Jordan comes out bats blazing once again with 1st career triple, HR

MINNEAPOLIS -- It’s safe to say that Cardinals infielder Blaze Jordan is living the dream.

Jordan, ranked by MLB Pipeline as St. Louis' No. 25 prospect, made his Major League debut on Friday and immediately made an impact during a 9-8 loss to the Twins, going 2-for-4 and recording an RBI single in his first at-bat to give the Cardinals a 2-1 lead in the second inning.

Saturday was even better during the Cardinals’ 9-6 victory over Minnesota at Target Field. He had another 2-for-4 game, including a triple and his first Major League home run. The dinger was one of three Cardinals homers in a seventh inning that broke open a 4-4 game.

Iván Herrera and Jordan Walker already hit solo homers off Minnesota right-hander Justin Lawrence to give St. Louis a two-run lead. After Lars Nootbaar and Alec Burleson reached base on singles to put runners on first and third, Lawrence was taken out of the game in favor of Travis Adams, who allowed a three-run homer to Jordan.

With a 3-1 count, Jordan jumped on a fastball and put it into the left-center-field seats. He was able to get the ball back from Cardinals fans in attendance and plans to give it to his parents. In return, the fans received signed balls and a bat.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Jordan said. “We are so deep -- one through nine. It’s a bunch of young guys that are hungry to win. We are playing for each other right now. I think that’s what relaxes your mind when you are trying to go up there and deal with what the team needs at that point. We are trying to simplify it in that way.”

Jordan is expected to play third base on an everyday basis, and manager Oliver Marmol is impressed by what he has seen so far from the right-handed-hitting slugger.

“He looks like he is taking the same at-bat that we have seen on video,” Marmol said. “I mean that in a really good way. He is in a big league batter’s box and doesn’t think much of it. It’s the same approach, same swing. There is a calmness to it that is impressive to be up here for your first time.”

Nootbaar first heard of Jordan when the latter was 13 years old. According to Nootbaar, he saw videos of Jordan during that period and he was already hitting monster home runs for his age. Two years later, the two met at USC, Nootbaar’s alma mater. Jordan was taking batting practice at the school.

“It’s cool to see the guy have so much success in the Minor Leagues and then he gets his opportunity and makes the most of it,” Nootbaar said. “[After his first at-bat on Friday], I said, ‘This guy looks pretty prepared and comfortable in the box right now.’

“It’s always fun seeing guys make their debut, especially a guy like him who has success and has an extra-base hit and then has that homer. It gets the monkey off your back a little bit, being able to play loose. I’m sure he is feeling that right now.”