Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals Pitching Phenom Labeled 'The Real Deal' After Latest Dominant Performance

St. Louis has a star pitcher making his way through the minors

Nate Hagerty

Apr 16, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; A general view of the St. Louis Cardinals scoreboard as a plane passes by during the seventh inning of a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Apr 16, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; A general view of the St. Louis Cardinals scoreboard as a plane passes by during the seventh inning of a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
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The St. Louis Cardinals are known for drafting and developing star players out of their farm system and this season has proved that statement.

Six out of the nine starting players for St. Louis during Wednesday night's epic 3-2 victory over the division-rival Brewers were homegrown players who have blossomed from Cardinals prospects into impactful players for the organization.

Hopefully, another well-developed Cardinals prospect will have an impact soon after recording yet another eye-opening performance in the minors. The young pitcher is already considered the next big thing for St. Louis.

Double-A Springfield right-handed pitcher Tink Hence earned the title 'the real deal' by his club after giving up only two earned runs on three hits, one walk and eight strikeouts in four innings pitched Wednesday night for the Cardinals' affiliate.

Hence has posted a 4-3 record with a 2.76 ERA, 108-to-25 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .204 batting average against and a 1.06 WHIP in 78 1/3 innings pitched for Double-A Springfield this season.

The 22-year-old has been a force to be reckoned with all year for Double-A Springfield and it's likely only a matter of time before he's promoted to Triple-A Memphis.

It might be too early for Hence to make the jump to the big leagues, but if he continues on his current path, the top pitching prospect should be suiting up at Busch Stadium in no time.

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Nate Hagerty
NATE HAGERTY

Nate Hagerty joined “Inside The Cardinals” as a content creator to spread knowledge about his favorite childhood team. A hometown native of Boston, Hagerty chose at an early age of six years old to follow the St. Louis Cardinals. The miraculous season of 04’ for the Red Sox did not deter Hagerty from rooting against his hometown team, nor did it in 2013 against the Red Birds. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu 

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