Cardinals Minor League Notebook – April 27, 2026

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, Peoria outfielder Won-Bin Cho, reached base five times including a home run with a career-high five RBI. Other standouts include Joshua Báez, Blaze Jordan, Michael Watson, Ryan Campos, Nate Dohm, Jalin Flores, Rainiel Rodriguez and Ryan Weingartner.

Results for games played on Sunday, April 26, 2026.

Memphis Redbirds 14 at Norfolk Tides 4

The Triple-A Memphis Redbirds crushed the Tides in Norfolk in Sunday’s series finale.

Quinn Mathews made his fifth start of the season. The left-hander pitched four innings and allowed one run on three hits, one walk and five strikeouts.

Quinn Mathews

Matt Pushard threw a scoreless fifth in relief of Mathews as the Rule 5 pick works to rejoin the big-league club. Luis Gastelum followed with a shutout frame. In the seventh, Tink Hence yielded an earned run with a pair of strikeouts. Ian Bedell surrendered two runs and struck out three across the final two innings.

Memphis opened the scoring in the second inning. César Prieto blasted a solo home run, his sixth of the season, to put the Redbirds on the board 1-0.

César Prieto

Memphis surged ahead with a nine-run third inning. Colton Ledbetter lined a leadoff single. Bryan Torres reached on a fielder’s choice, with Ledbetter to third on a fielding error. Joshua Báez lined a single to score Ledbetter and double the lead to 2-0.

Joshua Baez

Jimmy Crooks walked to load the bases. Blaze Jordan grounded out, with Torres home. Prieto walked to reload the bases. Leo Bernal took a second consecutive walk to force Báez in. Bligh Madris reached on a fielding error from the center fielder which allowed Crooks, Prieto and Bernal to score, with Madris to third base. Ledbetter tripled for his second hit of the inning to bring Madris home and stretch the lead to 8-0.

Colton Ledbetter

Ramon Mendoza singled to plate Ledbetter for a 9-0 lead.

Ramon Mendoza

Torres doubled home Mendoza to put the Redbirds in double digits at 10-0.

Bryan Torres

Norfolk scored their first run of the game in the third.

The Redbirds took the run back in the fourth as Jordan crushed his sixth home run of the season for a 11-1 Redbirds lead.

Blaze Jordan

The Tides plated a run in the seventh.

Not finished scoring themselves, the Redbirds ballooned the lead further with a three-run eighth inning. Brody Moore legged out an infield single and Bernal and Madris drew back-to-back walks to load the bags with no outs. Ledbetter took a third straight free pass to bring Moore home. Bernal crossed home plate on a wild pitch. Torres grounded a single to score Madris to stretch the lead to 14-2.

Memphis recorded five hits with runners in scoring position in the lop-sided win.

The Redbirds scored 14 runs on 14 hits. Ledbetter was 2-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored, a triple, and two RBI. Jordan homered and drove in two. Torres was 2-for-6 with a double, a run scored and two RBI. Mendoza was 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI. Báez went 3-for-6 with a home run and a triple. Prieto hit a home run, scored twice, and drew a walk. Bernal walked twice and notched an RBI.

The Redbirds neither stole a base nor committed an error.

Memphis is 18-9 after taking four of six from Gwinnett. They hold a one-game lead over the Stripers in the International League West Division. The Redbirds are off Monday as they head home to AutoZone Park for a six-game series with the Indianapolis Indians, beginning Tuesday.

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

Springfield Cardinals 2, Midland RockHounds 4

On the day the Double-A Springfield Cardinals received their 2025 Texas League Championship rings, the team dropped a close contest with the Midland RockHounds at Hammons Field in Sunday’s series finale.

2025 Springfield Division Champions (PJ Maigi/Springfield Cardinals)

Jurrangelo Cijntje started his fifth game for Springfield. The switch-pitcher threw exclusively right-handed and tossed 3 ⅔ innings and allowed three runs on three hits, two walks, and four strikeouts. Cijntje took the loss.

Left-hander Michael Watson pitched 1 ⅓ scoreless innings in relief of Cijntje as he lowered his ERA to 0.96. Randel Clemente fanned two over a scoreless frame. Domenic Picone followed with a shutout inning. Hunter Hayes yielded a run and struck out two across 1 ⅔ innings. Edwin Núñez recorded the final out of the ninth.

Springfield began the scoring with a two-run bottom of the first inning. Jon Jon Gazdar led off single with a single and moved to second base on a Noah Mendlinger groundout. Miguel Ugueto walked as Gazdar took third base on ball four via a wild pitch. Ugueto swiped second base. With two outs, Ryan Campos hit a wind-assisted double to score Gazdar and Ugueto and put the Cardinals in front 2-0.

Ryan Campos

Midland took the lead with a three-run fourth inning and added a run in the ninth. Springfield was unable to respond offensively.

The Cardinals scored two runs on just three hits. Gazdar was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Campos doubled for the team’s lone extra-base hit and two RBI. Zach Levenson drew two walks.

On the bases, Ugueto stole his 13th.

On defense, pitcher Watson picked a runner off first base. Trey Paige made a leaping grab at first base to highlight an errorless day.

Trey Paige

Springfield is 7-14 on the season after taking just two of six at home from Midland. They reside in last place in the Texas League North Division. They are off Monday and will travel to Arvest Park in Springdale, Arkansas, for a six-game set with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, beginning Tuesday.

Tuesday’s game: at Northwest Arkansas (KC). Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 11:05 AM CT.

Peoria Chiefs 16, Cedar Rapids Kernels 6

The High-A Peoria Chiefs crushed the Cedar Rapids Kernels in Sunday’s series finale at Dozer Park.

Nate Dohm made his third start for Peoria. The right-hander pitched a season-high four innings and gave up an unearned run on one hit, no walks, and five strikeouts.

Nate Dohm

Nolan Sparks allowed two runs and struck out two across 2 ⅓ innings in relief of Dohm but still collected his second win of 2026. Jason Savacool followed and surrendered three runs over 1 ⅔ innings. Dominic Freeberger tossed a scoreless ninth inning.

The Chiefs struck first with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Rainiel Rodriguez drew a walk. Jalin Flores reached on a fielding error from the center fielder and moved to second base, with Rodriguez to third. Rodriguez scored on a wild pitch.

The Chiefs added three runs in the second. Ian Petrutz and Anyelo Encarnación drew back-to-back walks. Won-Bin Cho clubbed a three-run home run, his second long ball of the year, to extend the lead to 4-0.

Won-Bin Cho

Cedar Rapids entered the score column with a run in the top of the third.

The Chiefs answered with four runs in the home half of the frame. Flores walked, Kross singled, and Jesús Báez walked to load the bases with no outs. Petrutz lined a single to bring Flores and Kross home to strengthen the Peoria lead to 6-1, with the runners advancing on a fielding error. Cho ripped a single to plate Báez and Petrutz and stretch the lead to 8-1.

Peoria scored twice in the fourth, their fourth consecutive scoring inning. Flores hit his fifth double of the season. Kross followed with an RBI single. Cade McGee scorched a two-out double to plate Kross and put the Chiefs in double digits at 10-1.

The Kernels moved within four as they plated five runs in the top of the seventh.

The Chiefs added two insurance runs in the home seventh. Encarnación and Cho took back-to-back walks. Tai Peete reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bags with no outs. Rodriguez lined a single to score Encarnación, with the bags still loaded. Flores drew a bases-loaded walk to force Cho in for a 12-6 lead.

Peoria pushed across four more runs in the bottom of the eighth. Cho walked and took second on defensive indifference. Peete doubled home Cho. Rodriguez hit a second consecutive double to score Peete. Flores hit his third home run of the season, a two-run shot, to extend the lead to 16-6.

Jalin Flores

In the dominant win, the Chiefs scored 16 runs on 12 hits, including seven for extra bases. Cho went 2-for-2, including a home run, plus three walks, three runs scored and a career-high five RBI. Flores hit a double and a home run with two walks, three runs scored and three RBI. Rodriguez was 2-for-2, including a double, plus two walks, two runs scored, and two RBI. Petrutz walked, singled, scored twice, and drove in two runs. Kross was 3-for-6 with a double, two runs scored, and an RBI. Peete doubled, scored, and notched an RBI. McGee doubled and tallied an RBI. The lineup drew 11 walks and struck out just seven times.

The Chiefs did not record a stolen base.

Center fielder Peete committed a fielding error.

Peoria is 10-10 on the season after taking five of six from Cedar Rapids. They reside in fourth place in the Midwest League West Division. The Chiefs are off Monday as they travel to Dow Diamond in Midland, Michigan, to begin a six-game set with the Great Lakes Loons on Tuesday.

Tuesday’s game: at Great Lakes (LAD). Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 PM CT.

Palm Beach Cardinals 2 at St. Lucie Mets 12

The Low-A Palm Beach Cardinals fell to the St. Lucie Mets in Sunday’s road series finale.

Ethan Young started his fifth game for Palm Beach. The right-hander pitched three innings and allowed five runs on six hits, no walks, and five strikeouts. Young didn’t receive a lot of help from his defense, though.

Liam Best yielded two unearned runs across 1 ⅔ innings in relief of Young. Yordy Herrera gave up two runs over 1 ⅓ innings. Kaden Echeman surrendered three runs with two strikeouts across two innings.

The Mets scored three runs in the bottom of the second and plated two runs apiece in the third and fourth to take a 7-0 lead.

Palm Beach entered the score column with a run in the fifth. With two outs, Luis Pino lined a single and moved to second on a passed ball. Ryan Weingartner singled him home.

Ryan Weingartner

The Cardinals added a second run in the sixth. Ryan Mitchell hit a groundball single. Mitchell moved to second on a wild pitch and swiped third. Jonathan Mejía brought him home on a sacrifice fly.

Ryan Mitchell

The Mets plated two runs in the home sixth and added three in the eighth to move ahead 12-2. Palm Beach was unable to respond.

The Cardinals scored two runs on six hits. Weingartner singled and notched an RBI. Mejía brought a run home via sacrifice fly. Mitchell singled, stole a base and scored. Jack Gurevitch and Chase Heath doubled.

Shortstop Mejía had a rough night in the field, charged with three errors, two missed catches and a bad throw. Pitcher Best picked a runner off second base.

Palm Beach is 15-6 on the season after taking four of six from St. Lucie. They hold a five-game lead in the Florida State League East Division. They are off Monday and will return home to Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium for a six-game series with the Clearwater Threshers, starting Tuesday.

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

Now available – 2026 Cardinals Prospect Guide

The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its ninth year. It includes 275 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including over five dozen all-new player scouting reports by Kyle Reis. Order your PDF or spiral-bound printed book today.

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

Order The Cardinal Nation’s 2026 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide

Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation

Memphis Redbirds Notebook – 2026 Week 4

Not yet a member?

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

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

© 2026 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.