PHOENIX -- Right-hander Jack Flaherty has been selected to represent the Cardinals on the U.S. roster for the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game, which will be played at Marlins Park on July 9.
Flaherty, ranked by MLBPipeline.com as the organization's fifth-best prospect, has had a standout first half in the Cardinals' Minor League system this season. He opened the year with 10 starts for Double-A Springfield and posted a 1.42 ERA with 62 strikeouts and 11 walks in 63 1/3 innings. That earned Flaherty a promotion to Triple-A, where the 21-year-old is 1-1 with a 4.33 ERA through five starts.
Flaherty has made a methodical climb through the system since being taken out of high school as the 34th overall selection in the 2014 MLB Draft. Flaherty was the only player from the Cardinals' organization to be selected for this year's Futures Game, though former Cardinals shortstop Edgar Renteria will be managing the World Team.
:: 2017 Futures Game coverage ::
The 2017 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game takes place on Sunday, July 9, at 4 p.m. ET at Marlins Park in Miami and can be viewed live on MLB Network and MLB.com.
Mejia makes debut
Pulled out of the bathroom by his Triple-A manager on Wednesday so that he could receive news of his first Major League callup, Alex Mejia was starting at second base for the Cardinals just 24 hours later. Mejia's Major League debut came against D-backs left-hander Patrick Corbin, five years after the Cardinals selected him in the fourth round of the 2012 MLB Draft.
"It was a total shock," Mejia said of the summons, which coincided with Aledmys Diaz's demotion to Triple-A. "It was pretty unreal. I didn't have any words. I didn't get a chance to soak it in because it was such a quick turnaround. I had a flight about two and a half hours from when he told me. I had to pack all my stuff and get out of there."
At the same time, several members of Mejia's family who live in Southern California piled into cars to make the drive to Phoenix. They were at Chase Field for his debut.
"He's just a well-rounded defender, makes the plays, has good range," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "We know he has the versatility to be a good player and then grinds through his at-bats. I think he's that kind of glove we know we could put in late in the game. We know he can get the job done."
Though most of Mejia's exposure this season has been at short, Matheny chose to use him at second base on Thursday. With Diaz in the Minors, the Cardinals would like to have Paul DeJong make a run of starts at short to see how viable he is as a longer-term option there.
Worth noting
• Following a run to the finals of the College World Series with his Louisiana State University team, shortstop Kramer Robertson tweeted a photo of himself signing his professional contract with the Cardinals on Wednesday. The Cardinals nabbed Robertson in the fourth round of the MLB Draft.
• Second baseman Kolten Wong has had a setback in his rehab work and is not expected to rejoin the Cardinals until after the All-Star break. Wong has been on the 10-day disabled list with a right triceps strain since June 15.