After lasting just two innings in the Memphis Redbirds’ season opener last Thursday night against the New Orleans Baby Cakes, Cardinals pitching prospect Luke Weaver was placed on the disabled list Sunday with a hand injury. The move is retroactive to April 6.
Ranked by MLB.com as the club’s third overall prospect behind Alex Reyes and Carson Kelly and second on the Viva El Birdos list, the 23-year-old Weaver was assigned to Triple-A Memphis to begin the season and toed the rubber for their first game of the 2017 campaign. Weaver struck out a batter in his two scoreless innings and lifted a double in his at-bat in the top of the third. But before he’d head out to the mound to start his third frame of work, Weaver was removed from the game with the hand injury.
As of Sunday evening, further details of the injury have not been publicly announced, such as what hand or how it came about. Given that it’s only early April, the decision to put him on the DL - which is only a minimum of seven days - could be precautionary.
Weekend farm notes:
-Outfielder Tommy Pham had a huge weekend for the Redbirds. Going 7-for-15, Pham clubbed three homers, drove in four, and scored six times. Chip on his shoulder from not making the 25-man, perhaps?
-Memphis first baseman Luke Voit hit his first long ball of the season on Sunday, a solo shot off Baby Cakes reliever Brandon Cunniff, who spent some time in Atlanta’s bullpen in 2015 and ‘16.
-Sandy Alcantara’s first start of the season for Double-A Springfield against the RoughRiders was pretty sweet: six innings, four hits, one walk, zero runs, and four strikeouts.
-Austin Gomber first start of the season was not as sweet: 2⁄3 inning, five hits, five runs (four earned), one walk and a strikeout. Springfield went on to take a 10-2 loss from the RoughRiders.
-High-A Palm Beach sent Ryan Helsley to the mound on Sunday and received five innings of shutout ball from the 22-year-old righty.
-Darren Seferina - who served as the designated hitter - drew four (!!) walks in Saturday’s game for Palm Beach.
-Ian Oxnevad started for the Class-A Peoria Chiefs on Sunday and was knocked around by the Burlington Bees for four runs on 4 1⁄3 frames.
-Chiefs outfielder Dylan Carlson popped a homer in his Class-A debut on Friday.
Monday’s probables:
MEM: Josh Zeid - Zeid is making his Cardinals debut after signing with the organization in late March.
SPR: Matt Pearce
PB: Jake Woodford
PEO: Steven Farinaro