Banner

Recent blog posts

👉 Follow here, on Facebook, and on Twitter/X for daily Cardinals notes, insights, and observations from St. Louis to the minor leagues,

The St. Louis Cardinal Notebook

Cardinals Add Athleticism, Power Arms and Upside on Day 1 of MLB DraftThe Cardinal Chronicle St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurThe St. Louis Cardinals entered Day 1 of the 2026 MLB Draft with one of the better opportunities in baseball.With six picks in the top 86, the Cardinals had a chance to reshape the front end of their farm system in a hurry. They used that opportunity to add a center-field athlete, two high-upside right-handed arms, a young defensive shortstop, another athletic outfielder and a college bat with offensive polish.It was not a quiet Day 1. It was a volume play with real intent.The Cardinals mixed tools, age, upside and position value, while continuing a recent trend of targeting power arms and athletic bats with room to grow.Pick No. 13 — Trevor Condon, OF&nbsp;&nbsp; The Cardinals opened their draft by selecting prep outfielder Trevor Condon, a left-handed hitter with center-field traits, speed and bat-to-ball ability. Condon brings a different kind of offensive profile to the system: athletic, aggressive, fast and capable of impacting the game with his legs as well as his bat.This is a bet on a true up-the-middle athlete. The Cardinals have added several power bats and catchers in recent years, but Condon gives them a potential center fielder with energy, defense and table-setting ability. If the hit tool carries, this could be one of the more important additions to the system.Pick No. 32 — Tegan Kuhns, RHP&nbsp; With their second pick of the day, the Cardinals went back to the University of Tennessee pipeline and selected right-hander Tegan Kuhns. Kuhns brings a big fastball, a quality breaking ball and the kind of strikeout ability the Cardinals have clearly prioritized in recent drafts.The appeal here is obvious. Kuhns has the ingredients to start if the third pitch and overall command continue to develop, but even if the path eventually shifts, the raw stuff gives him a strong fallback. You can never have too much pitching, and the Cardinals clearly agreed.Pick No. 50 — Rocco Maniscalco, SS The Cardinals used the 50th overall pick on high school shortstop Rocco Maniscalco, one of the younger players in the draft class. Maniscalco is a switch-hitting infielder with defensive actions, arm strength and a real chance to stay at shortstop.This is a projection pick. The bat will need time, but the defensive foundation gives the Cardinals something valuable to work with. Young shortstops with athleticism, baseball bloodlines and room to grow are exactly the kind of players worth betting on in this range.Pick No. 68 — Andrew Williamson, OF At No. 68, the Cardinals added another outfielder, selecting Andrew Williamson. Williamson is a compact left-handed hitter with some power, speed and the athleticism to handle the outfield, even if his long-term home may end up in a corner.This pick gives the Cardinals another bat with a chance to hit and enough athletic ability to keep the profile interesting. The organization did not simply chase one-dimensional power here. Williamson brings a broader set of tools, and that matters when trying to build depth beyond the first round.Pick No. 72 — Dawson Montesa, RHP The Cardinals went back to the mound at No. 72 with right-hander Dawson Montesa, a young college-eligible arm from West Virginia. Montesa brings a mid-90s fastball that can touch higher, a quality curveball and enough raw stuff to dream on.The question is command. That is the development challenge. But the Cardinals have been willing to take pitchers with real stuff and let the player-development group sort through role and refinement later. If Montesa throws enough strikes, there is starter upside. If not, the bullpen path still has teeth.Pick No. 86 — Caden Ferraro, 1B The Cardinals closed Day 1 by selecting Texas Tech first baseman Caden Ferraro. Ferraro is a left-handed college bat who produced at a high level and brings a hit-first profile with enough strength to grow into more game power.As a first baseman, the standard is simple: the bat has to carry. Ferraro will need to hit, and hit enough to separate himself from other corner bats in the system. But the Cardinals added a college hitter with approach, contact ability and production, giving them a more polished offensive piece to finish the day.Day 1 Takeaway The Cardinals did not draft one type of player. They spread their risk.They took a prep center fielder with speed and defensive value. They added two right-handed arms with real stuff. They grabbed a young shortstop who should stay on the dirt. They added another athletic outfielder. Then they finished with a college first baseman whose bat is the carrying tool.That is a pretty good use of a crowded Day 1 board.There is risk here, especially with the prep bats and the command profiles on the arms. But there is also upside. The Cardinals did not spend the day playing small. They leaned into athletes, tools, youth and stuff.That is how you try to build a better farm system. The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: www.cardinalchronicle.comPhoto Credit: Trevor Condon, St. Louis Cardinals | MLB

Cardinals Add Athleticism, Power Arms and Upside on Day 1 of MLB Draft

The Cardinal Chronicle Liberatore, Nootbaar Lead Cardinals Past Braves, 4-1 St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurThe St. Louis Cardinals needed one more strong statement before the All-Star break.Saturday night at Busch Stadium, they got it from Matthew Liberatore.They got it from Lars Nootbaar too.Behind six scoreless innings from Liberatore and one big first-inning swing from Nootbaar, the Cardinals beat the Atlanta Braves, 4-1, taking the first two games of the weekend series and giving themselves a chance to close the first half with a sweep.This was not a loud offensive night from start to finish.It did not have to be.The Cardinals struck early, added one more run in the fourth, then let the pitching staff carry the rest. After Friday night’s rain-delayed 2-1 win over Atlanta, Saturday was the cleaner version — a starter setting the tone, the offense doing enough, and the bullpen finishing the job.That is a good way to win a series.It is an even better way to go into Sunday with a chance to take all three from the Braves.Liberatore entered the night with something to prove. His season has had flashes, but also too many crooked innings and too many nights where the damage came in bunches. The Cardinals have continued to give him opportunities, and Saturday night was exactly the kind of outing they needed to see.He gave them six scoreless innings, allowing four hits, walking one and striking out six. He threw 71 pitches, 50 for strikes, and worked with the kind of pace and command that has too often been missing when things have gone sideways.This was not a survival start.This was a winning start.Liberatore opened the game by striking out Michael Harris II, then walked Ozzie Albies. After a wild pitch moved Albies to second, Liberatore struck out Matt Olson and got Drake Baldwin to line out to second. It was an early test, and he passed it.Then the Cardinals gave him room.In the bottom of the first, JJ Wetherholt grounded out to second before Iván Herrera reached on an infield single to shortstop. Alec Burleson lined out to center, but Jordan Walker followed with a single to right, moving Herrera to second.That brought Nootbaar to the plate.He did not miss.Nootbaar drove a three-run homer to right field, giving the Cardinals a 3-0 lead before Atlanta starter Reynaldo López could get out of the opening inning. It was Nootbaar’s third home run of the season, and it gave St. Louis exactly what it needed — early separation against a Braves club that has enough power to change a game quickly.It was the biggest swing of the night.It also continued an encouraging stretch for Nootbaar, who has had to work his way back into rhythm after missing time earlier in the season. When he is healthy and producing, he changes the length of the Cardinals’ lineup. Saturday night was a reminder of why.Nootbaar did more than homer.He walked in the fourth, stole second and came home on Blaze Jordan’s two-out single to center, pushing the Cardinals’ lead to 4-0. That was an important add-on run, especially in a game where the offense was not going to pile up hits all night.Jordan’s single mattered.It was a young hitter staying in the middle of the field and cashing in a runner in scoring position. Those are the at-bats that can get buried under the highlight of a three-run homer, but they are the difference between protecting a lead and leaving a game too close.The Cardinals only had five hits.They made them count.Herrera singled and scored. Walker singled and scored. Nootbaar homered, walked, stole a base, scored twice and drove in three. Bryan Torres tripled in the second, though the Cardinals could not bring him home. Jordan added the RBI single in the fourth.That was enough because Liberatore did not let Atlanta back into the game.After working around the first-inning walk, he struck out Mauricio Dubón and Austin Riley to open the second before getting Eli White to fly out to right. In the third, he retired the bottom of the Braves’ order and Harris to keep the shutout moving. In the fourth, he allowed a two-out single to Baldwin but got Dubón to fly out to deep left.The fifth brought another small test.Riley singled to left-center, but Liberatore got White to bounce into a fielder’s choice. Joey Bart then lined out to third, and Jorge Mateo lined out to left. No damage.The sixth was the last real threat.Harris singled to shallow center, Albies flied out, and Olson singled to right-center, moving Harris to third. Atlanta finally had the kind of inning that could change the night, with two on and one out and the middle of the order trying to get the Braves back in it.Liberatore answered.Baldwin grounded into a double play, second to short to first, ending the inning and preserving the shutout.That was the at-bat of the game from the pitching side.The Braves had traffic, momentum and a chance to cut into the lead. Liberatore got one pitch to do exactly what he needed, and the Cardinals turned it cleanly behind him.That is how a starter finishes an outing.Not by being perfect.By making the pitch that ends the threat.Liberatore left after six with a 4-0 lead, and the Cardinals turned the game over to the bullpen. Luis Gastelum took the seventh and was greeted by Dubón, who homered to left to cut the lead to 4-1. It was Atlanta’s only run of the night.Gastelum still kept the inning from growing. He struck out Riley, allowed a double to White, then got Bart to ground out and Jim Jarvis to strike out. The Braves had life, but they did not get the inning they needed.George Soriano took over in the eighth and was sharp. He retired Harris on a fly ball to right, struck out Albies swinging and struck out Olson looking. That was a strong shutdown inning against the top of Atlanta’s order.Riley O’Brien handled the ninth and closed the door.That final stretch mattered because the Cardinals did not add on after the fourth. Owen Murphy quieted the St. Louis lineup out of the Atlanta bullpen, retiring the Cardinals over the final few innings and keeping the Braves close enough to make the late innings matter.The Cardinals’ pitching made sure the lead held.Atlanta finished with one run on six hits. Dubón supplied the only run with his seventh-inning homer. White doubled. Olson, Baldwin, Riley and Harris each had hits. But the Braves went quiet in the biggest spots, struck out 10 times and never found the inning that could flip the game.The Cardinals did not commit an error.They turned the double play when they needed it.They pitched clean baseball.That is the part of the night that should not be overlooked.The offense will get the headline because Nootbaar’s swing changed the game in the first inning. Liberatore will get the headline because he gave the Cardinals six scoreless innings against a dangerous lineup. But the overall shape of the win was just as important.St. Louis played a complete game.Not a perfect one.A complete one.The starter gave them length. The offense struck early. The defense handled the ball. The bullpen bent only once and did not let the game get tight. Against an Atlanta club that came in with one of the better records in the National League, that is not a small thing.The Cardinals are still fighting for position. Every game before the break matters, especially after the frustration of the Milwaukee series and the uneven stretch that came before it. They needed to stabilize. They needed to finish the first half with some backbone. They needed to show they could beat a good team at home and not simply hang around.They have done that for two straight nights.Friday was messy because of the long rain delay, but the Cardinals found a way to win 2-1. Saturday was cleaner, more controlled and built on the kind of starting pitching they will need if they are going to stay in the postseason picture.That is the bigger takeaway.The Cardinals can talk about competing. They can talk about the race. They can talk about the opportunity in front of them. But the postseason push will only become real if the starting pitching gives them nights like this one.Liberatore gave them one.And the timing could not have been much better.The Cardinals have already won the series. On Sunday, they will have a chance to finish the weekend with a sweep and head into the All-Star break with momentum.That matters.The Braves are not a soft opponent. They have lineup depth, power and a record that reflects how good they have been. Taking the first two games of this series is meaningful. Closing the deal Sunday would make it even louder.For now, Saturday belongs to Liberatore and Nootbaar.Liberatore set the tone from the mound.Nootbaar delivered the swing.The Cardinals beat the Braves, 4-1.And for one more night at Busch Stadium, St. Louis looked like a club that still has something important to chase. The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: <a href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com">www.cardinalchronicle.com</a>Photo Credit: Lars Nootbarr, St. Louis Cardinals | MLB

Liberatore, Nootbaar Lead Cardinals Past Braves, 4-1

Cardinals Add Young Switch-Hitting Shortstop Rocco Maniscalco at No. 50The Cardinal Chronicle St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurWith the 50th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, the Cardinals selected shortstop Rocco Maniscalco out of Oxford High School in Alabama, adding one of the youngest and more intriguing up-the-middle position players in this year’s class.This is the kind of pick that tells you a little more about the direction of the room.After opening the draft with high school outfielder Trevor Condon at No. 13, then coming back with Tennessee right-hander Tegan Kuhns at No. 32, the Cardinals used their third early selection on another high-ceiling player with loud traits and development runway.Condon brought five-tool center-field upside.Kuhns brought SEC-tested power stuff.Maniscalco brings youth, defensive ability, switch-hitting upside and one of the better arms among prep shortstops in the class.That is a strong Day 1 identity.Maniscalco reclassified into the 2026 draft class, making him one of the youngest players available. That matters. When a player is already showing this kind of defensive foundation and arm strength at shortstop while still being younger than most of his peers, scouts are not just evaluating what he is today. They are evaluating what he could become once his body matures and the bat catches up to the tools.That is the bet here.Maniscalco is a switch-hitter with projection in the bat, but the carrying tools right now are on the defensive side. He has the arm strength to stay on the left side of the infield, with reports of big-time velocity across the diamond and enough defensive actions to give him a real chance to remain at shortstop.That is not a small detail.Every organization wants shortstops. Not every organization has enough of them. Players who can stay at shortstop carry value even when the offensive development takes time. If they hit, they become potential impact players. If they outgrow the position, the arm and athleticism still give them another path on the infield.But the Cardinals did not take Maniscalco just because he can throw.There is offensive upside here, too.The switch-hitting profile gives the Cardinals something to work with from both sides of the plate. His power is not fully developed in game action yet, but there is strength coming, and there are reasons to believe more impact could show up as he matures. At this age, that is exactly what you are buying — the present tools, the physical projection and the chance that good player development turns the raw materials into a complete player.This is not a finished-product pick.It is a development pick.And there is nothing wrong with that.The Cardinals have spent too many years needing more upside in the system. Safe picks have their place, but safe does not always move the needle. Maniscalco gives the Cardinals a chance to land a premium-position player who may look very different two or three years from now than he does today.That is where Chaim Bloom and the Cardinals have to trust the process.Not the slogan. The actual work.This pick will require patience. A young high school shortstop is not walking into professional baseball and solving everything overnight. There will be adjustments. There will be growing pains. There will be nights where the bat looks ahead of schedule and nights where older pitching exposes the gap.That is normal.The important thing is that the foundation is there.Maniscalco has the kind of defensive tools that give him a legitimate floor, and the age gives him an interesting ceiling. He is not a college bat with a three-year statistical record. He is not a polished SEC hitter with hundreds of high-level at-bats. He is a young, switch-hitting shortstop with physical development ahead of him and tools worth betting on.That is exactly the kind of player a team with multiple early picks can afford to take.The Cardinals entered this draft with the kind of pick volume and bonus-pool flexibility that allows a front office to mix risk and reward. They did not have to choose only one path. They could take the high school athlete. They could take the college power arm. They could come back and take another young up-the-middle player.That is what they have done.And to this point, the board makes sense.Condon gives the Cardinals a potential center-field profile.Kuhns gives them a pitcher with real arm strength and breaking-ball upside.Maniscalco gives them a young shortstop with defensive value, arm strength and a switch-hitting bat that could grow into more.There is still a long way to go, and nobody wins a draft on announcement night. That is always worth remembering. Draft grades in July are mostly guesswork wearing a necktie.But you can judge the plan.So far, the plan appears clear.The Cardinals are targeting athletic players with premium traits. They are adding players who play valuable positions. They are not simply chasing low-ceiling safety. They are trying to put more upside into the system.That is how you rebuild a farm system the right way.Maniscalco may need time. In fact, he almost certainly will. But that should not scare the Cardinals away from the pick. A 17-year-old switch-hitting shortstop with a strong arm and a chance to stick at the position is exactly the type of player who can become much more valuable with proper development.That is the key phrase: proper development.The draft only opens the door. The organization still has to walk the player through it.For the Cardinals, this is another swing on upside. Not reckless upside. Not blind upside. But a real projection play at a premium position.After taking Condon and Kuhns earlier in the day, adding Rocco Maniscalco at No. 50 gives the Cardinals another interesting young piece to build around.It is not hard to see the blueprint.More athletes.More arms.More up-the-middle talent.More ceiling.That is a good way to start a draft. The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: <a href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" data-mce-href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com">www.cardinalchronicle.com</a>

Cards Add Young Switch-Hitting Shortstop Rocco Maniscalco at No. 50

Cardinals Add Power Arm Tegan Kuhns With No. 32 PickThe Cardinal Chronicle St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurThe St. Louis Cardinals went bat first, then power arm.After selecting high school outfielder Trevor Condon with the 13th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, the Cardinals came back with their second Day 1 selection and added Tennessee right-hander Tegan Kuhns at No. 32 overall.This was not a soft landing pick.Kuhns brings the kind of arm strength, breaking-ball feel and SEC-tested background that fits the Cardinals’ larger organizational need. St. Louis has spent much of the past year talking about building a deeper, more sustainable pipeline, and that cannot happen without adding real pitching talent.Kuhns gives them just that.The 6-foot-3 right-hander entered the draft as one of the more intriguing college arms in the class, with a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and has reached the upper 90s. The separator, though, may be the curveball. It is a high-spin breaking ball with downer action, giving him a legitimate swing-and-miss weapon when he gets ahead in the count.That matters because the Cardinals have needed more arms with bat-missing stuff.Too often in recent years, the organization has leaned on pitchability types, back-end profiles or arms that needed too much to break right to become impact starters. Kuhns is not a finished product, but the raw ingredients are louder. Fastball. Curveball. Size. Track record. SEC competition. Real upside.This is the kind of arm you take when you believe your player development group can finish the job.Kuhns is not without risk. He still has work to do refining the rest of the arsenal. The slider and changeup will need to become more consistent if he is going to remain a starter long term. The control has shown improvement, but command inside the strike zone will determine whether he becomes a mid-rotation starter or eventually moves toward a power relief role.That is the honest read.But the upside is easy to see.Kuhns has already shown he can handle a major college stage. He worked his way into Tennessee’s weekend plans, improved his draft stock and showed enough growth to push himself into the first-round conversation. He also brings the kind of competitiveness and pitch traits teams look for when trying to find more than just organizational depth.The Cardinals did not take him at No. 32 to become filler.They took him because there is a chance to develop a legitimate major-league arm.The fastball and curveball give Kuhns a foundation. The question now becomes whether the Cardinals can help him sharpen the third pitch, repeat the delivery, and command the baseball well enough to turn two loud weapons into a complete starter’s mix.If that happens, this pick could look very good.The bigger picture is also important. The Cardinals opened their draft with Condon, an athletic five-tool high school outfielder, then followed by grabbing a college arm with power stuff. That is a strong balance. One pick attacked upside on the position-player side. The next addressed pitching with a player who should not need years of physical projection before showing what he can be.Condon is the athlete.Kuhns is the arm.That is a good start to a critical draft.For Chaim Bloom and the Cardinals, this draft is about more than simply adding names. It is about changing the shape of the system. More athleticism. More impact. More pitching. More players with tools that can actually move the needle.Kuhns fits that assignment.He may not be a finished product, but very few pitchers are on draft day. The Cardinals are betting on the fastball, the curveball, the SEC foundation and their own ability to develop the rest.That is a reasonable bet.And at No. 32, it is the kind of bet the Cardinals needed to make. The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: www.cardinalchronicle.comPhoto Credit: Tegan Kuhns, St. Louis Cardinals | Dan Harralson/Vols Wire

St. Louis Cardinals Add Power Arm Tegan Kuhns With No. 32 Pick

Cardinals Bet on Five-Tool Upside With Trevor Condon at No. 13The Cardinal Chronicle St. Louis, MO By Ray Mileur The St. Louis Cardinals used their first-round pick Saturday on upside, athleticism and a player who fits the modern game.With the 13th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, the Cardinals selected Trevor Condon, a high school outfielder from Etowah High School in Woodstock, Georgia, adding one of the most dynamic prep position players in this year’s class.Condon is not the old-school corner slugger prototype. He is not a one-tool bet. He is an athletic, left-handed hitting outfielder with speed, contact ability, center-field traits and enough future strength projection to dream on more power down the road.In other words, this is the kind of player the Cardinals needed to take.Condon brings a true five-tool foundation, even if one of those tools — the power — is still more projection than finished product. That is not a knock. At 18 years old, a player with this kind of bat-to-ball skill, speed and defensive value does not have to arrive with 30-homer power already in the suitcase. If the body adds strength and the swing continues to mature, the power can come.The Cardinals are betting on the full package.Condon is the type of player who draws stylistic comparisons to players such as Corbin Carroll and Pete Crow-Armstrong — not because anyone should expect him to become either player, but because the ingredients are familiar. Athletic left-handed hitter. Speed. Defense. Energy. Baseball instincts. The ability to impact a game even when he is not driving the ball over the wall.That matters.For too long, the Cardinals’ system went through stretches where too many prospects were either bat-only questions, defensive questions, or one-dimensional bets. Condon gives them a different kind of profile. He has a chance to stay in center field. He can run. He can defend. He can make contact. He brings pressure to the bases. He has the athleticism to change an inning without needing to wait for a three-run homer.That is modern baseball.The scouting grades tell the story. Condon’s hit tool is considered one of the best among high school players in this draft class. His speed is the carrying tool, giving him impact ability both in center field and on the bases. The glove projects well. The arm is solid. The power is the one tool that lags slightly behind the rest, but even there, the question is not whether he has strength. It is whether the game power catches up consistently.That is a development challenge the Cardinals should welcome.A player like this does not need to be rushed. Condon is a Tennessee commit, which adds the normal signing element that comes with a high-profile high school selection, but the Cardinals did not take him at No. 13 by accident. This is a first-round investment in athletic upside, and the organization will have to finish the job with player development.That last part matters as much as the pick itself.Drafting athletic players is one thing. Developing them is another. The Cardinals have placed a clear emphasis in recent years on adding younger, higher-ceiling talent to the system. Condon fits that direction. But this cannot be a “draft him and hope” situation. His development will require patience, strength work, swing refinement and a clear offensive plan.The power is where the Cardinals can make their money.Condon already has the speed and defensive ability to carry value. If the hit tool plays, he has a major-league path. If the power grows from gap-to-gap contact into more consistent extra-base damage, this pick can become much more than just safe athletic upside. It can become an impact selection.That is why this pick makes sense.The Cardinals did not simply draft a high school outfielder. They drafted a player type they have needed more of — athletic, explosive, left-handed, defensively valuable and capable of growing into more offense.There is risk, of course. Every high school bat carries risk. The jump from Georgia prep baseball to professional pitching is real. The grind of full-season ball will test him. Pitch recognition, strength, durability and adjustments will all decide how fast he moves.But the upside is worth it.Condon gives the Cardinals a potential center-field building block with the kind of all-around game that can age well. He does not have to be a finished product today. He has to be the right clay. And based on the profile, the tools and the fit, this is exactly the kind of player Chaim Bloom’s front office should be targeting.The Cardinals have spent the past year talking about building a deeper, more athletic, more sustainable organization.Taking Trevor Condon at No. 13 backs that up.This is not a boring pick.It is a bet on speed, defense, contact, growth and a future where the Cardinals’ lineup has more athletes who can beat you in more than one way.That is a good gamble. The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: www.cardinalchronicle.comPhoto Credit: Trevor Condon, St. Louis Cardinals | MLB

Cardinals Bet on Five-Tool Upside With Trevor Condon at No. 13

The Cardinal Chronicle Liberatore Gets the Ball as Cardinals Look to Take Series From Braves St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurThe Cardinals needed Friday night.Not because it fixed everything. One win does not erase a rough series against Milwaukee, and it does not suddenly solve every question around the rotation, bullpen or lineup.But it did stop the bleeding.Now St. Louis has a chance to do something more useful.The Cardinals host the Atlanta Braves tonight at Busch Stadium in the second game of the final series before the All-Star break, looking to build on Friday’s 2-1 rain-delayed win and secure a series victory against another first-place club.First pitch is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. CT, with left-hander Matthew Liberatore getting the ball for the Cardinals against Braves right-hander Reynaldo López.The Braves enter at 54-39, while the Cardinals come in at 49-44. Atlanta remains on top of the National League East, while St. Louis is still trying to stay in the National League Central and Wild Card picture after a difficult week against Milwaukee.That is what made Friday important.The Cardinals did not play a perfect game. The offense was quiet for long stretches. The rain delay nearly swallowed the rhythm of the night. Chris Sale looked sharp before the weather interrupted his start. But St. Louis found a way to win a tight game, and after the kind of week this club had just endured, that mattered.Jimmy Crooks delivered the biggest swing, launching a go-ahead solo home run in the eighth inning to lift the Cardinals to the 2-1 win. It was his second homer of the season and a needed reminder that the bottom of the order can still change a game when the lineup is not producing much elsewhere.The Cardinals also got exactly what they needed from the bullpen.Kyle Leahy opened with three scoreless innings before the rain delay. George Soriano came on after the long pause and gave St. Louis useful outs. Justin Bruihl helped bridge the middle innings. JoJo Romero handled a clean eighth and picked up the win. Riley O’Brien closed it out for his 23rd save.After the Brewers series, where late innings had become a nightly problem, that was no small thing.The Cardinals retired the final seven Atlanta hitters. They protected a one-run lead. They played the kind of clean, tight baseball that had been missing for much of the week.Now comes the follow-up.That is always the challenge in baseball. One good night is encouraging. Two good nights start to change the tone.Liberatore gets the first chance to keep it going.He enters tonight at 4-6 with a 5.34 ERA and 82 strikeouts. His season has been uneven, and the Cardinals need more stability from him. The stuff is there. The flashes are there. But the difference between a good inning and a damaging inning has been too wide too often.Tonight, the assignment is clear.Throw strikes. Get ahead. Keep the ball in the yard. Do not give the Braves free baserunners in front of the middle of the order.Atlanta is not a club to let a pitcher search for himself. Matt Olson can change a game with one swing. Ozzie Albies remains dangerous from both sides. Austin Riley drove in Atlanta’s only run Friday. Michael Harris II gives the Braves athleticism and left-handed impact. Drake Baldwin, Joey Bart, Mike Yastrzemski and the rest of the lineup give Atlanta enough depth to make a pitcher pay for mistakes.That means working with conviction and avoiding the kinds of innings that put the Cardinals into bullpen survival mode early. After a rain delay and a bullpen-heavy game Friday, St. Louis could use length. Even six competitive innings would go a long way toward keeping the game and the bullpen organized.The Cardinals also need more from the offense against López.López comes in at 4-1 with a 3.18 ERA and 51 strikeouts. His record is strong, and he has given Atlanta solid work, but the Cardinals cannot let him settle into easy early innings. St. Louis scored only twice Friday, tying the game in the sixth on Jordan Walker’s RBI single before Crooks won it in the eighth.That was enough for one night.It cannot become the plan.The Cardinals need traffic. They need pressure. They need to make López work from the stretch. JJ Wetherholt’s ability to reach base remains important at the top. Iván Herrera continues to give the lineup a quality bat and on-base presence. Walker remains the biggest power threat in the order. Alec Burleson has to keep giving professional at-bats. Masyn Winn, Lars Nootbaar, Nolan Gorman, Blaze Jordan, Crooks and the rest of the lineup have to keep the Braves from pitching around the middle of the order.Friday’s win was built on pitching and one late swing.Tonight needs a little more offensive weight behind it.The Cardinals do not need a crooked number in every inning. They do need to avoid empty stretches where the opposing starter cruises through the lineup on quick contact and chase swings. Against a club like Atlanta, two runs usually will not be enough every night.This is also a chance for St. Louis to finish the first half with a better tone.The Brewers came into Busch Stadium and took four of five. That stung. It raised fair questions about pitching depth, bullpen usage and whether the Cardinals are equipped to chase Milwaukee without real help. But the schedule did not pause to let St. Louis feel sorry for itself.The Braves arrived, and the Cardinals answered the opener.Now they have to back it up.Winning tonight would give St. Louis the series before Sunday’s finale. It would mean two straight wins over Atlanta. It would give the Cardinals a chance to enter the break with some steadiness restored instead of dragging the Milwaukee series into every conversation.A loss would not undo Friday, but it would make Sunday heavier.That is the difference between surviving and building.The Cardinals survived Friday.Tonight, they can build on that win.Liberatore gets the ball. López stands in the way. The Braves still have plenty of thunder in the lineup. The Cardinals still have plenty to prove before the break.Take the series.Game Info Matchup: Atlanta Braves at St. Louis Cardinals When: Saturday, July 11, 2026 First Pitch: 6:15 p.m. CT / 7:15 p.m. ET Where: Busch Stadium, St. Louis Probable Pitchers: RHP Reynaldo López vs. LHP Matthew Liberatore López: 4-1, 3.18 ERA, 51 SO Liberatore: 4-6, 5.34 ERA, 82 SO Records: Braves 54-39; Cardinals 49-44 Broadcast: Cardinals.TV / BravesVision The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: www.cardinalchronicle.comPhoto Credit: Matthew Liberatore | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Liberatore Gets the Ball as Cardinals Look to Take Series From Braves

The Cardinal Chronicle Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day: Chase Davis Powers Palm Beach’s 19-Run Outburst St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurWhen a team scores 19 runs, there are usually several players with a legitimate claim to the spotlight.Friday night in Daytona, Chase Davis made the choice easy.Davis is the Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day after reaching base five times and helping lead Palm Beach to a wild 19-8 win over the Daytona Tortugas.His final line:2-for-4, HR, 4 RBI, 3 R, 3 BBThat is a complete offensive night.Davis did a little bit of everything. He hit for power, drove in runs, scored three times and controlled the strike zone with three walks. In a game that turned into an offensive avalanche, Davis was right in the middle of the damage.His home run was his first with Palm Beach, and it came as part of a night where the Cardinals piled up 14 hits, 18 walks, five doubles and two home runs. That is not a normal box score. That is a lineup taking batting practice with a scoreboard attached.Palm Beach scored three runs in the second inning, then blew the game open with a 10-run third. By the time the Cardinals were finished, nearly the entire lineup had contributed.Davis, though, stood above the pack.For a hitter still settling in at Low-A, this was the kind of performance that can build momentum. The numbers matter, but the shape of the night matters too. Three walks alongside a home run tells you he was not just swinging his way into production. He was seeing the ball, controlling the zone and forcing Daytona pitchers to come to him.That is how a player turns a good night into a statement night.Davis had help. Alex Birge drove in five runs and doubled twice. Matthew Miura reached base six times, going 3-for-4 with a home run, double, three walks and three runs scored. Yordalin Peña doubled twice, and Jonathan Mejía walked four times.But Davis carried the headliner because his night had everything — patience, power and production.The Cardinals have been waiting for Davis to stack quality at-bats and begin turning his offensive tools into steady results. Friday was a strong step in that direction.He reached base five times. He drove in four. He scored three. He left the yard. And Palm Beach rolled.That earns the spotlight.Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day: Chase Davis, RF, Palm Beach Cardinals Final Line: 2-for-4, HR, 4 RBI, 3 R, 3 BB The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: www.cardinalchronicle.comPhoto Credit: Chase Davis, Palm Beach Cardinals | MiLB

MiLB Player of the Day: Chase Davis

The Cardinal Chronicle Cardinal Chronicle Pitcher of the Day: Jurrangelo Cijntje Gives Springfield Six Strong Innings St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurSpringfield did not finish the job Friday night, but Jurrangelo Cijntje did his part.Cijntje is the Cardinal Chronicle Pitcher of the Day after giving the Cardinals six strong innings in Springfield’s 7-5 loss to Tulsa at ONEOK Field.His final line:6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 KThat is a quality start with swing-and-miss, control and enough length to put a club in position to win.Cijntje allowed single runs in the second and third innings, but he settled in and kept Tulsa off the board over his final three frames. He threw 85 pitches, 57 for strikes, faced 25 batters and limited the Drillers to four hits while walking just one.For a Springfield club that had built a 5-2 lead after four innings, Cijntje gave the bullpen exactly what it needed — a lead, six innings, and a manageable path to the finish line.The bullpen could not hold it. Tulsa scored four runs in the seventh and another in the eighth, turning Cijntje’s strong outing into a no-decision and eventually a Springfield loss.That does not change the quality of the start.Cijntje struck out eight, kept the ball around the zone, and gave Springfield one of the better pitching performances in the system Friday night. In a Cardinals farm system still looking for consistent starting pitching development, this kind of outing matters.The switch-pitching right-hander has one of the more unusual profiles in professional baseball, but Friday’s start was not about novelty. It was about execution. He missed bats, limited walks, worked deep enough into the game and gave his team a chance.That is the job.Springfield’s offense gave him support early. Rainiel Rodriguez homered and drove in two runs, Deniel Ortiz added two RBIs, and Brody Moore reached base, drove in a run and stole two bases. For six innings, it looked like enough.Cijntje left with Springfield in control.The final score said otherwise, but the performance still stands.There are nights when a pitcher earns the win and does not get it. Friday was one of those nights.Cardinal Chronicle Pitcher of the Day: Jurrangelo Cijntje, RHP, Springfield Cardinals Final Line: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: www.cardinalchronicle.comPhoto Credit: Jurrangelo Cijntje, Springfield Cardinals | MLB&nbsp;

MiLB Pitcher of the Day:  Jurrangelo Cijntje

The Cardinal Chronicle Cardinals Farm Report: Palm Beach Erupts for 19, Cijntje Shines Despite Springfield Loss St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurFriday night brought a little more life to the Cardinals’ farm system, even if the night still came with two frustrating losses.Palm Beach exploded for 19 runs in Daytona, Peoria got a strong pitching night from Tanner Franklin and snapped its losing streak, while Memphis and Springfield both let winnable games slip away late.The full-season affiliates finished 2-2 on the night.Memphis Redbirds — Triple-A Overall Record: 54-37, 1st, 2.0 games ahead of Nashville Second Half: 7-9, L2Gwinnett 6, Memphis 5Memphis let another one get away in Gwinnett.The Redbirds jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, got a late run in the ninth, and still lost 6-5 when Gwinnett scored twice in the bottom of the ninth.Leo Bernal had the biggest swing for Memphis, launching his 11th home run of the season and driving in three runs. Yohel Pozo added a solo homer, his third of the year, and also doubled. Noah Mendlinger had two hits, while Ramon Mendoza drove in a run.The concern continues to be the top prospect bats in the middle of the order. Joshua Báez went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts and a walk, while Nolan Gorman went 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.On the mound, Mason Molina worked four innings, allowing three runs on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts. Hancel Rincón gave Memphis three scoreless innings of relief, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out two.The game fell apart in the ninth when Cade Winquest allowed two runs on two hits, including a home run, while recording just one out.Takeaway: Memphis had the lead, had the late bullpen bridge, and still lost. The Redbirds remain in first overall, but back-to-back walk-off losses in Gwinnett sting.Springfield Cardinals — Double-A Overall Record: 41-43, 3rd, 15.5 GB Second Half: 10-6, L1Tulsa 7, Springfield 5Springfield had this one lined up for a good road win before Tulsa broke through late.The Cardinals led 5-2 after four innings, but the Drillers scored four runs in the seventh and added another in the eighth to hand Springfield a 7-5 loss.The best news of the night was Jurrangelo Cijntje, who gave Springfield six strong innings. The switch-pitching right-hander allowed two runs on four hits, walked one and struck out eight. He threw 85 pitches, 57 for strikes, and gave the Cardinals every chance to win.Offensively, Rainiel Rodriguez homered and drove in two runs. The home run was his eighth of the season and another reminder of why his bat keeps drawing attention. Deniel Ortiz also drove in two, while Brody Moore singled, walked, drove in a run and stole two bases. Won-Bin Cho did not get a hit, but he reached base three times with three walks.The bullpen could not hold it. Hunter Hayes and Andrew Schultz combined to allow four runs in the seventh, and Edwin Núñez gave up another run in the eighth.Takeaway: Cijntje deserved better. Six innings, eight strikeouts and two earned runs should put a club in position to finish the job. Springfield could not get it done late.Peoria Chiefs — High-A Overall Record: 39-45, 5th, 10.5 GB Second Half: 7-11, W1Peoria 6, Quad Cities 3Peoria finally got back in the win column, beating Quad Cities 6-3 behind a strong start from Tanner Franklin and a balanced offensive night.Franklin was excellent, working five innings of one-run baseball, allowing six hits, walking none and striking out nine. He threw 81 pitches, 58 for strikes, and gave the Chiefs a badly needed starting effort after a rough stretch on the mound.The bullpen did enough from there. Gerardo Salas worked two scoreless innings, Jason Savacool allowed two runs in the eighth, and José Davila handled the ninth.At the plate, Luis Pino led the way, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs. Josh Kross hit his 10th home run of the season, while José Suárez tripled and drove in a run. Michael Dattalo added two hits and an RBI, and Cameron Nickens doubled, walked and drove in a run.Peoria had 11 hits, four doubles, a triple and a home run. That will play.Takeaway: After giving up 18 runs the night before, Peoria needed a clean, grown-up win. Franklin set the tone, the lineup produced, and the Chiefs snapped their four-game skid.Palm Beach Cardinals — Low-A Overall Record: 44-41, 2nd, 1.0 GB Second Half: 11-8, W1Palm Beach 19, Daytona 8Palm Beach did not just win Friday night. The Cardinals emptied the cabinet.After scoring three runs in the second inning, Palm Beach erupted for 10 runs in the third and rolled to a 19-8 win over Daytona. The Cardinals finished with 14 hits, 18 walks, five doubles and two home runs.Chase Davis was the headliner, going 2-for-4 with a home run, four RBIs, three runs scored and three walks. It was his first home run with Palm Beach, and it came in a game where he reached base five times.Alex Birge also had a huge night, going 3-for-6 with two doubles and five RBIs. Matthew Miura went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run, three runs scored and three walks. Yordalin Peña doubled twice and drove in a run, while Jonathan Mejía walked four times and scored three runs.This was not normal baseball. Eighteen walks is the kind of number that makes a scorekeeper reach for coffee and mercy.On the mound, Andrew Dutkanych IV gave Palm Beach needed length in relief, striking out seven over 3.2 innings while allowing two runs. Jesús García finished it with 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing no hits while striking out two.Takeaway: Palm Beach had been scuffling, but this was a full offensive reset. Davis had the headline night, Birge drove in five, Miura reached base six times, and the Cardinals stayed right near the top of the overall standings.Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day Chase Davis, RF, Palm Beach CardinalsDavis earns the honor after going 2-for-4 with a home run, four RBIs, three runs scored and three walks in Palm Beach’s 19-8 win over Daytona.That is a complete offensive night. He hit for power, drove in runs, controlled the strike zone and reached base five times. In a game packed with big numbers, Davis stood above the rest.Cardinal Chronicle Pitcher of the Day Jurrangelo Cijntje, RHP, Springfield CardinalsCijntje gets the nod after throwing six innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits, walking one and striking out eight in Springfield’s loss to Tulsa.He did not get the win, but he gave Springfield the best starting performance in the system Friday night. The strikeouts were there, the walks were limited, and he left the game with the Cardinals in control.Honorable mention: Tanner Franklin, Peoria — 5 IP, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 K.Final Word Friday was a better night than the previous two, but still not clean.Palm Beach scored 19 and looked like it might not stop until sunrise. Peoria got a strong pitching performance and snapped its losing streak. Memphis lost another late heartbreaker, and Springfield wasted a strong start from Cijntje.The system went 2-2, which is progress, but the late-game losses at Memphis and Springfield keep this from feeling like a clean night.The best signs were clear: Chase Davis had a breakout night, Jurrangelo Cijntje looked sharp, Tanner Franklin missed bats, and Palm Beach’s lineup turned a Friday night in Daytona into batting practice with consequences. The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: www.cardinalchronicle.comPhoto Credit: Jurrangelo Cijntje, Springfield Cardinals | MLB&nbsp;

Palm Beach Erupts for 19, Cijntje Shines Despite Springfield Loss

The St. Louis Cardinal Chronicle 

The St. Louis Cardinal Chronicle is dedicated to preserving Cardinals history, covering today’s game, and following the next generation through the minor leagues. Written in the tradition of the old beat writers, it’s baseball with perspective — steady, faithful, and rooted in a lifelong love for the game.

The St. Louis Cardinal Chronicle, Ray Mileur

The St. Louis Cardinal Notebook

Cardinals Add Athleticism, Power Arms and Upside on Day 1...

Liberatore, Nootbaar Lead Cardinals Past Braves, 4-1

Cards Add Young Switch-Hitting Shortstop Rocco Maniscalco...

St. Louis Cardinals Add Power Arm Tegan Kuhns With No. 32...

Cardinals Bet on Five-Tool Upside With Trevor Condon at N...

Liberatore Gets the Ball as Cardinals Look to Take Series...

MiLB Player of the Day: Chase Davis

MiLB Pitcher of the Day: Jurrangelo Cijntje

Palm Beach Erupts for 19, Cijntje Shines Despite Springfi...