Where will Cardinals top prospects begin their minor-league seasons?
By Rob Rains
With three of the Cardinals four full-season minor-league affiliates beginning their seasons this week, here is a rundown of where the top prospects in the organization will begin their seasons.
The Double A Springfield Cardinals will open their season on Friday night at Amarillo; high Class A Peoria plays Friday night at Cedar Rapids and low Class A Palm Beach will open its season on Thursday night at home against St. Lucie.
The Triple A Memphis Redbirds have already played five games, beginning their season with a franchise-best 5-0 record.
A team-by-team prospect rundown:
Memphis – Five of the top prospects in the organization have begun the year at Memphis – outfielder Joshua Baez, catchers Leonardo Bernal and Jimmy Crooks and pitchers Quinn Mathews and Brycen Mautz.
The list of prospects assigned to Memphis also includes pitchers Tink Hence and Luis Gastelum, who both were promoted from Springfield, and outfielder Colton Ledbetter, acquired from Tampa Bay in the three-way trade that sent Brendan Donovan to the Mariners.
Two pitchers acquired over the winter from the Red Sox who have pitched in the majors, Richard Fitts and Hunter Dobbins, also are in the Memphis rotation, Dobbins on a rehab assignment.
Springfield – Two of the Cardinals’ top pitching prospects will open the season in the Springfield rotation, lefthander Liam Doyle and righthander Jurrangelo Cijntje. Doyle was the fifth overall pick in last summer’s amateur draft while Cijntje was one of the players acquired from Seattle.
Other prospects assigned to Springfield are pitchers Braden Davis, Chen-Wei Lin, Mason Molina and Michael Watson; infielders Deniel Ortiz and Jeremy Rivas and outfielders Chase Davis and Travis Honeyman.
Peoria – The Chiefs roster includes pitchers Tanner Franklin, the third-round pick in last summer’s draft, Yhoiker Fajardo and Blake Aita, who both were acquired from the Red Sox in trades over the winter.
Other prospects who will begin the year in Peoria are catcher Rainiel Rodriguez, infielder Jesus Baez and outfielder Tai Peete, who also joined the Cardinals in the Donovan trade.
Palm Beach – Two players drafted last summer will begin their pro careers for Palm Beach, outfielder Ryan Mitchell, the second-round pick out of a high school in Memphis, and pitcher Cade Crossland, selected out of the University of Oklahoma.
Other players assigned to Palm Beach include pitchers Andrew Dutkanych IV and Ethan Young, first baseman Jack Gurevitch and shortstop Yairo Padilla.
Injured – The group of prospects who will begin the season on the injured list include pitchers Brandon Clarke, acquired from the Red Sox, Tekoah Roby, Cooper Hjerpe and Ixan Henderson.
Not assigned – This group consists primarily of the youngest prospects in the organization, who will most likely be assigned to the rookie Florida Complex League, which begins its season in early May, or the Dominican Summer League.
This group includes pitchers Keiverson Ramirez and Brannell Franco and outfielders Kenly Hunter and 17-year-old Emmanuel Luna, who signed as an international free agent in January from the Dominican Republic. Luna likely will begin his professional career in the DSL.
Photo of Rainiel Rodriguez courtesy of Palm Beach Cardinals
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