photo: Max Rajcic (Springfield Cardinals)
Max Rajcic is the Texas League Pitcher of the Week and Cade McGee is the Florida State League Player of the Week for the first weekend of the season, from April 4-6.
Though it was a short three-game weekend as the Double-A and Class-A leagues began play on Friday across Minor League Baseball, two St. Louis Cardinals have been recognized for their sprint out of the gates in 2025.
Springfield Cardinals release
Minor League Baseball announced on Monday that Springfield Cardinals starting pitcher Max Rajcic has been named the Texas League Pitcher of the Week for the week of March 31 – April 6. This is the second time in his career that he has won a Pitcher of the Week award, last occurring in the Florida State League on June 4, 2023. He is the first pitcher in the Texas League to be honored with this award this season.
Rajcic made his 2025 season debut against the Wichita Wind Surge on Sunday in game one of a doubleheader. The Cardinals number 23 ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline fired five scoreless innings allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out four. The righty earned his first win of the season as Springfield blanked Wichita 5-0. In addition to nailing down the series win, Rajcic’s performance led the Cardinals to their 700th all-time victory at their home ballpark Hammons Field.
Rajcic is now in his second full season with Springfield after pitching in just one postseason game for the club in 2023. In 2024 he led the team with 131.0 IP (47.1 more than the next pitcher Alex Cornwell), 131 strikeouts and ten wins. Rajcic is a five-pitch starter who recently added a sinker to his repertoire (four-seam fastball, curveball, slider, changeup). 2025 marks his third season in the Minor Leagues, all with St. Louis. He was named the 2023 St. Louis Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Year in his first season after being drafted in the sixth round out of UCLA.
McGee honored by FSL
Palm Beach Cardinals third baseman Cade McGee has been named the first Florida State League Player of the Week for 2025. McGee, St. Louis’ 2024 ninth round draft pick from Texas Tech, slugged three extra-base hits (two home runs and a double) in the team’s first three games. The highlight was his walk-off two-run home run to conclude a four-run ninth inning comeback win over Fort Myers at Roger Dean Stadium on Sunday.
In his first 13 plate appearances, McGee has four hits and two walks for an early slash line of .364/.462/1.000/1.462 plus two stolen bases in two attempts.
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