Nootbaar slams way to 3-homer performance
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Nootbaar's slam highlights three-homer game (May 22)
It was a day to remember for Lars Nootbaar. Playing in just his 11th game since returning from the Majors, Nootbaar drove in seven runs to drive Triple-A Memphis past Gwinnett, 10-4. The 24-year-kicked off the scoring with a solo shot to right in the first, added a two-run jack to center in his next at-bat in the third and completed his first homer trifecta with a grand slam to center in the fourth.
It was the third multihomer game of Nootbaar's career and his seven RBIs equaled a career high established in his first pro season in 2018. Despite struggling in his Major League stint to begin 2022, Nootbaar improved his slash line to .275/.400/.650 with seven extra-base hits, four homers and 11 RBIs in 40 at-bats. Full story »
Star prospects Gorman, Liberatore to join Cards (May 19)
Second baseman Nolan Gorman and left-handed pitcher Matthew Liberatore are not only best friends, but the pair has leaned on one another throughout their journey in the Cardinals’ system.
Now, they are coming to the Majors together. Gorman, the club’s No. 2 prospect and the No. 29 prospect overall according to MLB Pipeline, will be in the lineup for Friday’s game against the Pirates, which you can watch free on Apple TV+. Liberatore, St. Louis’ No. 3 prospect, will start Saturday’s game.
In corresponding moves, outfielder Tyler O’Neill was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right shoulder impingement and Jack Flaherty was transferred to the 60-day IL. Full story »
Top two prospects show out on the farm (May 18)
A day after posting a three-hit game, Nolan Gorman did it again in Triple-A Memphis’ 4-3 loss to Gwinnett.
The No. 2 prospect laced three hard-hit singles to finish his day 3-for-4 with a run scored. Gorman singled twice to right-center and once to left-center, all off Stripers righty Bryce Elder (ATL 5). Coming off a game where he finished a triple shy of the cycle, MLB’s No. 30 prospect increased his average to .308 through 34 games.
With Double-A Springfield, top prospect Jordan Walker rocketed a two-run game-tying homer, his fourth long ball of the season. He added a walk and an RBI GIDP in the Cardinals’ 7-6 loss, and the 19-year-old is raking in his sophomore season with a .311 average and a .915 OPS in 32 games. -- Stephanie Sheehan
Gorman homers for second straight game (May 17)
Nolan Gorman has not gone more than five games this year without a home run.
The Cards’ second-ranked prospect launched a long ball for the second straight game in Triple-A Memphis’ 8-2 win over Gwinnett, finishing the day 3-for-5 and a triple shy of the cycle. Gorman laced his fourth double of the year on the sixth pitch of the game before crushing his 15th home run, which is one dinger shy of organization-mate Moisés Gómez for the MiLB lead (he hit his 16th for Double-A Springfield). The 22-year-old added a single and a run scored to complete his day.
MLB’s No. 30 prospect is hitting .295 with a 1.031 OPS and 23 RBIs in 33 games this year. -- Stephanie Sheehan
Gorman swats 14th HR for Triple-A Memphis (May 15)
Cardinals second-ranked prospect Nolan Gorman is a strong young man. He showcased that strength again in Triple-A Memphis’ 5-4 win over Norfolk at Harbor Park, homering to briefly pull into a tie for the Minor League lead in big flies. Gorman’s solo shot in the seventh marked his 14th of the season, knotting him with Springfield’s Moisés Gómez and Greenville’s Nicholas Northcut for the Minor League lead. Gómez would hit his 15th later in the day.
Still, the total is notable given its come in 32 games for Gorman, whom it took 68 games to reach 14 homers at Memphis during his first run at Triple-A in 2021. He ultimately finished with 14 in 76 games, and 25 in 119 games between Triple- and Double-A. Solid, but not spectacular for a player whose notorious power has proceeded him since before St. Louis made him the 19th overall pick in the 2018 Draft.
Now 22, Gorman appears to be growing into that power in spades. He’s slugging .645 so far this season, with a .993 OPS. -- Joe Trezza
Still only 19, top prospect Walker white-hot at Double-A (May 13)
Fresh out of high school, it only took Jordan Walker 27 games at Single-A Palm Beach last summer before convincing the Cardinals he was ready for his next challenge. A little less than a year later, Walker is already through that number of games two levels up, at Double-A Springfield.
And if he keeps hitting like he hit Friday night, he may not be there very much longer, either.
The Cardinals' top prospect continued his torrid May breakout Friday, homering and driving in four in Springfield’s 12-8 win over Amarillo at Hammons Field. Punching an opposite-field double in the first and pulling a go-ahead, three-run homer in the fourth, Walker paced Springfield’s 11-hit attack behind No. 27 righty Connor Lunn and four relievers. D-backs No. 2 prospect (No. 19 overall) Corbin Carroll also homered for the Sod Poodles in a losing effort, launching his 10th of the year off Lunn in the third inning. Full story »
Gorman, Liberatore show out in Pipeline Game of the Month (May 12)
In the latest MLB Pipeline Game of the Month, top-ranked Cardinals prospects Nolan Gorman and Matthew Liberatore (Triple-A Memphis) squared off against the Orioles’ Grayson Rodriguez and Adley Rustchman (Norfolk). The Redbirds came out on top, 5-2.
The biggest moment in the game came from Gorman. After striking out in his first three at-bats, the No. 31 overall prospect broke an 0-for-10 slump with a go-ahead, two-run homer in the top of the eighth.
Liberatore impressed on his end of the pitchers’ duel, striking out five (including a backwards K of Rutschman on a fastball) across six innings while allowing one earned run on four hits and four walks. MLB’s No. 41 prospect is tied for the Triple-A lead in strikeouts with 46 across 40 frames. Full story »
Gómez homers in third consecutive game (May 5)
Moisés Gómez is currently the home run king.
The right fielder added to his total during a 2-for-4 performance in Double-A Springfield's 9-6 loss to Northwest Arkansas. It also marked the third straight game he's gone yard. The 23-year-old's big fly came in the fifth -- a solo homer to right-center that put his team up 5-2. He also doubled in the seventh.
Gómez is on a seven-game hit streak with four home runs and four multihit games during that span. -- Ethan Sands
Gorman extends streak, Yepez goes deep twice for Redbirds (April 30)
Nolan Gorman made sure he extended his hitting streak to 16 games with an exclamation point. Baseball's No. 31 overall prospect hit his 11th homer and Juan Yepez left the yard twice to lead Triple-A Memphis past Durham, 11-4.
Gorman was hitless in his first two at-bats before going deep for the fourth time in five games. The 21-year-old has hit safely in each game since opening the year hitless in his first three contests. He's batting .338/.390/.811 with 13 extra-base hits and 16 RBIs.
Yepez joined his teammate in the home run parade, pushing his total to eight with his second multihomer game of 2022. The No. 6 Cardinals prospect finished with three hits and four RBIs, and is batting .280 with a .960 OPS, 13 extra-base hits and 23 RBIs. -- Michael Avallone
Lefty Liberatore extends scoreless streak for Memphis (April 29)
Matthew Liberatore, the Cardinals' No. 3 prospect per MLB Pipeline, struck out seven over seven-plus scoreless innings in Triple-A Memphis' 2-1 win over Durham. Liberatore, who was named last week’s International League Pitcher of the Week, has gone 17 innings without allowing a run. – John Denton
Graceffo dominant yet again for Chiefs (April 27)
After setting a career high with nine punchouts in his last start, right-hander Gordon Graceffo struck out nine more in his fourth start for High-A Peoria. In a 5-2 win over Wisconsin, the 2021 fifth-rounder allowed a run in the form of a solo jack by MLB's No. 69 prospect (and No. 1 Brewers prospect) Sal Frelick, limiting Wisconsin to three hits and without issuing a walk.
In fact, Graceffo has allowed a total of one walk this year while fanning 30 over 21 1/3 innings. The Cardinals' No. 23 prospect is 2-0 with an 0.83 ERA for the Chiefs after putting together a 1.73 ERA over 11 appearances for Single-A Palm Beach in his pro debut last season. -- Josh Jackson