Cardinals Select Pair Of Pitching Prospects To Represent In Futures All-Star Game

St. Louis has a bright future with the young hurlers

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-USA TODAY Sports / Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

The St. Louis Cardinals don't have the strongest farm system in baseball but there are a pair of players to keep an eye on who could soon make an impact at the next level.

For this summer's All-Star weekend at Globe Life Field -- home of the Texas Rangers -- all 30 Major League Baseball teams have selected outstanding players from their top prospect list to represent the organization in the Future's All-Star Game.

The Cardinals have picked a pair of pitching prospects who have excelled this season to showcase their talents at this summer's game.

"Right-handed pitcher Tink Hence and left-handed pitcher Quinn Mathews will be representing us (Cardinals) at the 2024 All-Star Futures Game in Arlington," the Cardinals announced Tuesday morning.

The young starting pitchers are the top two prospects in St. Louis' farm system, with Hence ranking at No. 1 and Mathews at No. 2.

Hence has posted a 4-2 record with a 3.29 ERA, 73-to-17 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .221 batting average against and a 1.13 WHIP in 54 2/3 innings pitched for Double-A Springfield this season.

This will be Hence's second consecutive appearance at the Future's All-Star Game as he was selected -- along with Victor Scott II -- to represent St. Louis in 2023. The 21-year-old shows great command at a young age and is on a steady track to make his way to the top.

Mathews has logged a 6-2 record with a 2.03 ERA, 113-to-23 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .143 batting average against and a 0.78 WHIP in 79 2/3 innings pitched for Cardinals affiliates in 2024.

The 2023 fourth-round draft pick has pitched lights out in his first season at the minor league level. Having started this year with Single-A Palm Beach, the 23-year-old has climbed to Double-A Springfield after being promoted on June 24.

With rotation depth being the Cardinals' most vital concern at the moment, it's great to see that the franchise has a pair of fresh arms in the minors who could soon be valuable assets for the club.

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