Cardinals Minor Leagues
Mafia movie buff Max Rajcic whacks Wichita in 2025 debut, earns Texas League Pitcher of the Week honors
Max Rajcic reported early to Cardinals’ spring training in late January, but first the mafia movie buff took a pilgrimage to Italy. The food and countryside left an impression and Rajcic returned wearing a mustache in the style of Robert De Niro’s young Vito Corleone...
Winning is “in my blood”; JJ Wetherholt arrives with high expectations after long drive to Double-A Springfield
Springfield Cardinals new skipper Patrick Anderson observed batting practice on Field 6 at the Cardinals’ spring training complex in Jupiter when he noticed something odd. It was time to gather the balls scattered around the outfield – a chore that normally falls to...
“That guy is going to be so good”: Double-A newcomer Chase Davis powers Springfield to Game 1 Division Series win
Speaking with reporters outside the Cardinals clubhouse the day after Springfield’s 4-1 win over Arkansas in Game 1 of the Texas League North Division Series, Bryan Torres humbly recited platitudes when he was prodded to boast about his league-best .331 batting...
Matt Svanson closes out Double-A Springfield franchise record win, leads Cards into Texas League playoffs
Three outs away from setting a franchise record for wins in a season – and clinging to a one-run lead over San Antonio on Wednesday night – the Springfield Cardinals called on the Texas League leader in saves to close out a historic win. Matt Svanson notched a pair of...
Max Rajcic’s ‘devastating’ changeup, renewed confidence on display for Independence Day gem
An iconic scene from the beloved movie The Sandlot occurs on the Fourth of July, as boys play baseball while fireworks light up the Southern California sky. Growing up in Orange, California, Max Rajcic was one of those kids. When his kindergarten teacher asked the...
Former Pac-12 rivals Quinn Mathews, Cooper Hjerpe, off to scorching starts in Double-A
A chainsaw sound effect buzzes over the sound system at Goss Stadium in Corvallis each time an Oregon State pitcher records a strikeout. That was Quinn Mathews first impression of future teammate Cooper Hjerpe. Mathews picked up his first career save in Stanford’s 1-0...
Cooper Hjerpe spotless in second Texas League start, sparks Springfield run to Texas League playoff spot
Springfield’s team bus rumbled south on a 14-hour trek from the Ozarks to the Texas Gulf Coast and Cards’ southpaw Cooper Hjerpe passed time by texting with friend and former Oregon State teammate Jacob Melton, the Houston Astros’ second-round pick in 2022 and now...
Cooper Hjerpe reaches Double-A, “funky” lefty joins loaded Springfield rotation
Bright sunshine and 4,792 fans – most of them kids on summer camp field trips – burst into Hammons Field on Wednesday morning. With first-place Springfield clinging to a narrow lead over Arkansas in the Texas League North first-half race, the environment offered a...
John Mozeliak talks trade deadline, MLB Draft, future role for Yadi in wide-ranging interview on Bloggers Day
St. Louis Cardinals President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak spoke with Bloggers & Podcasters covering the club for 45 minutes prior to Saturday’s game at Busch Stadium against Colorado. The interview covered a range of topics, including his future, a role...
Nathan Church says he wants to win a championship with Springfield in 2024 – and he’s playing like it
Nathan Church stood underneath an oval “2012” plaque on the clubhouse façade that commemorates Springfield’s lone Texas League championship title, and an hour before Game 1 of Wednesday’s doubleheader at Hammons Field, he pondered goals for 2024. Church’s play lately...
“I almost retired, man”: Perseverance pays dividends for Bryan Torres and first-place Springfield Cards
Bryan Torres watched the first two offerings from Midland Rockhounds reliever Wander Guante whiz by for called strikes. Springfield enjoyed a 4-1 lead in the seventh inning on Friday night, thanks to Torres’ two-RBI single with two out in the second inning when he...
“They’re just having fun hanging zeroes”: Ian Bedell, Springfield pitchers, shove Wichita; Cards rewrite history books with perfect start
Only two teams in all professional baseball entered play on Sunday unbeaten in 2024 – and one survived. Matt Lloyd smashed a 3-run homer in the eighth inning to rally Springfield past Wichita, 8-7, and – with the High-A Spokane Indians falling to Tri-City – the...











