Cardinals Minor League Notebook – July 27, 2025

photo: Cesar Prieto (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals minor league system was 5-1 on Saturday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Memphis 3B César Prieto, was 4-for-5 including two doubles and a walk-off single. Other standouts: Ixan Henderson, Braden Davis, Mason Burns, Sammy Hernandez, Jose Cordoba, Cristofer Lebron and Miguel Hernandez.

Results for games played on Saturday, July 26.

Memphis Redbirds 4, Gwinnett Stripers 3

The Triple-A Memphis Redbirds won a walk-off over the Gwinnett Stripers in front of a sellout crowd at AutoZone Park on Saturday to clinch the series win.

Quinn Mathews started for the Redbirds. The left-hander pitched four innings and allowed three runs, one earned, on five hits, four walks, and four strikeouts.

Zack Weiss and Oddanier Mosqueda followed with two scoreless innings each. Ryan Fernandez fanned two in a scoreless ninth and collected his fourth win of the season.

The Stripers jumped out to a 3-0 lead after three innings.

The Redbirds entered the run column in the bottom of the sixth inning. César Prieto hit his second double of the game. Jimmy Crooks was hit by a pitch and Luken Baker walked to load the bases with one out. Matt Koperniak reached base on a fielder’s choice due to a fielding error with Prieto home as the first Memphis run. The rally was cut short by a forceout at home plate and a flyout.

Memphis narrowed the gap to 3-2 in the seventh. With two outs, JJ Wetherholt doubled. Prieto followed with a single to score Wetherholt.

César Prieto

Down to their final three outs, Memphis mounted a ninth-inning rally. Andy Yerzy and Bryan Torres hit back-to-back singles. Prieto singled for his fourth hit of the game, with Yerzy and Torres home via a fielding error for the Redbirds walk-off win.

The Redbirds scored four runs on nine hits. Prieto was 4-for-5, including two doubles, a run scored, two RBI, and the walk-off single. Yerzy was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Wetherholt doubled and scored once.

Prieto was caught stealing second base.

On defense, shortstop Wetherholt made a throwing error.

Memphis is 53-46 overall, and 12-14 in the second half. They will look to take five of six from Gwinnett on Sunday.

Sunday’s game: vs. Gwinnett, RHP Max Rajcic (3-3, 4.14) vs. Didier Fuentes (0-7, 5.48) 1:05 PM CT.

Springfield Cardinals 4 at Tulsa Drillers 1

The Double-A Springfield Cardinals edged the Drillers in Tulsa on Saturday.

Ixan Henderson started his 17th game for Springfield. The left-hander fired 5 ⅔ innings and allowed one run on three hits, no walks, and six strikeouts. Henderson earned his seventh win of 2025.

Ixan Henderson

Fellow left-hander Nick Raquet tossed 1 ⅓ scoreless innings in relief. Osvaldo Berrios struck out two in a shutout frame. Ricardo Velez hurled a scoreless ninth to pick up his second save of the season.

Springfield pounced in the first inning. Chase Davis lined a lead-off single. Noah Mendlinger hit a ground-rule double. Joshua Baez brought Davis home on a sacrifice fly to put the Cardinals in front 1-0.

Tulsa tied the game at one apiece in the second inning.

Springfield regained the lead with a three-run fourth. Baez began the frame with a single. Following back-to-back strikeouts, Baez stole second base. Ramon Mendoza hit a ground ball single to score Baez. Brody Moore followed with a single. Moore and Mendoza advanced on a wild pitch. Darlin Moquete hit a third straight single to plate Mendoza and Moore to extend Springfield’s lead to 4-1.

Darlin Moquete

Springfield’s pitching held the Drillers to just four hits in their 60th win.

The Cardinals scored four runs on seven hits. Baez and Mendoza singled, scored a run, and drove in a run. Moquete singled and tallied two RBI. Davis was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Mendlinger recorded the only extra-base hit for Springfield, a double. Three of the Cardinals’ four runs were scored with two outs.

On the bases, Baez stole his 19th bag. Moquete swiped third base for his 16th steal of the year.

Defensively, first baseman Trey Paige committed a missed catch error. Pitcher Raquet picked a runner off first base. Mendlinger nailed a runner at third base from left field.

Springfield is 60-35 overall, and 17-9 in the second half. The Cardinals hold a two-game lead in the Texas League North Division. They will look to clinch the series victory on Sunday.

Sunday’s game: at Tulsa, LHP Brycen Mautz (3-2, 3.54) vs. RHP Patrick Copen (3-3, 2.27) 12:00 PM CT.

Peoria Chiefs 3, West Michigan Whitecaps 8 (Game one, resumed)

The High-A Peoria Chiefs fell to the West Michigan Whitecaps in game one of Saturday’s twin bill. This was the conclusion of Friday’s suspension and resumed with two outs in the top of the fifth inning.

Jose Davila made his 18th start for the Chiefs. The right-hander pitched 4 ⅔ innings and allowed four runs on four hits, three walks, and two strikeouts. Davila took the loss.

Hunter Hayes entered the game upon its resumption, struck out three, and yielded one run across 2 ⅓ innings. Dionys Rodriguez surrendered three runs across the final two innings.

The Whitecaps gained early momentum with a three-run top of the first and added a run apiece in the fifth and seventh innings to extend the lead to 5-0. West Michigan stretched the lead to 8-0 with two runs in the eighth and one in the ninth.

Peoria attempted a big comeback in the bottom of the ninth but fell short. Ian Petrutz, Zach Levenson and Josh Kross singled to load the bases. Chase Adkison connected for a double to score Petrutz and Levenson to put the Chiefs on the board.

Chase Adkison

Kross touched home plate on a Graysen Tarlow sacrifice fly for the 8-3 final.

The Chiefs scored three runs on eight hits. Adkison was 2-for-4, including a double and two RBI. Levenson was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Tarlow singled and drove in a run. Tre Richardson tallied a double.

Tarlow was picked off first base and caught stealing second base.

On defense, first baseman Kross committed a fielding error.

Peoria Chiefs 6, West Michigan Whitecaps 1 (game two, 7 innings)

The Peoria Chiefs secured a doubleheader split at Dozer Park with a 6-1 game two victory over the West Michigan Whitecaps on Saturday.

Braden Davis made his second start for the Chiefs. The left-hander pitched five innings and allowed one run on two hits, one walk, and eight strikeouts. Davis has fanned eight in each of his first two starts with the Chiefs. The 22-year-old earned his first win at the High-A level and lowered his ERA to 1.80 through 10 innings with Peoria.

Braden Davis

Peoria native Mason Burns fired two shutout frames and struck out three to earn his first High-A save, the fourth of his career.

West Michigan jumped ahead 1-0 in the first inning.

Peoria erupted for a four-run fifth to take the lead. Graysen Tarlow walked and Brayden Jobert and Won-Bin Cho singled to load the bases. Michael Curialle doubled to bring Tarlow and Jobert home. Travis Honeyman reached on a fielder’s choice, with Cho out at home. Ian Petrutz’ single scored Curialle for a 3-1 lead.

Michael Curialle

Petrutz and Honeyman advanced on a wild pitch. Honeyman scored via a second consecutive wild pitch.

The Chiefs added a pair of runs in the sixth. Jobert and Cho drew back-to-back walks and moved up on a wild pitch. Curialle took the third walk of the frame to load the bags. Anyelo Encarnacion hit his first double with the Chiefs to plate Jobert and Cho and stretch the Peoria lead to 6-1.

Anyelo Encarnacion

Peoria recorded four hits with runners in scoring position in the seven-inning victory.

The Chiefs scored six runs on six hits. Curialle walked, doubled, scored a run, and tallied two RBI. Encarnacion doubled and drove in two runs. Petrutz hit an RBI-single.

The Chiefs did not record a stolen base.

On defense, third baseman Jobert committed a fielding error.

Peoria is 39-55 overall, and 13-16 in the second half. The Chiefs will look to secure the series split on Sunday.

Sunday’s game: vs. West Michigan, RHP Darlin Saladin (1-5, 5.35) vs. Josh Randall (5-5, 4.18) 2:05 PM CT.

Palm Beach Cardinals 12 at Daytona Tortugas 7

The Low-A Palm Beach Cardinals won a back-and-forth contest over the Tortugas in Daytona on Saturday.

Nelfy Ynfante started for Palm Beach. The right-hander pitched 3 ⅔ innings and allowed five runs, four earned, on four hits, five walks, and three strikeouts.

Yordy Herrera struck out three and yielded one unearned run over two innings in relief of Ynfante. Charles Harrison fanned three across two shutout frames. Sam Brodersen followed with a scoreless frame. Zeke Wood secured the final out of the game to collect his second career save. Herrera picked up his eighth win of the season, the 16th in his career.

Daytona scored once in the first inning.

Palm Beach tied the game in the second. Jose Cordoba hit a one-out double. Sammy Hernandez followed with an RBI double.

The Cardinals took the lead in the third. Jose Suarez doubled. Cordoba was hit by a pitch. Sammy Hernandez roped his second double in as many innings to plate Suarez and Cordoba for a 3-1 Cardinals lead.

Sammy Hernandez

Daytona scored a run in the home third, three in the fourth, and one in the fifth to grab a 6-3 lead.

Palm Beach responded with a six-run rally in the sixth. Sammy Hernandez hit a lead-off single. Bryce Madron reached but forced Hernandez out at second base. Maikel Hernandez walked.  Christian Martin lined a double to score Madron. Jonathan Mejia followed with an infield single to bring Maikel Hernandez home. Suarez grounded a single into center field to score Martin as the tying run. Luis Pino walked and Cordoba singled home Mejia and Suarez to extend the lead to 8-6. Pino was thrown out at third base on the play to end the inning.

Jose Cordoba

The Cardinals added three more runs in the seventh. Sammy Hernandez legged out an infield single and swiped second base. Maikel Hernandez lined an RBI single. Martin hit a soft single. Deniel Ortiz poked a single to center field to bring Maikel Hernandez home. Suarez walked to load the bases. Martin crossed home plate via a wild pitch for an 11-6 Palm Beach lead.

The Cardinals stretched the lead further with a run in the eighth. Cordoba doubled and Sammy Hernandez walked. Martin brought Cordoba home with a single for a 12-6 lead.

Palm Beach held off a late Daytona rally in the victory.

The Cardinals scored 12 runs on 17 hits. Sammy Hernandez was a perfect 4-for-4, including two doubles, plus a walk, a run scored, and three RBI. Cordoba was 3-for-5, including two doubles, three runs scored, and two RBI. Martin went 3-for-5, including a walk, a double, two runs scored, and two RBI. Suarez singled, doubled, walked, scored twice, and drove in a run.  Ortiz hit three singles and drove in a run. Maikel Hernandez walked, singled, scored twice, and drove in a run. The Cardinals recorded nine hits with runners in scoring position.

On the bases, Sammy Hernandez swiped his ninth bag.

On defense, catcher Sammy Hernandez, first baseman Maikel Hernandez, and shortstop Mejia each made a throwing error. Third baseman Ortiz committed a fielding error.

Palm Beach is 46-46 overall, and 14-13 in the second half.

Sunday’s game: at Daytona, RHP Nolan Sparks (4-5, 4.36) vs. RHP JeanPierre Ortiz (6-0, 2.41) 4:00 PM CT.

DSL Cardinals 7, DSL Tigers 2  6 (7 innings)

The Dominican Summer League Cardinals won a close seven-inning home contest over the DSL Tigers 2 on Saturday.

Daniel Gomez made his fifth start for the Cardinals. The right-hander pitched four innings and allowed five runs on six hits, one walk, and tied his career-high with seven strikeouts.

Reiner Lopez fanned two and yielded a run across 1 ⅔ innings in relief. Briam Reyes fired the final 1 ⅓ innings with a strikeout to earn his fourth win of the season, despite being tagged with a blown save.

The Tigers 2 scored three runs in the top of the first inning.

The Cardinals immediately tied the game in the home first.

Kenly Hunter walked and stole second base. Miguel Hernandez legged out an infield single and Sebastian Dos Santos walked to load the bases. Hunter scored the first Cardinals run on a passed ball. Cristofer Lebron lined a single to plate Hernandez and Dos Santos and tie the game 3-3.

Cristofer Lebron

The Tigers 2 regained the lead with a pair of runs in the second.

The Cardinals moved within a run in the third. Dos Santos doubled and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Lebron hit an infield single to bring Dos Santos home.

The Cardinals grabbed the lead in the fourth. Yeferson Portolatin walked and moved to third on a double from Hunter. Hernandez doubled to score Portolatin and Hunter and put the Cardinals in front 6-5.

Miguel Hernandez

The Tigers 2 tied the game at six apiece in the top of the sixth.

The Cardinals answered in the home half of the sixth. Juan Pablo Cabrera launched his second career home run, a solo shot, to move the Cardinals ahead 7-6.

Juan Pablo Cabrera

The Cardinals slugged four extra-base hits in the one-run victory.

The DSL Cardinals scored seven runs on eight hits. Lebron was 2-for-3 with three RBI. Hernandez singled, doubled, scored a run, and drove in two runs. Cabrera hit a go-ahead solo home run. Dos Santos walked, doubled, and scored twice. Hunter drew two walks, doubled, and scored twice.

On the bases, Hunter swiped two bags for 18 steals on the season. Lebron was caught stealing second base.

On defense, pitcher Reyes picked a runner off first base in an errorless game for the Cardinals.

The DSL Cardinals are 20-19 on the season and reside in third place in the DSL Southeast Division, four games back of first place. They are off Sunday and will play a home contest with the DSL Angels on Monday.

Monday’s game: vs. DSL Angels. Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 10:00 AM CT.

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