As the Texas League season rolls into the home stretch, the Springfield Cardinals continue to deal with the normalcy of roster churn. Players are promoted, others are demoted and the winning beat goes on.
All the while, there is no pressure of a title chase. The first-half Texas League North Division championship is in the bank, assuring Springfield of playoff baseball in mid-September for the second straight season.
“We don’t really look at the wins and losses and standings per se,” Springfield manager Patrick Anderson said during last week’s homestand against Arkansas. “We just want the next guys to step up and get an opportunity. That’s what the minor leagues are about.”
Even with standouts off to Triple-A, such as infielder JJ Wetherholt and outfielder Nathan Church, plus promoted pitchers who stood out in the first half, like Tekoah Roby and Max Rajcic, the Cardinals continue to excel in an attempt to win both halves of the North Division season.
Rewind: Taking the series from the Travelers
Cade Winquest dazzled again in his third Springfield start: 5.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, BB, 7 K pic.twitter.com/UHNVjEHK8c
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) August 3, 2025
The Cardinals beat Arkansas 4-2 on Aug. 3 to conclude a six-game series, in which Springfield won four. At 64-38 overall, Springfield is 21-12 in the second half to lead Arkansas and Tulsa by three games with a little more than a month remaining in the regular season.
Cade Winquest had a strong third Double-A start since his promotion from High-A Peoria. The right-hander allowed three hits, two runs and struck out seven in 5 1/3 innings to earn his first Double-A win. Winquest has allowed just three earned runs in 15 1/3 innings since entering the Texas League, with 16 strikeouts and five walks allowed.
Michael Watson earned his first save in his fifth Double-A appearance, working two hitless innings.
Major league moves have trickle-down effect
Cardinals starter Max Rajcic gave up six hits and four earned runs in four-and-a-third innings of work Sept. 19 against the Arkansas Travelers. (Photo by Bruce Stidham)
Windquest and Watson have fortified a pitching staff that recently saw Rajcic promoted to Triple-A. Last week’s trades at the major-league level of relievers Ryan Helsley, Steven Matz and Phil Maton also filtered down to Double-A, as relievers Nick Raquet and Osvaldo Berrios were boosted to Memphis after ex-Springfield pitchers Gordon Graceffo and Andre Granillo were promoted.
Raquet was 8-1 with a 0.77 ERA in 25 appearances out of the Springfield bullpen, along with five saves. Berrios was 4-3 with a 3.74 ERA in 28 games, with 48 strikeouts over 43 1/3 innings. Right-hander Tyler Bradt joined the Springfield bullpen from High-A Peoria, where he had a 3.16 ERA in 26 appearances in the Midwest League.
Fast forward: Road to San Antonio
The Cardinals face the San Antonio Missions for the first time this season, starting on Tuesday in Texas. The San Diego Padres’ Double-A club is 15-18 in the second half and 54-48 overall. San Antonio is scheduled to play at Hammons Field in a six-game series to conclude the regular season, Sept. 9-14.
Springfield is back home on Aug. 12 to open a series against Wichita, kicking off a stretch of 12 of the next 18 games at home to wrap up the month.
Cardinals prospect to watch
Entering the MLB Pipeline Top 30 list of Cardinals prospects at No. 25 this week is left-handed pitcher Braden Davis. He’s allowed just five hits and two earned runs in 15 innings for Peoria. The 22-year-old was recently promoted from Low-A Palm Beach, where he went 2-1 with a 3.26 ERA in 13 starts. Davis is a 2024 fifth-round pick from Oklahoma. Combined between two levels this season, he has 118 strikeouts in 84 innings.
San Antonio prospect to watch
Expected to make his first Double-A start this week against Springfield is the Padres’ No. 4 prospect, right-handed starting pitcher Miguel Mendez. The 23-year-old was 7-3 with a 1.32 ERA in 12 starts in the High-A Midwest League.
Who’s hot
Brycen Mautz of the Springfield Cardinals (Photo by Mary Ellen Chiles)
Springfield lefty starting pitcher Brycen Mautz picked up the win on Aug. 2 against Arkansas, allowing one unearned run over 5 2/3 innings, with four strikeouts and two walks. Mautz, a second-round draft selection in 2022, has surrendered either one or no runs in six straight starts.
Outfielder Chase Davis, the organization’s first-round pick in 2023, continues his uptick after a struggling first half. Davis had seven hits in five games against Arkansas with one home run and four RBIs. His season average has climbed to .224.
Who’s not
Pitcher Hancel Rincon has landed on the seven-day injury list after allowing three runs in five innings of his last start, July 31 against Arkansas. Rincon has 108 strikeouts in 91 1/3 innings combined between Peoria and Springfield this season.
Hence on the mend
Springfield Cardinals pitcher Tink Hense throws from the mound during a game at Hammons Field. (Photo by Ellie Frysztak)
While not providing specifics, Springfield manager Patrick Anderson said that No. 8 prospect Tink Hence is on the right track and could return to the pitcher’s mound soon. Hence has been on the injured list — the latest of multiple trips there during his career — since a July 3 start.
“He’s looking really good. It’s just a matter of getting himself back on track. He’s doing really, really well with his throwing program,” Anderson said of Hence. “This kid is determined to get back to the mound and be the best version of himself. We’re taking it slow to make sure he’s fully ready to go. I don’t know the exact timeline, but he’s throwing and has done a good job.”
JJ on the way
Springfield Cardinals short stop JJ Wetherholt looks on from the dugout during a game at Hammons Field. (Photo by Mary Ellen Chiles)
Cardinals’ top prospect JJ Wetherholt continues to excel in his first month at Triple-A Memphis after helping Springfield to the first-half Texas League North title. In 16 games with Memphis, Wetherholt is hitting .344 with six home runs in 61 at-bats — after hitting .300 with seven home runs in 223 Double-A at-bats.
There is speculation that with St. Louis fading from wild-card contention, Wetherholt, the No. 7 overall MLB pick in the 2024 draft, could be a late-season call-up to the big leagues. After playing shortstop or second base all season, Wetherholt made his first start at third base on Aug. 3 for Memphis.
Coincidence or not, third baseman Nolan Arenado went on the injury list last week for St. Louis and could miss considerable time with a shoulder ailment.
Lyndal Scranton is a Springfield native who has covered sports in the Ozarks for more than 35 years, witnessing nearly every big sports moment in the region during the last 50 years. The Missouri Sports Hall of Famer, Springfield Area Sports Hall of Famer and live-fire cooking enthusiast also serves as PR Director for Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri and is co-host of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast. Contact him at Lscranton755@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @LyndalScranton. More by Lyndal Scranton