SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Hammons Field in Springfield, Missouri, is the place to be right now if you want to see what the future of a Cardinals rotation could look like.
The names Hence, Hjerpe, Mathews, Roby and Rajic are all players to know. But right now, it's a Springfield trio that's exciting the fan base back in St. Louis.
Tink Hence should be a name already known to many Cardinals fans. The 2020 draft pick is electric, has made two futures game rosters and has dominated Double A this year when healthy with 73 strikeouts in 54 innings pitched.
It’s not just heat, though. Hence has one of the best changeups in the minors.
“It’s amazing to see. I know a lot of times when I throw it I’m like, ‘Ohhh,' but it just so happens to fall off the table. It’s good to be able to look at the data and see how good the pitch is for me, so it just makes it easier on me when I’m out there thinking about what should I throw?" Hence said of his changeup.
Although he’s already seen fellow draft classmates Masyn Winn, Jordan Walker and Alec Burleson reach the majors, Hence is staying patient. He knows his time is coming.
“Sometimes you can say that I feel like, ‘Dang, I feel like I’m ready now.' But a lot of it is just trusting timing. Trusting the process and just being the best I can. So as long as I’m still progressing at being the best I can. So as long as I’m still progressing at being the best I can, no matter where I’m at I never let it really get to me, because I know I’m eventually going to figure it out and from there it’s going to be history. So just being patient and respecting what the organization has planned and for me, not really rushing into things," Hence said.
And he stays in touch with his 2020 draft classmate Winn in the majors, picking his brain for what the next level will be like.
“Anytime Masyn texts me I know he’s watching and keeping up with me. It’s always good because you always want to hear info and how it is from the guys at the highest level ... things you’ll have to adjust to on and off the field," Hence said.
The next hurler to know is a man on a truly meteoric rise.
Lefty Quinn Mathews started this year in Single-A ball at Palm Beach. In no time he was moved up to High-A in Peoria. And now, he’s already at Double-A in Springfield.
“I don’t think there really was a set goal in terms of pace and where I wanted to be or needed to be. It was just, ‘I need to get better each and every time I step on the mound.’ And at the end of the day, as long as I’m doing that and controlling the controllables everything else will take care of itself in the long run," Mathews said.
The Stanford alum has a 2.22 ERA across all levels this season, averaging 12.7 strikeouts per nine. Those gaudy numbers earned him a trip to the Futures Game in Arlington this past week, where he tossed a scoreless inning.
But this California kid stays cool.
“Just a normal lefty, a little different. Left-handed pitchers, we’re all a little quirky, we all kind of do things a little differently, which makes us left-handed at the end of the day. But I’m just a lefty who’s going to put a quality start together and give the team an opportunity to win," Mathews said of his style.
“In terms of competitiveness, I’m off the charts so I try to not really show that all the time. But yeah, I’m pretty chill for the most part. I cut my hair but I had the stereotypical surfer flow going for a bit. There’s definitely a little bit in bits in pieces of life that have a SoCal influence on you and that’s just the way it is.”
It’s not just stuff with Mathews, either. The lanky lefty is durable. Need proof? He once threw 156 pitches in a playoff game in college.
“In terms of durability, my best friends and I growing up were always the young guys in the groups we played baseball with. So we always kind of had to throw as hard as we could, and we were throwing as often as we could. And basically it was like throw as hard you can as often as you can as much as you can, and if you blow out, fix it.
"So I’ve kind of just always had that thought process with throwing, so I really enjoying throwing and like to throw a lot. Throughout my life I’ve always thrown a lot, and it’s just given me the opportunity to stay healthy, and the biggest thing in sports is health and being available. So if you’re always available then you’re going to get your opportunities hopefully," Mathews said.
And since he's been in the Cardinals system, Mathews has found a few extra notches on his fastball. Although he still feels similar to his speed in college.
“I wasn’t too shocked in terms of the uptick (in velocity). I’m obviously excited to have it and I’m enjoying it because it does make pitching a little more doable so to say, because these kids are really good. So It’s definitely a nice surprise, but I don’t think it was that big of a jump, or at least not what people think it is," Mathews said.
The last of the trio has a delivery that’s hard to forget, but it’s all natural for 2022 first-rounder Cooper Hjerpe.
“(The sidearm/drop down delivery) always felt the same. But I think it’s just an evolution of my delivery. I can’t explain how it came to be, but it’s just felt natural to me, and coaches didn’t want to change anything since it’s pretty deceptive," Herjpe.
Hjerpe’s delivery and stuff have also fast-racked him from Peoria to Springfield this year with 76 K’s in 52 innings.
His last two starts? Five innings in each, and no hits allowed in each, with Springfield finishing off the no-no last time out
And Hjerpe wants the fans to know about the mentality he brings every time he steps on the mound.
“Ultimate competitor, man. I love the game, love baseball, love everything about it. Wouldn’t want to do anything else anywhere else. Wherever I’m at I try to win and that’s what I want to do for you," Hjerpe said.
Together, this could be the most talented stable of arms the Cardinals have had on the farm in quite a while. And they know it.
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“We always try to stay ‘here’. But sometimes we have no choice but to think about the future and how good we could be," Hence said.
“Our program and development with these guys is huge, and it’s a pretty special group of guys," Hjerpe said.
“It’s really easy to learn, and when you’re around guys here like Tink, Cooper, TK, it’s really easy to get a lot better, because it’s easy to pick their brains. And I pick their brains as much as I can," Mathews said.
The organization hasn’t produced a home grown all-star starting pitcher since Carlos Martinez in 2017. One of these guys could certainly be the next guy, but they do have varied viewpoints on visualizing their eventual big league debut.
“Especially this offseason we talked big on imagination and picturing yourself in those shoes. I’ll be watching a game thinking, ‘What would I throw?’ Or, ‘I think he should’ve thrown this.' Or maybe picking up something new," Hence said. “Picturing myself being up there and helping them win more ... that’s all I can imagine.”
“I’m thinking Game 7 of the World Series, man. I want the ball. That’s what a kid dreams of, that’s what everyone here dreams of. Obviously visualization is a huge thing in baseball, especially when you’re rehabbing and down for a little bit, you kind of find things to do ... just thinking about what the future holds and being where your feet are at the same time," Hjerpe said.
“Zero. I’ve never even thought about (a big league debut) to be honest with you. That’s not the focus. The focus is just to get better, and if the opportunity comes, you’ve done all the prep work up until that point.
"And truthfully it’s just another start. You can’t make the moment, in my opinion, any bigger than it is. Obviously the hitters in the other dugout are probably a little bit better which, ok, that’s a new challenge for sure, but I truthfully haven’t thought about it one bit," Mathews said.