Cardinals Minor League Notebook – July 7, 2025

photo: JJ Wetherholt (PJ Maigi/Springfield Cardinals)

The St. Louis Cardinals minor league system was 1-3 on Sunday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Springfield shortstop JJ Wetherholt, slugged two home runs for three RBI in his first career multi-home run game. Other standouts include Brody Moore, Mike Antico, Ixan Henderson, Zach Levenson and Rainiel Rodriguez.

Results for games played on Sunday, July 6.

Memphis Redbirds 11, Nashville Sounds 15

The Triple-A Memphis Redbirds dropped a high-scoring series finale to the Nashville Sounds on Sunday at AutoZone Park.

Michael McGreevy started for the Redbirds. The right-hander pitched three innings and had his worst outing of the year, allowing eight runs on seven hits, two walks and six strikeouts. McGreevy took the loss.

Jack Ralston yielded four runs and fanned three across 1 ⅔ innings in relief of McGreevy. Gordon Graceffo followed with 1 ⅓ shutout frames. Ryan Fernandez struck out the side in an inning of work. Left-hander Oddanier Mosqueda tossed a scoreless inning. Alex Cornwell allowed two runs without recording an out. Roddery Muñoz surrendered a run in the ninth inning.

Memphis scored one run in the first inning. Bryan Torres singled and moved to third on a Matt Koperniak single. Torres touched home plate on a Nathan Church sacrifice fly.

The Sounds took an 8-1 lead with a run in the second and seven runs in the third.

Memphis plated their second run in the home third. Mike Antico lined a single and stole second base. Antico moved to third on a Torres flyout, and scored on a Koperniak groundout.

Nashville added four runs in the fifth to take a 10-run lead.

Memphis narrowed the large gap with a seven-run bottom of the eighth. Luken Baker singled. César Prieto reached first on a forceout play, with Baker out at second. Matt Lloyd walked. Andy Yerzy followed with a ground ball single to score Prieto for Memphis’ third run of the game.

Brody Moore hit his first Triple-A home run, an inside-the-park three-run home run, to trim Nashville’s lead to 12-6.

Brody Moore

Antico followed with a single and advanced to second on defensive indifference. Torres connected for a sharp single to bring Antico home for a 12-7 score.

Koperniak reached on a fielding error, with Torres to second. Church doubled home Torres and Koperniak to move the Redbirds within three at 12-9.

Nathan Church

The Sounds scored three runs in the top of the ninth to move ahead 15-9.

Down to their final three outs, Memphis looked for one last big inning. Yerzy lined his second single of the game. Antico crushed his fourth home run of the year, a two-run shot, to bring Memphis within four at 15-11.

Mike Antico

Memphis was unable to rally further in the slugfest.

The Redbirds scored 11 runs on 15 hits. Moore was 3-for-5, including an inside-the-park home run and three RBI. Antico was 3-for-5, including a home run, three runs scored, and two RBI. Church was 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI. Koperniak recorded two hits, including a double, a run scored, and one RBI.  Torres singled twice, scored twice, and drove in a run. Yerzy singled twice, scored twice, and tallied an RBI. The Redbirds recorded their second seven-run inning in as many games.

Antico swiped his 13th bag.

On defense, shortstop Moore made a throwing error. Catcher Yerzy was tagged with a passed ball.

Memphis is 45-40 overall, and 4-8 in the second half after dropping four of six to Nashville. They reside in last place in the International League West, but are only four games back of first place.

The Redbirds are off Monday and will continue their homestand with a six-game set against the Charlotte Knights starting on Tuesday.

Tuesday’s game: vs. Charlotte (CWS), Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM CT.

Springfield Cardinals 7 at Northwest Arkansas Naturals 3

The Double-A Springfield Cardinals won the series finale over the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on the road on Sunday.

Ixan Henderson made his 14th start for Springfield. The left-hander threw 5 ⅓ scoreless innings on three hits, four walks, and three strikeouts. Henderson collected his fourth win of 2025.

Ixan Henderson

Ricardo Velez recorded the final two outs of the sixth inning without allowing a run in relief of Henderson. Austin Love followed with a scoreless seventh. Left-hander Nick Rauqet lowered his ERA to 0.92 with a shutout eighth. Osvaldo Berrios yielded three runs in the ninth but held on to finish the game.

Springfield pounced early with a two-run first inning. Noah Mendlinger hit a lead-off single and scored on JJ Wetherholt’s sixth home run on the year, a two-run shot.

JJ Wetherholt

Springfield doubled the lead in the second inning. Joshua Baez doubled. Jeremy Rivas walked. Rivas and Baez executed a double steal. Baez crossed home plate on a passed ball, with Rivas to third. Rivas touched home plate via a wild pitch to increase the score to 4-0.

The Cardinals added a pair of runs in the eighth inning. Wetherholt blasted his second home run of the game, and seventh of the season, to extend the lead to 5-0.

Baez lined his second double of the game. Baez swiped third and scored on the play due to a throwing error for a 6-0 lead.

Springfield stretched the lead to seven with a run in the ninth. R.J. Yeager and Darlin Moquete singled and moved up a base on a wild pitch. Yeager scored on a sacrifice fly.

The Cardinals held off a late Naturals rally in the victory.

The Cardinals scored seven runs on 11 hits. Wetherholt blasted two home runs for three RBI. Mendlinger hit two singles, scored a run, and drove in a run. Baez was 2-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored. Jordan Walker and Leonardo Bernal doubled.

Baez swiped third base twice for 13 steals. Rivas snagged his 14th. Moquete stole his 12th. Bernal was caught stealing second base and picked off first base.

On defense, pitcher Henderson made a throwing error.

Springfield is 50-31 overall, and 7-5 in the second half after taking five of six from Northwest Arkansas. They reside in third place in the Texas League North Division, one game back of a first-place tie with Arkansas and Wichita.

The Cardinals will travel to Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi, Texas, to begin a six-game series with the Corpus Christi Hooks on Tuesday.

Tuesday’s game: at Corpus Christi (HOU). Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 PM CT.

Peoria Chiefs 3 at South Bend Cubs 5

The High-A Peoria Chiefs lost a close series finale on Sunday on the road.

Cade Winquest made his 14th start in his 16th appearance overall for Peoria. The right-hander pitched four innings and allowed four runs, three earned, on six hits, one walk and six strikeouts. Winquest took the loss.

Tyler Bradt tossed a scoreless inning in relief of Winquest. Mason Burns yielded a run in one inning. Randel Clemente followed with a scoreless seventh inning. Jawilme Ramirez threw a scoreless eighth.

South Bend took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third.

Peoria immediately tied the game in the top of the fourth. Zach Levenson hit his sixth home run of the season, a solo shot, to put Peoria in the scoring column.

Zach Levenson

Ryan Campos followed with a double and scored on Josh Kross’ sixth home run with the Chiefs, a two-run blast off the scoreboard, to tie the game at three apiece.

Josh Kross

The Cubs retook the lead with a run in the fourth and added an insurance run in the sixth. The Chiefs’ failed to respond.

The Chiefs scored three runs on five hits. Levenson was 2-for-3, including a walk, a double, and a home run. Kross hit a two-run home run. Campos and Travis Honeyman doubled. The Chiefs were 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position.

Peoria did not steal a base.

On defense, Michael Curialle made a throwing error at third base.

Peoria is 35-45 overall, and 9-6 in the second half after taking five of six from South Bend. They reside in a half-game back of first place in the Midwest League West Division. The Chiefs will head home to Dozer Park for a six-game set with the Cedar Rapids Kernels, starting Tuesday.

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

Palm Beach Cardinals 2 at Jupiter Hammerheads 7

The Low-A Palm Beach Cardinals fell to the Jupiter Hammerheads at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Sunday’s series finale.

Brandt Thompson started for Palm Beach. The right-hander pitched 5 ⅓ innings and allowed six runs on six hits, three walks, and three strikeouts. Thompson took the loss.

Christian Worley yielded a run and recorded two outs in relief of Thompson. Domenic Picone struck out the side in the seventh. Zeke Wood tossed a scoreless eighth inning.

The Cardinals scored one run in the top of the first inning. Rainiel Rodriguez blasted his second home run with Palm Beach, a solo shot.

Rainiel Rodriguez

Palm Beach doubled their lead to 2-0 in the second. Yordalin Pena hit a lead-off double. Anyelo Encarnacion lined a two-out double to bring Pena home.

Jupiter tied the game in the home third and scored five in the sixth to take a 7-2 lead. Palm Beach failed to respond.

The Cardinals scored two runs on seven hits. Rodriguez was 2-for-4, including a walk, a double and a home run. Pena doubled twice and scored. Encarnacion walked twice, doubled, and scored.

On the bases, Pena was picked off second base. The Cardinals did not commit an error.

Palm Beach is 36-43 overall, and 4-10 in the second half after taking two of five from Jupiter. They reside in last place in the Florida State League East Division, 4.5 games back of first.

The Cardinals will begin a six-game home series with the Dunedin Blue Jays on Tuesday.

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

FCL Cardinals (off-day)

The Florida Complex League Cardinals were off Sunday, as they prepared for a road doubleheader with the FCL Astros on Monday.

The FCL Cardinals are 18-23 on the season and reside in third place in the FCL East Division.

Monday’s games: at FCL Astros. Pitching probables have not yet been announced for either game. First pitch for game one is slated for 9:00 AM CT, with game two following shortly after the conclusion of game one.

DSL Cardinals (off-day)

The Dominican Summer League Cardinals were off Sunday, as they prepared for a road contest with the DSL Rangers Blue on Monday.

The Cardinals are 15-10 on the season and hold a two-game lead in the DSL Southeast Division.

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

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