Cardinals Minor League Notebook – June 22, 2026

photo: Joshua Baez (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals minor league system was 3-1 on Sunday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Memphis outfielder Joshua Báez slugged his International League-leading 25th home run to lead the Redbirds offense to an International League First Half Championship. Other standouts include Bligh Madris, César Prieto, Mason Molina, Ryan Mitchell, Yadiel Batista, and Brayden Smith.

Results for games played on Sunday, June 21, 2026.

Memphis Redbirds 10, Nashville Sounds 8

The Triple-A Memphis Redbirds won Sunday’s series finale over the Nashville Sounds at AutoZone Park to clinch a first-half International League First Half Championship along with a playoff berth.

Quinn Mathews made his 14th start for Memphis. The left-hander pitched four innings and allowed one run on one hit, three walks, and four strikeouts.

Ryan Fernandez threw a scoreless fifth inning in relief of Mathews and picked up the win. Lefty Jared Shuster surrendered four runs in the sixth. Scott Blewett followed with two shutout frames. Ryan Murphy gave up three runs in the ninth inning but held on to finish the game.

Memphis came out strong with a five-run bottom of the first inning.

Victor Scott II hit a lead-off double and moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt from Thomas Saggese. César Prieto grounded a single to bring Scott II home and put the Redbirds in front 1-0.

Joshua Báez belted a three-run home run, his 25th long ball of the season and his sixth of the week, to clear the bases for a 4-0 lead.

Joshua Baez

Bligh Madris crushed his 10th long ball of the season, a solo shot, to extend the Memphis lead to 5-0.

Bligh Madris

The Redbirds plated a run in the third. Leo Bernal walked and advanced to second base on a Madris groundout. Yohel Pozo hit a sharp single to score Bernal and stretch the Redbirds lead to 6-0.

Yohel Pozo

The Sounds entered the run column with a run in the top of the fourth. Memphis took the run back in the home half of the frame.

Scott II singled and made it to second base on a Saggese groundout. Prieto ripped a double to plate Scott II and move the Redbirds ahead 7-1.

César Prieto

Memphis added three runs in the fifth to pull ahead further.

Bernal drew a walk and Madris hit a double to put two Redbirds in scoring position. Bernal crossed home plate on a passed ball for an 8-1 lead, with Prieto to third base on the play. Colton Ledbetter blooped a single to score Madris for the ninth Redbirds run.

Colton Ledbetter

Noah Mendlinger lined a single to move Ledbetter to second base. Saggese connected for a two-out single to bring Ledbetter home for a 10-1 Memphis lead.

Thomas Saggese

The Sounds scored a run in the sixth and three runs in the seventh to move closer at 10-5. Nashville rallied in the ninth as they tacked on three more runs to come within two, but a sparkling play by Saggese at shortstop sealed the first half championship for the Redbirds.

The Redbirds scored 10 runs on 15 hits. Báez was 2-for-5 with a home run, a double, and three RBI. Prieto was 2-for-5 with a double, a run scored, and two RBI. Madris went 3-for-5, including two doubles, a home run, two runs scored, and an RBI. Pozo and Ledbetter each singled and drove in a run. Scott II was 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored. Saggese singled, scored a run, and drove in a run. Mendlinger collected three singles.

The Redbirds did not steal a base nor commit an error.

Memphis finished the first half with an International League-best 47-28 record to clinch the first half title and a postseason appearance. They are off Monday as they travel to Vystar Ballpark in Jacksonville, Florida, to begin the second half with a six-game series with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, starting Tuesday.

Tuesday’s game: at Jacksonville (MIA). Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 PM CT.

Springfield Cardinals 5 at Wichita Wind Surge 2

The Double-A Springfield Cardinals edged the Wind Surge in Wichita to clinch the series win on Sunday.

Mason Molina started his 13th game for the Cardinals. The left-hander threw 6 ⅔ innings and allowed one unearned run on three hits, no walks, and five strikeouts. Molina earned his second win.

Mason Molina

Andrew Schultz secured the final out of the seventh. Edwin Núñez threw a scoreless eighth inning with a pair of strikeouts. Hunter Hayes yielded a run and recorded two outs in the ninth. Randel Clemente recorded the final out of the game to collect his first save with Springfield on the year.

Springfield scored the first run of the game on the first batter of the contest. Jon Jon Gazdar hit his sixth home run of the year to put the Cardinals in front 1-0.

Jon Jon Gazdar

Wichita knotted the game at one in the home third. Springfield regained the lead with two runs in the fifth.

Gazdar was hit by a pitch and advanced to second base on a pickoff error. Deniel Ortiz moved Gazdar to third base via a groundout. Ryan Campos doubled home Gazdar to put the Cardinals back in front 2-0. Miguel Ugueto followed with a second consecutive double to bring Campos home for a 3-1 lead.

Springfield strengthened the lead with two runs in the eighth.

Dakota Harris walked and stole second base. Harris took third base on a Gazdar groundout and scored on a single from Rainiel Rodriguez to widen the Springfield lead to 4-1. Rodriguez swiped second base and came home on an Ortiz single for a 5-1 lead.

Springfield held off a late Wichita rally for their fourth consecutive win.

The Cardinals scored five runs on 10 hits. Campos was 2-for-5 with a double, a run scored, and an RBI. Ortiz was 2-for-3 with two walks, a double, and an RBI. Gazdar scored twice and hit a lead-off home run. Ugueto doubled and drove in a run. Rodriguez singled, scored a run, and notched an RBI.

On the bases, Tre Richardson II swiped his fifth Double-A bag. Rodriguez stole his fifth base. Trey Paige snagged his 11th bag. Ugueto collected his 21st steal. Harris stole his 23rd base. Ortiz was picked off second base.

On defense, shortstop Moore committed a fielding error. Pitcher Molina made a pickoff error.

Springfield finished the first half with a record of 31-37 after the series win in Wichita, third place in the Texas League North Division. The Cardinals are off Monday as they head home to Route 66 Stadium to begin the second half with a six-game series against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, starting Tuesday.

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

Peoria Chiefs vs. Dayton Dragons (canceled)

The High-A Peoria Chiefs were rained out on Sunday in the series finale against the Dayton Dragons. As Dayton does not return to Peoria for the remainder of the season, the game will not be made up.

Peoria is 1-1 in the second half and 33-35 overall. The Chiefs are off Monday as they travel to ABC Supply Stadium for a six-game set with the Beloit Sky Carp, starting Tuesday.

Tuesday’s game: at Beloit (MIA). Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 PM CT.

Palm Beach Cardinals 7 at Jupiter Hammerheads 4 (Game one, seven innings)

The Low-A Palm Beach Cardinals took game one of Sunday’s doubleheader over the Jupiter Hammerheads.

Andrew Dutkanych IV made his first start of the year for Palm Beach. The right-hander pitched 3 ⅔ scoreless innings on two hits, two walks, and six strikeouts.

Antoni Cuello secured the final out of the fourth inning in relief. Left-hander Nathan Shinn followed with two scoreless innings and four strikeouts as he picked up his first professional win.

Nathan Shinn

Anthony Watts yielded four runs in the ninth but finished the game.

The Cardinals broke the scoreless tie in the top of the third inning. Sebastian Dos Santos hit his first Palm Beach home run, a solo shot, to put the Cardinals in front 1-0.

Sebastian Dos Santos

Palm Beach doubled the lead in the fourth. Brayden Smith lined a single and stole second base. Matthew Miura hit a second consecutive single to score Smith for a 2-0 lead.

Matthew Miura

Palm Beach doubled the lead in the fifth. With two outs, Dos Santos walked and swiped second base. Ryan Weingartner walked. Weingartner and Dos Santos stole second base and third base, respectively, on a double steal. Ryan Mitchell followed with a single to plate Weingartner and Dos Santos and extend the Palm Beach lead to 4-0.

The Cardinals tacked on three insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Heriberto Caraballo began the frame with a single. Dos Santos reached on a fielder’s choice as Caraballo made second base due to an error. Mitchell blasted his eighth home run of the year, a three-run shot, to stretch the Cardinals’ lead to 7-0.

Ryan Mitchell

Palm Beach held off a late Jupiter rally in the win.

The Cardinals scored seven runs on nine hits. Mitchell was 2-for-5, including a home run and five RBI. Miura went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Dos Santos hit a home run, walked, and scored three runs. Smith was 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.

On the bases, Dos Santos swiped two bags for five steals with Palm Beach. Smith stole his 19th base. Weingartner snagged his 21st bag.

On defense, center fielder Mitchell made a throwing error.

Palm Beach Cardinals 3 at Jupiter Hammerheads 4 (Game two, seven innings)

The Palm Beach Cardinals were walked-off in the second game of Sunday’s doubleheader.

Payton Graham made his ninth start. The right-hander tossed 2 ⅔ innings and allowed two runs on three hits, three walks, and five strikeouts.

Left-hander Yadiel Batista fired 3 ⅓ scoreless innings in relief of Graham.

Yadiel Batista

Kaden Echeman yielded two unearned runs in the seventh and was tagged with the loss.

Jupiter struck first with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning. Palm Beach took the lead with a three-run sixth.

Sebastian Dos Santos singled and swiped second base. Ryan Weingartner reached on a fielder’s choice, with Dos Santos out at third base. Ryan Mitchell walked. With two outs, Brayden Smith lined a triple to bring home Weingartner and Mitchell and tie the game at two.

Brayden Smith

Miura grounded a single into center field to plate Smith and put the Cardinals ahead 3-2.

Jupiter rallied in the home seventh and took advantage of two Palm Beach errors to walk-off the game 4-3.

The Cardinals scored three runs on six hits. Smith was 2-for-3 with both Palm Beach extra-base hits, a double and a triple, and two RBI. Miura singled and notched an RBI. Dos Santos was 2-for-3.

On the bases, Dos Santos swiped two bags for seven steals with the Cardinals. Miura stole his ninth base. Smith snagged third base for 20 steals on the year.

On defense, third baseman Michael Dattalo made both a fielding and throwing error on back-to-back plays.

Palm Beach is 2-1 in the second half and 35-34 overall after taking four of six from Jupiter. The Cardinals are off Monday and will stay at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium for a six-game series with the Bradenton Marauders, starting Tuesday.

Tuesday’s game: vs. Bradenton (PIT). 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 on Sunday, as they prepare for a road contest with the FCL Astros on Monday.

The Cardinals will look to rebound after a 7-5 loss to the FCL Nationals on Friday.

The FCL Cardinals are 10-22 on the season.

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

DSL Cardinals (off-day)

The Dominican Summer League Cardinals were off on Sunday, as they geared up for a home contest with the DSL Mets Blue on Monday.

The Cardinals will look to win their second consecutive contest against the Mets Blue following a dominant 14-2 win on Saturday.

The DSL Cardinals are 8-7 on the season and in second place in the DSL Southeast Division.

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

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