefs scored 11 runs on 13 hits. Levenson was 3-for-4, including his first double of 2025, two walks, two runs scored, and two RBI. Curialle was 2-for-3, including a home run, a walk, two runs scored, and two RBI. Campos was 1-for-3, with a double, a run scored, three walks, and one RBI. Gazdar doubled and walked twice. Cho singled and drove in two runs. Villarroel tallied a single and one RBI. Ugueto singled twice.

Peoria excelled on the basepaths. Villarroel swiped his second and third bags of the season. Baez stole his third base. Campos snagged his first professional steal.

Defensively, third baseman Curialle committed a fielding error. Left fielder Ugueto nailed a runner at home plate.

Peoria is 2-7 on the season. They will travel back to Dozer Park for their second home series of the year, with the opponent the Cedar Rapids Kernels (MIN). The six-game series is slated to begin on Tuesday.

Tuesday’s game: vs. Cedar Rapids. Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 PM CT.

Palm Beach Cardinals 5 at Bradenton Marauders 3

The Low-A Palm Beach Cardinals edged the Bradenton Marauders at LECOM Park on Sunday, taking four of six in the road series.

Nelfy Ynfante started for the Cardinals. The right-hander pitched 2 ⅔ innings and allowed two runs on five hits, three walks, and one strikeout.

Christian Worley entered in relief of Ynfante and retired four batters. Nolan Sparks followed and tossed four innings, allowed one run, and fanned six. Left-hander Jack Findlay picked up his first professional save with a scoreless ninth and two strikeouts. Worley earned his first career win.

Nolan Sparks

Palm Beach wasted no time scoring via Travis Honeyman’s first professional home run.

The Marauders answered with two and carried a 2-1 lead into the fourth inning, but Palm Beach wasn’t done flexing their muscles. Cade McGee singled with one out, and Josh Kross launched a two-run blast to give Palm Beach a 3-2 lead. It was Kross’ third long ball in three games.

Josh Kross

The Cardinals extended their lead by two in the fifth. Deniel Ortiz and Anyelo Encarnacion singled. Jonathan Mejia forced Ortiz out at third base. Honeyman walked to load the bags, and Encarnacion crossed the plate on a Cade McGee bases-loaded walk. Mejia came home on a sacrifice fly by Kross to make it a 5-2 lead.

Palm Beach’s five runs were all they needed to emerge victorious.

The Cardinals scored five runs on nine hits. Honeyman was 1-for-3, including a walk and his first professional home run and RBI. McGee singled and brought one home via a bases-loaded walk. Kross was 1-for-3, including a home run, sac fly, and three RBI. Kross hit a two-run home run and is the league co-leader in long balls with three. Luis Pino recorded a pinch-hit triple, the first triple of his MiLB career. Sammy Hernandez tallied two singles.

The Cardinals did not commit an error, after making two on Saturday. The pitching staff stranded 12 Bradenton men on base.

Palm Beach is 6-3 on the season. They will travel to Holman Stadium in Vero Beach, Florida on Tuesday to begin their second home series of 2025 against the Clearwater Threshers (PHI). The remainder of the six-game set will be held at Roger Dean.

Tuesday’s game: vs. Clearwater. Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 5:42 PM CT.

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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – April 13, 2025

photo: Josh Kross (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals system was 2-3 on Saturday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Josh Kross, was 2-for-3, including a double, a two-run home run, a walk, and three RBI. Other standouts include JJ Wetherholt, Christian Martin, Jose Davila and Braden Davis.

Games played on Saturday, April 12.

Memphis Redbirds 2 at Nashville Sounds 6

The Triple-A Memphis Redbirds dropped their second straight contest and the series to the Sounds at First Horizon Park in Nashville on Saturday.

Gordon Graceffo made his second start for Memphis. The right-hander threw four innings and allowed four runs on four hits, three walks, and five strikeouts. Graceffo took the loss.

Lefty Alex Cornwell tossed two innings in relief of Graceffo and surrendered two runs. Right-hander Nick Anderson struck out three in two scoreless innings.

Nick Anderson

Brandon Woodruff, who did not pitch last season due to injury, made a rehab start for Nashville, working toward rejoining the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Redbirds went down 4-0 early but cut the deficit in half in the top of the fourth against Woodruff. Jose Barrero walked and stole second base. Ryan Vilade drove in Barrero for the Redbirds’ first run. Mike Antico moved Vilade to third on a single. Vilade scored on a sacrifice fly from Gavin Collins.

The Sounds added two more runs in the fifth to extend the lead to 6-2. Neither team scored after the fifth inning.

Memphis scored two runs on six hits, all singles. Ryan Vilade drove in his fifth run of the season on a single. Gavin Collins notched his seventh RBI on a sac fly. Antico recorded two hits. Michael Helman tallied three hits.

On the bases, Bryan Torres stole his third bag. Barrero swiped his second.

Memphis is 6-6 on the season.

Sunday’s game: at Nashville, TBA (Mem) vs. RHP Tobias Myers (0-0, 0.00) 2:05 PM CT.

Springfield Cardinals 3 at Amarillo Sod Poodles 15

The Double-A Springfield Cardinals were thumped by the Amarillo Sod Poodles on Saturday at Hodgetown.

Current Texas League Pitcher of the Week Max Racjic made his second start of the season for Springfield, but it did not go nearly as well as the first. In 3 1/3 innings, the right-hander allowed six runs on seven hits and three walks, with four strikeouts.

Osvaldo Berrios surrendered four runs, two earned, in one inning of relief. Edwin Nuñez threw 1 ⅔ innings and gave up three runs. Austin Love pitched the seventh and eighth inning, and allowed two runs, one earned, with three strikeouts.

Behind 11-0 after five innings, Springfield broke the shutout in the top of the sixth. Chase Davis walked and R.J. Yeager was plunked. Jeremy Rivas reached first on a force out, with Yeager out at second base. Davis crossed the plate on a Dakota Harris single. Rivas and Harris advanced on a balk. Jacob Buchberger brought Rivas home on a single. Harris came home on a wild pitch to make it 11-3.

Amarillo tacked on four more runs over the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings as all four Cardinals pitchers yielded multiple runs. Springfield failed to answer.

JJ Wetherholt

The Cardinals scored three runs on six singles. JJ Wetherholt was 2-for-4, including a walk, in his third straight multi-hit game. Darlin Moquete, Carlos Linarez, Harris, and Buchberger each tallied one hit. Davis drew three walks.

Defensively, Springfield committed four fielding errors, by right fielder Moquete, center fielder Davis, shortstop Wetherholt and first baseman Harris.

Springfield is 6-2 on the season.

Sunday’s game: at Amarillo, LHP Pete Hansen (0-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Roman Angelo (0-1, 16.62), 1:05 PM CT.

Peoria Chiefs 2 at South Bend Cubs 4 (seven innings, Game one)

The High-A Peoria Chiefs fell to the Cubs in South Bend in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader at Four Winds Field for their seventh consecutive loss to open 2025.

Cade Winquest started for the Chiefs. The right-hander pitched three innings and allowed two runs on three hits, one walk and four strikeouts. Winquest took the loss.

Zack Showalter allowed two runs in ⅔ of an inning in relief of Winquest. Dionys Rodriguez followed and tossed 1 ⅓ shutout innings. D.J. Carpenter tallied a scoreless sixth.

Peoria scored the first run of the game in the top of the third inning. Michael Curielle singled and advanced to second base on a fielding error. Jon Jon Gazdar advanced Curielle to third base on a single. Ryan Campos brought Curielle home on an RBI groundout.

The Cubs responded with two runs each in the third and fourth innings to take a 4-1 lead.

Jon Jon Gazdar

Peoria scratched another run across in the fifth inning. Gazdar lined his second single of the game and moved up to second base on a throwing error via pickoff attempt. Campos walked, and Ian Petrotz singled home Gazdar to make it 4-2.

The Chiefs scored two runs on six hits, all singles. Gazdar was a perfect 3-for-3, scoring one run. Petrutz tallied an RBI single. Campos walked and drove in one run. Curialle and Trey Paige each tallied one hit.

On defense, Winquest committed a throwing error.

Peoria Chiefs 4 at South Bend Cubs 2 (seven innings, Game two)

The Chiefs emerged victorious for the first time this season in game two of Saturday’s doubleheader in South Bend against the Cubs. This was the make up of Wednesday’s rainout.

Jose Davila made his second start of 2025. The right-hander tossed five innings of one-run ball and allowed three hits, walked four and struck out one. Davila earned his first win at High-A.

José Dávila

Right-hander Angel Gonzalez pitched the final two innings in relief and gave up one run on one hit, two walks, and three strikeouts. Gonzalez tallied his first save with the Chiefs.

The Chiefs got on the board in the top of the first inning. Miguel Villarroel led off the game with a single and swiped second base. Ian Petrutz brought Villarroel home on a single.

Ian Petrutz

Peoria extended its lead to 2-0 in the fourth inning. Miguel Ugueto doubled and touched home plate on a Trey Paige single.

Trey Paige

The Cubs cut the lead in half in the bottom of the fourth inning, but the Chiefs immediately responded with a pair of runs in the fifth.

Jon Jon Gazdar and Villarroel began with back-to-back singles. They moved up one base on a balk. Zach Levenson knocked a single to center field to plate Gazdar and Villarroel for a 4-1 lead.

Zach Levenson

The Chiefs never trailed in the 4-2 victory.

Peoria scored four runs on 10 hits. Levenson was 2-for-4, including his first two RBI of 2025. Villarroel was 2-for-4, with two runs scored. Johnfrank Salazar and Ugueto tallied their first doubles of 2025. Petrutz recorded an RBI single. Paige drove in his first run of the season. Gazdar singled and scored a run.

On the basepaths, Villarroel stole his first bag. Defensively, Gonzalez made a throwing error. The Chiefs turned three double plays in the game.

Peoria is 1-7 on the season.

Sunday’s game: at South Bend, RHP Hancel Rincon (0-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Kenten Egbert (0-0, 7.36) 1:05 CT.

Palm Beach Cardinals 11 at Bradenton Marauders 3

The Low-A Palm Beach Cardinals crushed the Bradenton Marauders on Saturday at LECOM Park.

Braden Davis made his second professional start for Palm Beach. The right-hander fired four innings and allowed one unearned run on one hit, four walks, and six strikeouts.

Braden Davis

Righty Mason Burns tossed two shutout frames in relief on one hit, one walk, and three strikeouts. Sam Brodersen recorded five outs and allowed one run. Michael Watson finished the remaining 1 ⅔ innings and fanned three without a run crossing the plate. Burns earned his first professional win.

Mason Burns

Palm Beach’s bats erupted in the top of the first inning, as the visitors scored six runs. Bryce Madron hit a lead-off double. Christian Martin followed with a single that moved Madron to third. Madron crossed home plate on a wild pitch. Cade McGee walked and Josh Kross plated Martin on his third double of the season. Luis Pino doubled in McGee to make it 3-0. Sammy Hernandez scorched a two-run double, scoring Kross and Pino. Anyelo Encarnacion brought Hernandez home on a two-out single to extend the lead to 6-0.

Palm Beach extended its lead to 8-1 in the seventh.  Kross reached on a hit-by-pitch and crossed home on a Jose Cordoba double. Deniel Ortiz brought Cordoba in on a single.

Bradenton scored two in the bottom of the seventh, but Palm Beach’s bats were still hot in the eighth.

Madron drew a walk and Martin reached on a fielder’s choice. Madron advanced to third base on the play due to a throwing error. Madron scored on the second consecutive Marauders error, which allowed McGee to reach base. Kross smashed his second home run of the season and grew Palm Beach’s lead to 11-3.

Josh Kross

Palm Beach scored 11 runs on 12 hits. Martin was 3-for-6, including a double and a run scored. Kross was 2-for-3, including a double, a two-run home run, one run scored, a walk, and three RBI. For the season, Kross leads the team with eight RBI. Pino was 2-for-5, including a double and one RBI. Hernandez knocked in two runs and touched home twice. Madron doubled and walked twice.

Cordoba, Encarnacion, and Ortiz each recorded one hit and a two-out RBI.

On the basepaths, Encarnacion was caught stealing. Center fielder Madron and catcher Hernandez each made a throwing error.

Palm Beach is 5-3 this season.

Sunday’s game: Pitching probables have not yet been announced for Sunday’s game at Bradenton. First pitch is scheduled for 11:00 AM CT.

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 your PDF or printed book copy today!

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

Order The Cardinal Nation’s 2025 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide

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2025 St. Louis Cardinals Prospects – Best of the Rest – Brian Walton

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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – April 11, 2025

photo: Jimmy Crooks (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals system was 3-1 on Thursday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Memphis catcher Jimmy Crooks, was 3-for-5, including a double, a three-run home run, two runs scored, and six RBI. Other standouts include Ixan Henderson, Jonathan Mejia, Sammy Hernandez and Michael McGreevy.

Memphis Redbirds 8 at Nashville Sounds 3

The Triple-A Memphis Redbirds flew past the Sounds at First Horizon Park in Nashville on Thursday.

Michael McGreevy made his third start of 2025 for the Redbirds. The right-hander threw five innings, gave up two runs on seven hits, walked one, and struck out four. McGreevy earned his second win of the season.

Michael McGreevy

Righties Nick Anderson and Andre Granillo each fired a scoreless inning in relief of McGreevy. Left-hander Oddanier Mosqueda allowed one run in the eighth. Ryan Loutos pitched a scoreless ninth.

Memphis fell behind 2-0 early, but cut the lead in the third inning. Mike Antico walked and crossed home plate on a Michael Helman single.

Michael Helman

Memphis took the lead in the sixth inning. Helman began the inning with a walk. Jimmy Crooks smacked a double to score Helman and tie the game.

Jimmy Crooks

Crooks touched home on a double play to give the Redbirds a 3-2 lead.

Memphis added a pair of runs in the seventh. Antico led off with a single. José Fermín and Bryan Torres walked to load the bases with no outs. Crooks notched his second double in as many innings, plating Antico and Fermín, and extending the lead to 5-2.

The Redbirds added insurance runs in the ninth inning. Fermín singled and took second on a pickoff error. Torres walked, and Crooks came through again with a two-out, three-run blast to put the game out of Nashville’s reach.

Memphis scored eight runs on seven hits. Crooks was 3-for-5, including a double, a home run, and six RBI. For the season, Crooks now leads Memphis with 10 RBI. Helman, Torres, Fermín and Antico singled.

Defensively, Helman racked up two outfield assists, throwing out runners at second and third base from right field.

Memphis is 6-4 on the season.

Friday’s game: at Nashville, LHP Quinn Mathews (0-1, 3.52) vs. RHP Carlos Rodriguez (1-0, 1.00) 6:35 CT.

Springfield Cardinals 8 at Amarillo Sod Poodles 4

The Double-A Springfield Cardinals won their third straight road contest over the Amarillo Sod Poodles on Thursday.

Ixan Henderson impressed in his first Double-A start. The left-hander fired five shutout innings on three hits, walked three, and fanned eight batters.

Ixan Henderson

Right-handers Ryan Shreve and Andrew Marrero each tossed two innings in relief to seal the victory.

Springfield jumped out of the gates with a two-run top of the first. Chase Davis singled, Jeremy Rivas walked, and Leonardo Bernal reached on a fielding error to load the bases with no outs. Noah Mendlinger lined a two-out single to bring Davis and Rivas home.

The Cardinals doubled their lead in the third inning. R.J. Yeager doubled and came home on Jacob Buchberger’s first home run of the season.

Jacob Buchberger

Springfield plated two more runs in the sixth. Bernal led off with a double. Dakota Harris drove in Bernal with a single. Mendlinger followed with a double, and Ramon Mendoza singled him home to extend the Cardinals lead to 6-0.

Amarillo took one run back in the home sixth, but the Cardinals scored a pair of runs in the eighth to pad the lead.

Buchberger singled and swiped second base. Darlin Moquete knocked Buchberger home via a single. Moquete stole second and touched home on a single by Rivas to make it 8-1.

Springfield held off a late Sod Poodles rally to secure the 8-4 win.

The Cardinals scored eight runs on 13 hits. Every batter tallied at least one hit. Buchberger was 2-for-4, including a home run, two runs scored, a walk, and two RBI. Rivas, Bernal and Mendlinger doubled.

On the basepaths, Mendlinger and Buchberger stole their first bags of the season. Moquete snagged his second steal. Defensively, Harris committed a throwing error.

Springfield is 5-1 on the season.

Friday’s game: at Amarillo, RHP Tekoah Roby (0-0, 0.00) vs. LHP Avery Short (0-1, 54.00) 7:05 PM CT.

Peoria Chiefs 2 at South Bend Cubs 3

Still looking for their first win of 2025, the High-A Peoria Chiefs dropped a close contest at the South Bend Cubs on Thursday.

Darlin Saladin made his first start of the season. The right-hander pitched four innings and allowed one unearned run on one hit, walked three, and fanned three.

Darlin Saladin

Tyler Bradt tossed two hitless innings with a pair of strikeouts but was charged with one unearned run in relief of Saladin. Hunter Hayes followed and allowed one run over two innings. Hayes took the loss.

Peoria opened the scoring in the top of the fourth inning via a Joshua Baez walk. Baez stole second and scored on a South Bend throwing error that allowed Zach Levenson to reach base.

The Cubs clawed back, taking a 2-1 lead into the eighth inning, when the Chiefs strung together a rally to tie the game.

Miguel Villarroel drew a one-out walk and Ian Petrutz singled and advanced to second base on another Cubs error. Villarroel moved up to third base on the play. Braden Jobert loaded the bases on a hit by pitch. Baez plated the tying run by reaching on catcher’s interference, South Bend’s third error.

South Bend took the lead in the home eighth and held it to win the game.

The Chiefs scored two runs on three hits. Jon Jon Gazdar recorded the lone extra-base hit for Peoria, a double. Petrutz and Baez each singled.

On the bases, Jobert stole his first of the season. Baez swiped his second bag.

Defensively, shortstop Villarroel made a throwing error. First baseman Johnfrank Salazar committed a throwing error. Baez threw out a runner at second base.

Peoria is 0-5 on the season.

Friday’s game: at South Bend, RHP Gerardo Salas (0-1, 5.40) vs RHP Nick Dean (0-0, 0.00) 6:05 CT.

Palm Beach Cardinals 18 at Bradenton Marauders 6

The Low-A Palm Beach Cardinals steamrolled the Bradenton Marauders in their highest-scoring game of the young season on Thursday.

Leonel Sequera dazzled in his second start on the mound for Palm Beach. The right-hander tossed four shutout innings and allowed one hit, one walk, and struck out four. Sequera has yet to allow an extra-base hit this season.

Leonel Sequera

Jack Findlay and Samuel Fabian pitched the fifth and sixth innings, respectively, and each allowed three runs. Yordy Herrera struck out four across two scoreless frames, and Sam Brodersen threw a scoreless ninth. Herrera picked up his first win of 2025.

Palm Beach came out of the gates strong in a nine-run top of the first.

Christian Martin and Jonathan Mejia led off the game with singles, and Cade McGee walked to load the bases with nobody out. With two outs and no runners home, Luis Pino drew a bases-loaded walk for Palm Beach’s first run. Sammy Hernandez and Jose Cordoba each took free passes to give Palm Beach a 3-0 lead. Deniel Ortiz knocked home Pino and Hernandez on a single. Martin tallied his second hit of the inning with a double, scoring Cordoba. Mejia cranked his first home run of the season, a three-run shot, to make it 9-0.

Jonathan Mejia

In the fourth inning, Palm Beach loaded the bases with no outs for the second time following a Bryce Madron walk, Pino single, and Hernandez walk. Cordoba plated Madron to give Palm Beach a double-digit lead.

The Cardinals had another impressive offensive showing in the fifth inning.

Martin opened the frame by reaching on a hit-by-pitch and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Mejia walked, and McGee doubled home Martin. Yordalin Pena walked to load the bases again for Palm Beach. Madron and Pino walked to bring two more runs home, extending the lead to 13-0. Hernandez singled home Pena and Madron. Cordoba smacked his first double of the season, plating Pino and Hernandez. Cordoba advanced to third base on a passed ball, and touched home on an Ortiz sacrifice fly, capping an eight-run fifth and an 18-0 Cardinal lead.

Sammy Hernandez

Palm Beach scored all the runs they needed in the first five innings of the rout of Bradenton.

The Cardinals scored 18 runs on 13 hits. Eight out of the nine hitters tallied at least one hit and one RBI. Every hitter scored at least one run. The Cardinals drew 13 walks, five of which were with the bases loaded.

Mejia was 3-for-5, including a three-run home run and a walk. McGee was 2-for-4 including a double and two walks.  Martin was 2-for-4, including a double, a walk, three runs scored, and two RBI. Hernandez drew three walks, scored twice, and drove in three runs.

The Cardinals were 7-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

On defense, Mejia committed a throwing error.

Palm Beach is 4-2 on the season.

Friday’s game: at Bradenton, RHP Jason Savacool (0-1, 0.00) vs. RHP Carlos Castillo (0-0, 0.00) 5:30 PM CT.

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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – April 7, 2025

photo: Won-Bin Cho (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals’ minor league system was 2-2 on Sunday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Palm Beach outfielder Won-Bin Cho, was 2-for-4, including a home run, three RBI, two runs scored, and a stolen base. Other standouts include Max Rajcic, Angel Cuenca, Zack Showalter and Joshua Baez.

Results for games played on Sunday, April 6.

Memphis Redbirds vs. Buffalo Bisons (canceled)

The Triple-A Memphis Redbirds’ Sunday doubleheader against the Buffalo Bisons was canceled due to inclement weather. The Redbirds announced that these games will not be made up because the two teams are not scheduled to play again in 2025.

Memphis begins their first road trip of 2025 at First Horizon Park in Nashville, Tennessee for a six-game set against the Nashville Sounds (MIL) starting Tuesday.

Tuesday’s pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 PM CT.

Springfield Cardinals 5, Wichita Wind Surge 0 (seven innings, Game one)

The Springfield Cardinals shut out the Wichita Wind Surge in game one of Sunday’s doubleheader at Hammons Field. It was the makeup of Friday’s postponement due to inclement weather.

Max Rajcic impressed in his first start of the season. The right-hander threw five scoreless innings and allowed one hit, walked one, and struck out five. Racjic earned the win.

Max Rajcic

Right-hander Austin Love made his Springfield debut in relief and tossed a scoreless sixth.

Springfield’s bats caught fire in a three-run bottom of the second, collecting five hits. Dakota Harris and Noah Mendlinger led off with back-to-back singles. Jacob Buchberger doubled home Harris to score Springfield’s first run in his season debut.

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Brody Moore brought home Mendlinger on his first hit at the Double-A level. Chase Davis drove in Moore.

In the bottom of the third inning, Harris drew a walk, and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Buchberger’s line-drive single scored Harris and make it 4-0.

The Cardinals’ fifth run came in similar fashion. Ramon Mendoza drew a one-out walk and took second via wild pitch to begin the home sixth. Darlin Moquete’s two-out single plated Mendoza.

Jack Ralston escaped a bases-loaded jam to seal the win with two strikeouts in a scoreless seventh.

This marked Springfield’s 700th win at Hammons Field.

Springfield scored five runs on eight hits. Seven hitters in the lineup tallied at least one hit.

Buchburger was 2-for-3, including a double, and drove in two runs. Davis, Moquete, and Moore each singled and knocked in one run. Mendlinger, Harris, and Leonardo Bernal also singled.

Cardinals pitchers stranded seven Wichita men on base.

Moquete stole his first of the year and his first at Double-A.

Springfield Cardinals 2, Wichita Wind Surge 10 (seven innings, Game two)

The Springfield Cardinals fell to the Wichita Wind Surge in game two of Sunday’s twin bill.

In a bullpen game, right-hander Zane Mills started for the Cardinals. He threw 1 ⅔ innings and allowed six runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out one. Mills took the loss.

Andrew Marrero made his season debut in relief of Mills and allowed two runs in one inning of work. Ryan Shreve followed Marrero and yielded two runs in two innings. Left-hander Nathaniel Heredia tossed 1 ⅓ scoreless, and right-hander Leonardo Taveras pitched a scoreless seventh.

The Cardinals’ two runs came in the bottom of the fourth inning. R.J. Yeager reached on a hit-by-pitch, Jeremy Rivas walked and Ramon Mendoza singled to load the bases with nobody out. Jacob Buchberger legged out an infield single to score Yeager. Brody Moore plated Rivas with a sacrifice fly.

Springfield scored two runs on five hits. Chase Davis went 2-for-3, including a walk. Buchberger singled and notched his third RBI of the year. Moore collected an RBI. Mendoza and Carlos Linarez also singled.

Defensively, Springfield featured a different lineup. JJ Wetherholt moved into the DH spot for the first time. Catcher Carlos Linarez made his season debut. Moore has started in three different positions in Springfield’s first three games: designated hitter, second base, and shortstop.

The Springfield defense did not commit an error through their first series (of three games).

The Cardinals are 2-1. They will travel to Hodgetown in Amarillo, Texas to begin their first road series of 2025 in a six-game set against the Amarillo Sod Poodles (ARI) on Tuesday.

Pitching probables have not been announced for Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM CT.

Peoria Chiefs 7, Quad Cities River Bandits 9 (12 innings)

The High-A Peoria Chiefs lost a wild extra-inning contest to the Quad Cities River Bandits in the three-game series finale at Dozer Park.

Jose Davila started in his Chiefs debut. The right-hander threw 4 ⅔ innings and allowed two runs on just one hit, walked four, and fanned six.

Two Chiefs relievers also pitched in a Chiefs uniform for the first time. Zack Showalter dominated as a tandem starter with Davila. Showalter fired four shutout innings, allowed one hit, and struck out six River Bandits.

Zack Showalter

Two position players made their professional pitching debuts as they took the mound for the Chiefs in the last two innings. Infielder Johnfrank Salazar recorded five outs and allowed five runs, three earned, on three hits. Catcher Grayson Tarlow pitched the final out of the top of the 12th inning and did not allow a run. Salazar took the loss.

The Chiefs fell behind 2-0 early but evened the score in the fifth inning. Tre Richardson reached on a fielding error, and advanced to second on another error, caused by a pickoff attempt. Jon Jon Gazdar and Zack Levenson walked to load the bases. Joshua Baez singled to plate Richardson and Gazdar.

The score stayed tied at two, forcing extra innings.

Peoria allowed two runs in the 10th inning but strung together another rally to tie the game again.

Levenson started the inning at second base, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Baez walked, and Levenson crossed home plate on a Chase Adkinson sacrifice fly. The Chiefs scored their fourth run on a throwing error which plated Baez.

The Chiefs surrendered one run in the 11th but stormed back to re-tie the score after two quick outs to begin the bottom of the inning.

Trey Paige opened the inning at second base, and Ryan Campos drew the Chiefs’ second-straight lead-off walk in extras. Paige scored on the River Bandits’ fourth error of the game, knotting the score at five.

Against the non-pitchers, the River Bandits made it 9-5 going into the bottom of the 12th. This time, the deficit was too large to make up.

Michael Curialle launched his first home run of the season to make the final 9-7.

Michael Curialle

Peoria scored seven runs on 10 hits. Baez went 3-for-5, including a walk, an RBI, and two runs scored. Adkinson was 1-for-4, including a double, a walk, and an RBI on a sac fly. Campos walked and collected the Chiefs’ first triple of the season. Curialle was 2-for-5, including a two-run home run and a walk. Miguel Ugueto, Paige and Gazdar each tallied one hit.

On the basepaths, Baez swiped his first base of the season. Ugeuto and Paige were caught stealing.

The Chiefs are 0-3 this season.

The Chiefs’ first road trip of 2025 will begin at Four Winds Field in South Bend, Indiana for a six-game set starting Tuesday against the South Bend Cubs (ChC).

Pitching probables have not been announced for Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 PM CT.

Palm Beach Cardinals 11, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels 10

The Low-A Palm Beach Cardinals won a Sunday thriller over the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium to take their first series of the season.

Braden Davis started for Palm Beach in his professional debut. The left-hander went four innings and allowed two runs on three hits. He walked two and struck out six.

Angel Cuenca

Right-hander Angel Cuenca impressed in his season debut. He pitched three shutout innings in relief of Davis and struck out four. Yordy Herrera allowed five runs, four earned in ⅔ innings of work. Sam Broderson recorded one out via strikeout.

Samuel Fabian made his Palm Beach debut in the ninth inning and earned his first win despite allowing one run.

The Mighty Mussels struck first in the third inning on a solo home run, but Jose Cordoba answered with his own solo blast in his first at-bat of the season to tie the ballgame.

Jose Cordoba

Fort Myers took a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth. Palm Beach answered and took their first lead of the game in the home half. Deniel Ortiz walked and stole second. Jonathan Mejia singled, and Won-Bin Cho reached base on a fielder’s choice. Ortiz scored on the play.

Josh Kross tripled to bring home Mejia and Cho.

Josh Kross

Christian Martin singled to bring home Kross and give Palm Beach a 5-2 lead.

Ortiz drew his second walk in the seventh, and Cho extended the Cardinals’ lead to 7-2 with his first home run of 2025.

Won-Bin Cho

Fort Myers rallied with a six-run eighth inning and a two-run ninth to take a 10-7 lead. Palm Beach responded with a comeback of their own in the bottom of the ninth.

Cordoba reached base on a fielding error and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Bryce Madron and Ortiz took back-to-back walks to load the bases with no outs. Cordoba scored on the second wild pitch of the inning. Madron touched home on a Mejia groundout.

Cade McGee sent everybody home with a two-run blast, his second home run of the year and third of the day for Palm Beach in the wild 11-10 finish.

Cade McGee

The Cardinals scored 11 runs on nine hits. Five of their nine hits went for extra bases.

Cho was 2-for-4, including a home run, three RBI, and two runs scored. Cordoba homered and scored twice. Kross drove in two on a triple. Madron walked and doubled. Martin singled twice, driving in one run. McGee’s lone hit was a two-run walk-off home run. Mejia singled.

Five of Palm Beach’s RBI came with two outs.

Defensively, outfielder Cordoba threw out a runner at second base from left field, his first outfield assist of 2025. Catcher Kross threw out two runners from behind the plate. Palm Beach committed five errors in the game. Kross and Mejia each made a throwing error, Peña committed a fielding miscue and Martin was charged with two errors, one of each.

Palm Beach excelled on the bases. Ortiz stole two bags, and Cho one.

Cho raised his batting average to .429. Martin is hitting .417 and McGee is at .364 after three games.

Palm Beach is 2-1 for the season. They will travel to LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida to begin a six-game series against the Bradenton Marauders (PIT) on Tuesday.

Pitching probables for Tuesday have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 4:30 PM CT.

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Where are The Cardinal Nation’s Top 50 Prospects to Open 2025?

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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – April 6, 2025

photo: Tekoah Roby (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals system was 1-3 on Saturday as Memphis’ game was postponed. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Springfield’s Tekoah Roby, dominated, pitching four shutout innings on two hits and five strikeouts. Other standouts include Cade McGee, RJ Yeager, Johnfrank Salazar and Edwin Nuñez.

Results for games played Saturday, April 5:

Memphis vs. Buffalo (postponed)

The Triple-A Memphis Redbirds will play a doubleheader on Sunday against the Buffalo Bisons at AutoZone Park, after Saturday’s matchup was postponed due to inclement weather.

Sunday’s games: RHP Ian Bedell (0-0, 27.00) vs. RHP Jake Bloss (0-1, 6.75) 1:05 CT (game one); LHP Alex Cornwell (1-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Andrew Bash (1-0, 3.00) (game two)

Springfield Cardinals 6, Wichita Wind Surge 2

The Cardinals blew past the Wichita Wind Surge by a score of 6-2 at Hammons Field in their first game of the Double-A season.

Starter Tekoah Roby dazzled. The right-hander tossed four shutout innings and struck out five, allowing just two hits and walking one. His curveball was an excellent weapon, as he used it right away to collect his first strikeout of 2025.

Tekoah Roby

Right-handers Luis Gastelum, Edwin Nuñez, and Osvaldo Berrios were lights out from the bullpen. Gastelum tossed a scoreless fifth. Nuñez followed with two shutout innings, and Berrios threw a scoreless eighth. They allowed just one hit and struck out five as a group. Sean Harney allowed two runs in the ninth in his system debut. Nuñez picked up the win.

Springfield strung together a two-out bottom of the first. With two outs, Leonardo Bernal singled, R.J. Yeager walked, and Jeremy Rivas was hit by a pitch to bring up Dakota Harris with the bases loaded. Harris legged out an infield single to score Bernal for the Cardinals’ first run of the season.

The Cardinals plated three more in the third inning. JJ Wetherholt was hit by a pitch and Bernal doubled to right field to put two in scoring position. Yeager brought Wetherholt home on a sacrifice fly. Harris doubled home Bernal. Noah Mendlinger singled home Harris to make it 5-0.

Two more runs came home for Springfield in the fifth. Yeager singled and swiped second base. Rivas then lifted a ball into the Wichita bullpen in left field for Springfield’s first home run of the season, extending the lead to 6-0.

Jeremy Rivas

Springfield plated six runs on eight hits, with six of their nine hitters tallying at least one hit.

The organization’s top prospect, shortstop JJ Wetherholt, made his Double-A debut. He was hit by a pitch and scored one run. Harris went 2-for-4 including a double and two RBI. Rivas drove in two on a home run. Bernal was 2-for-4, including a double. Mendlinger drove in a run on his only hit of the game. Yeager was a perfect 1-for-1, also drawing a walk and hitting a sacrifice fly. Darlin Moquete singled.

The Cardinals were 4-for-6 with runners in scoring position.

Springfield moves to 1-0 on the season.

Springfield will play a doubleheader on Sunday, due to Friday’s postponement due to inclement weather.

Sunday’s games: vs. Wind Surge, RHP Max Rajcic (0-0, 0.00) vs. LHP Aaron Rozek (0-0, 0.00) 1:05 CT (game one); vs. Wind Surge, RHP Zane Mills (bullpen game) vs. RHP Trent Baker (0-0, 0.00) (game two).

Peoria Chiefs 2, Quad Cities River Bandits 6 (seven innings, Game 1)

The High-A Peoria Chiefs fell to the Quad Cities River Bandits in game one of a Saturday doubleheader, and their first game of the 2025 season.

In his High-A debut, Gerardo Salas started for the Chiefs. The right-hander went 3 ⅓ innings, allowing two runs on three hits, walking one and striking out three. Salas took the loss.

Right-hander Hunter Hayes recorded five outs in relief, allowing three runs on five hits and striking out a pair. Jawilme Ramirez made his system debut, allowing one run on one hit, walking two and fanning one in his one inning of work. Last year’s Rule 5 pick in the Triple-A phase, right-hander Angel Gonzalez, made his system debut and tossed a scoreless seventh, striking out two.

The Chiefs fell behind 1-0 early on a lead-off home run, but they evened the score in the bottom of the first. Miguel Villarroel doubled for the first hit of the season for the Chiefs and came around to score after a River Bandits error.

Miguel Villarroel

Quad Cities took the run back in the second and added three more in the fifth and one in the sixth to make it a 6-1 game.

The Chiefs plated one in the bottom of the seventh, as Ryan Campos and Trey Paige walked, and groundouts from Johnfrank Salazar and Jon Jon Gazdar brought Campos home.

The Chiefs scored two runs on just two hits. Villarroel doubled and Joshua Baez singled. Brayden Jobert and Gazdar drove in the runs.

Defensively, catcher Ryan Campos made a throwing error, his first of the season. Outfielder Ian Petrutz threw out a runner at third base.

Peoria Chiefs 6, Quad Cities River Bandits 8 (eight innings, Game 2)

The Chiefs lost a tight extra inning contest in game two of their Saturday doubleheader against the River Bandits at Dozer Park.

Cade Winquest started. The right-hander allowed two runs, three walks, and struck out three in two innings. Dionys Rodriguez allowed a single to the only batter he faced, leaving the game early due to an injury. Inohan Paniagua came in for Rodriguez, allowing three runs in 1 ⅔ innings. Right-hander Tanner Jacobson retired the four batters he faced, striking out one. Fellow righty Benjamin Arias followed with two scoreless innings.

Tyler Bradt allowed two River Bandits to cross home plate in the eighth, and took the loss.

The River Bandits took a 6-0 lead, scoring pairs of runs in the first, third, and fourth innings. The Chiefs responded in a big way in the home fourth.

Peoria loaded the bases with nobody out courtesy of an Ian Petrutz single, a Brayden Jobert double, and a Joshua Baez walk.

Miguel Ugueto

Miguel Ugueto stepped up to the plate in his Chiefs’ debut and cashed in with a two-run single, scoring Petrutz and Jobert. Johnfrank Salazar followed with an RBI single, plating Baez. Ugueto came home on a River Bandits error, allowing Graysen Tarlow to reach base. Miguel Villarroel smacked a two-run double with one out in the inning to bring in Salazar and Tarlow, tying the game at six and erasing the early deficit.

The score stayed deadlocked at six, forcing extra innings in the doubleheader finale, but Peoria fell in eight innings.

The Chiefs scored six runs on 11 hits. Seven hitters in the lineup recorded at least one hit.

Jobert collected two doubles. Salazar notched one RBI, along with three singles. Catcher Graysen Tarlow singled twice in his first game of the season, driving in one. Jobert had two singles from the DH slot. Petrutz, Ugueto, and Michael Curialle singled.

On the bases, Salazar swiped his first of the season. Defensively, Tarlow had a passed ball from behind the plate.

Villarroel doubled in each game of the doubleheader.

The Chiefs are 0-2 this season.

Sunday’s game: RHP Jose Davila (0-0, 0.00) vs. LHP Hunter Patteson (0-0, 0.00) 2:05 PM CT.

Palm Beach Cardinals 4, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels 6

The Low-A Palm Beach Cardinals fell to the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels in game two of the season on Saturday at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.

Jason Savacool started for the Cardinals. The right-hander worked four innings, allowed three unearned runs, walking just one batter and striking out two.

Relievers Mason Burns and Jack Findlay made their professional debuts in relief. Burns, the right-hander, went 1 ⅔ innings following Savacool, allowing one run on a single hit, striking out three with no walks. The lefty Findlay followed and did not allow a Mighty Mussel to touch home, walked three and struck out two.

Right-handers Randel Clemente and Ernie Day made their season debuts. Clemente surrendered two runs in 2/3 of an inning. In his first game as a Cardinal. Day pitched the remaining 1 ⅓ frames, striking out two while not allowing any runs.

Palm Beach fell behind after a three-run Fort Myers second inning, but Cade McGee brought Palm Beach within two on his first home run of the young season.

Cade McGee

McGee displayed his speed on the basepaths in the bottom of the fifth inning. He walked to lead off, stole second base and advanced to third on a Fort Myers throwing error. McGee scored via a Bryce Madron groundout to trim the deficit to just one.

Jose Suarez singled and stole his first base of the season in the sixth inning. McGee took his second walk and swiped his second base of the game in the seventh.

Fort Myers added two more runs in the eighth to make it 6-2, and Palm Beach responded with two of their own in the home eighth.

The Cardinals rally began on back-to-back singles by Anyelo Encarnacion and Christian Martin, followed by a Jonathan Mejia walk to load the bases with nobody out. Encarnacion scored via a Suarez groundout, and Martin touched home with two outs in the inning, courtesy of a wild pitch.

In the loss, the Cardinals scored four runs on four hits. McGee slugged his first home run of the year, scored two runs, walked twice, and stole second base twice. Suarez collected a single, a walk, and a stolen base. Martin and Encarnacion also singled and scored.

Defensively, the Cardinals committed three errors. Second baseman Christian Martin and catcher Sammy Hernandez each made a throwing error, and Bryce Madron committed a fielding error at first base.

Palm Beach stole four bases. Two came from McGee, the third by Deniel Ortiz, and the fourth was swiped by Suarez.

Palm Beach is 1-1 on the season.

Sunday’s game: vs. Fort Myers, LHP Braden Davis (professional debut) vs. RHP Michael Ross (0-0, 0.00) 11:30 AM CT.

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Cardinals System Improves, but Still Last in NL Central in 2025

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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – April 4, 2025

Setting up the slate of five Friday games to be played across the St. Louis Cardinals system, including Opening Day in Springfield, Peoria and Palm Beach.

Games scheduled on Friday, April 4, 2025.

Memphis Redbirds vs. Buffalo Bisons (TOR) doubleheader

The Memphis Redbirds will play a home doubleheader on Friday, after Thursday’s game was rained out.

Pitching probables for Game 1 at 4:30 p.m. CT: LHP Quinn Mathews (0-1, 4.50) vs. LHP Eric Lauer (0-0, 4.50)

Quinn Mathews

Mathews, last season’s MiLB strikeout leader, pitched four innings of two-run ball in his first start of the season last Saturday. Lauer has pitched in parts of six seasons with the San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers at the major league level.

Pitching probables for Game 2: RHP Michael McGreevy (0-1, 9.00) vs. LHP Trenton Wallace (0-1, 67.50)

McGreevy, The Cardinal Nation’s no. 9 prospect, was scheduled to start on Thursday before the postponement. He is the presumed (but not yet official) starter for one of Friday’s twinbill.

Bryan Torres enters Friday with a .667 batting average and eight hits on the young season, leading the Redbirds in both categories. Yohel Pozo has been the best run producer for Memphis, slugging two home runs and driving in six across four games.

Memphis enters Friday with a 3-2 record.

More information on the Redbirds roster for TCN subscribers:

Going Deep on Memphis’ 2025 Opening Day Roster

Springfield Cardinals vs. Wichita Wind Surge (MIN)

The Springfield Cardinals will open their Double-A season at home against the Wichita Wind Surge on Friday.

Pitching probables: RHP Tekoah Roby (0-0, 0.00) vs. LHP Connor Prielipp (0-0, 0.00)

Roby, The Cardinal Nation’s fourth-ranked prospect, pitched to a 3.00 ERA with 10 strikeouts over nine innings in Spring Training with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Tekoah Roby

The organization’s top prospect, shortstop JJ Wetherholt, will make his Double-A debut after hitting .295 in Palm Beach last season, as the seventh overall pick of the 2024 MLB Draft. Among others to watch in Springfield this season are Luis Gastelum (TCN no. 31), Ixan Henderson (no. 26) and another former first-rounder, Chase Davis (no. 10).

Three players start the season on the seven-day injured list: LHPs Cooper Hjerpe (no. 7) and Nick Raquet, along with outfielder Nathan Church.

First pitch at Hammons Field is scheduled for 6:35 PM CT.

More information on the Cardinals roster for TCN subscribers:

Going Deep on Springfield’s Preliminary 2025 Opening Day Roster

Peoria Chiefs vs. Quad Cities River Bandits (HOU)

The Peoria Chiefs will open their 2025 High-A season at Dozer Park against the Quad Cities River Bandits.

Pitching probables for Friday: RHP Gerardo Salas (0-0, 0.00) vs. LHP Frank Mozzicato (0-0, 0.00)

Gerardo Salas

Chiefs players to watch this season include outfielder Ian Petrutz (TCN no. 41 prospect), catcher Ryan Campos (no. 30) and infielder Jon Jon Gazdar. All three were key players on Palm Beach’s 2024 Florida State League Championship team.

The Chiefs feature 11 players on their Opening Day roster who did not finish 2024 with the team.

Three key Chiefs will begin their season on the seven-day injured list: RHPs Joseph King (TCN no. 49) and Chen Wei-Lin (no. 13), and outfielder Won-Bin Cho (no. 17).

First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM CT.

More information on the Chiefs roster for TCN subscribers:

Going Deep on Peoria’s 2025 Opening Day Roster

Palm Beach Cardinals vs. Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (MIN)

The reigning Florida State League Champion Palm Beach Cardinals open their Single-A season on Friday at home against the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, Florida.

José Suarez

Outfielder Jose Suarez played in 41 games for Palm Beach after a mid-season call up last season, hitting .252 with three home runs and 24 RBI and swiping five bases. Other players to watch include outfielder Bryce Madron and first baseman Josh Kross, along with right-hander Leonel Sequera on the pitching side.

Four players will begin the season on the seven-day injured list: RHPs Brian Holiday, Owen Rice and Hunter Kublick, along with outfielder Travis Honeyman. RHP Andrew Dutkanych is on the 60-day IL.

Leonel Sequera

Friday’s starting pitcher for the Cardinals will be Leonel Sequera. The rest of the rotation has not yet been announced.

First pitch is scheduled for 5:30 PM CT.

More information on the Cardinals roster for TCN subscribers:

Going Deep on Palm Beach’s 2025 Opening Day Roster

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 your PDF or printed book copy today!

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

Order The Cardinal Nation’s 2025 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide

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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – March 31, 2025

photo: Bryan Torres (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals system was 1-0 on Sunday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, outfielder Bryan Torres, was 4-for-5 including a home run, a walk, two runs scored, and two RBI in the win at Louisville. Other standouts include César Prieto, Jose Barrero, and Thomas Saggese.

Results for the game played Sunday, March 30:

Memphis 13 at Louisville 9

The Memphis Redbirds prevailed in a Sunday slugfest with the Bats in Louisville for their first win of the Triple-A season.

Gordon Graceffo made his first start of 2025. The right-hander threw 2 ⅓ innings, allowing four runs on four hits, while striking out five and walking one.

Oddanier Mosqueda entered in relief of Graceffo in the third inning and picked up the win in his system debut. The left-hander threw 2 ⅓ innings of one run ball, striking out three and did not walk a batter. Right-handers Matt Svanson, Riley O’Brien, and Ryan Loutos all made their season debuts in relief. Svanson recorded four outs and allowed one run. O’Brien pitched a scoreless seventh, and Loutos was charged with three runs in the eighth inning.

The Redbirds got the scoring started immediately. Bryan Torres and Thomas Saggese led off the game with singles, and Matt Koperniak hit the third-straight single to drive in Torres. César Prieto’s two-out, three-run homer capped off the four-run Memphis first, his first of the season.

César Prieto

Jose Barrero smacked a line-drive solo shot, his first home run of the year, in the top of the third inning to make it a 5-1 Memphis lead.

Jose Barrero

The Bats hit back in the bottom of the third with three runs, but Memphis wasn’t done hitting the ball out of the park.

Following a Matt Lloyd triple and a Ryan Vilade ground out, Bryan Torres smashed a two-run home run. Thomas Saggese went back-to-back with a solo shot for a 8-4 Memphis lead in the fourth inning.

Bryan Torres

Thomas Saggese

In the fifth, Yohel Pozo made it 9-4 Memphis on a run-scoring double, his first RBI of the season. Pozo later stole home plate on a double-steal with Vilade also taking second base to make it 10-4.

Koperniak doubled to lead off the sixth, and later scored on a fielding error, which also allowed Jimmy Crooks to reach base. Prieto doubled to move Crooks to third, and Pozo drove him in on a single to make it 12-5. Prieto came home during the following at-bat on a wild pitch for the Redbirds’ 13th run of the game.

Down by eight, the Bats didn’t give up, plating one in the home sixth and three in the eighth, to cut the gap in half. But right-handed reliever Michael Gomez sealed the victory for Memphis with a scoreless ninth, including striking out the first batter of the inning.

Memphis scored 13 runs on 16 hits, tallying 33 total bases. Torres was 4-for-5, including a home run, a double, a walk, and two RBI, raising his batting average to .625. Barrero, Prieto, and Saggese also homered.

On defense, the Redbirds featured a very different lineup. Barrero received his first look in center field, while Torres made the start in left field for the first time this year. Saggese and Vilade started at shortstop and third base, respectively, for the first time this season. Memphis did not commit any errors in their first series.

The Redbirds are 1-2 for the season. They will head to Memphis for their home opener on Tuesday after the traditional Monday off across Minor League Baseball.

Tuesday’s game: vs. Buffalo (TOR), TBD (likely Sem Robberse or Ian Bedell) vs. Jake Bloss, RHP (0-0, 0.00).

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 your PDF or printed book copy today!

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Cardinals Minor League Spring Training Camp Report – March 29, 2025

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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – March 30, 2025

photo: Roddery Munoz, Quinn Mathews (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals system was 0-1 on Saturday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, right-handed reliever Roddery Muñoz, dominated in his system debut, striking out five batters in two scoreless innings of Memphis’ loss. Other standouts include Yohel Pozo and Ryan Vilade.

Results for the game played Saturday, March 29:

Memphis 1 at Louisville 4

The Memphis Redbirds lost a close contest to the Louisville Bats on Saturday in their second game of the Triple-A season.

Last season’s MiLB strikeout leader, Quinn Mathews, made his first start of the season. The left-hander threw four innings, allowing two runs on four hits, while striking out one and walking three. Matthews took the loss.

Right-handers Nick Anderson, Roddery Muñoz, and Zack Weiss all made their system debuts in relief. Anderson allowed two runs in the fifth inning. Muñoz followed with a scoreless sixth and seventh inning, striking out five. Weiss threw a scoreless eighth.

Roddery Muñoz

Yohel Pozo started his Redbird debut strongly, leading off the top of the second inning with a ground-rule double. Ryan Vilade got the Redbirds on the board with a two-out RBI single to score Pozo, giving Memphis their first lead of the young season.

Ryan Vilade

Mathews and Memphis could not hold the lead as the Bats immediately responded with two runs in the bottom of the second. The home club made it 4-1 in the fifth.

The Redbirds scored one run on four hits. Pozo was 1-for-4, a double. Matt Koperniak, Vilade and Bryan Torres each singled.

Defensively, catcher Pozo tallied his first caught-stealing of the season. The Redbirds have not made an error in their first two games.

The Redbirds are 0-2 on the season, outscored 13-5.

Sunday’s game: at Louisville, Gordon Graceffo, RHP (0-0, 0.00) vs. Aaron Wilkerson, RHP (0-0, 0.00) 12:05 CT.

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 your PDF or printed book copy today!

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

Order The Cardinal Nation’s 2025 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide

Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation

Cardinals Minor League Spring Training Camp Report – March 29, 2025

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