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 in The Godfather, Part II.
In his 2025 debut on a cold Sunday afternoon, Rajcic was the Don of Hammons Field. He allowed one hit and struck out four over five scoreless innings, as Springfield whacked the Wichita Wind Surge, 5-0, to secure the Cards’ 700th all-time home victory. The next day, Minor League Baseball paid tribute – Rajcic was named Texas League Pitcher of the Week.
Rajcic’s consigliere – Cardinals’ Director of Pitching Matt Pierpoint – gets some credit, too. Pierpoint encouraged Rajcic to add a fifth weapon to his arsenal in the offseason – a sinker that is lethal to righthanded batters.
“I was (at camp in Jupiter) for two months – got to meet all the new faces,” Rajcic said prior to opening day. “I really like what the Cardinals are doing, we’re heading toward the right direction – with the pitching side, it’s really good…we’re just making plans – we have a thing called Plan A, just basically pitching to our strengths and trusting our stuff. Looking at heat maps, just trying to make the best version of yourself.”
Rajcic strikes out four over five shutout innings. pic.twitter.com/rEPtWX08E7
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) April 6, 2025
The Cards’ sixth-round pick in 2022 out of UCLA, Rajcic was St. Louis’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2023 and the workhorse in Double-A last season, when the righthander notched 131 strikeouts over a team-high 131 innings for Springfield. He allowed one earned run in 7.2 innings with the Cardinals in spring training.
Rajcic started slowly in 2024 and after a rough outing on May 16 against the Midland RockHounds when he surrendered six earned runs in 2.2 innings – his third start ended before the fourth inning – Rajcic rebounded.
“When I was struggling the first month and a half, I was kind of in my head, just thinking about baseball. After (the Midland start) I was just like, ‘you know what? Let’s just restart the season, who cares?’ Just had different hobbies – baseball is my whole life – so I kind like, did more activities – like pickleball, I like golf, been really grinding some pool, like billiards – I’m pretty good at pool now, I’m not gonna lie.”
Mobster films do more than help Rajcic’s mind escape baseball. He wants to pitch like a gangster in 2025.
“My teammates, they’re my family, you know how the mafia rolls. I’m going to have their back.”
