The St. Louis Cardinals have suffered another setback in their pitching pipeline as top prospect has been placed on the minor league 60-day injured list due to a right rib cage strain. The news, first noted in the MiLB.com transaction log, was later confirmed by John Mozeliak, the Cardinals’ president of baseball operations, to Jeff Jones of The Belleville News-Democrat.
A Rising Star Sidelined
Ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the Cardinals’ system by Baseball America, the 22-year-old right-hander has been one of the most exciting young arms in the organization. Coming off a stellar 2023 season in Double-A Springfield, Hence posted a 2.71 ERA over 20 starts, demonstrating electric stuff with a 34.1% strikeout rate and an 8.1% walk rate. However, his durability has been a concern, as he averaged fewer than four innings per start and finished the year with just 79 2/3 total innings.
Despite his limited workload, scouts remain high on his potential. Baseball America has described Hence as possessing front-of-the-rotation upside, with a combination of elite velocity, strong secondary pitches, and solid command. However, he has yet to surpass 100 innings in a single professional season, raising concerns about whether he can handle a full starter’s workload at the MLB level.
Injury History and Recovery Timeline
This is not the first time Hence has dealt with injury concerns. He missed a month in 2023 due to arm fatigue, and now, with his latest injury, he is expected to be out for at least the first two months of the 2024 season. The setback delays his anticipated Triple-A debut, which was expected early this year.
The Cardinals had high hopes for Hence’s progression, especially after adding him to their 40-man roster in November to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. While keeping him on the minor league injured list preserves a roster spot, placing him on the MLB 60-day injured list would have started his service time clock, a move the team was not willing to make at this point.
What’s Next for Hence and the Cardinals?
Once healthy, Hence is likely to report to Triple-A Memphis, where he will continue refining his skills against advanced competition. If he can stay on the field and stretch his innings load, he could push for a big-league debut in late 2024 or early 2025.
In the meantime, the Cardinals will have to navigate their rotation depth carefully. Injuries have already tested their pitching staff, and losing a high-upside prospect like Hence, even at the minor league level, only adds to the challenge. As the organization continues to manage his workload cautiously, fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see whether he can stay healthy long enough to reach his full potential.
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