The Cardinals’ weekend was supposed to be about the MLB Draft, and in one sense it was. St.
Louis finished up the Brendan Donovan trade by adding outfielder Andrew Williamson out of Central Florida and pitcher Dawson Montesa out of West Virginia. But the move that really turns heads is happening in the minors: Jurrangelo Cijntje is on the rise again, this time to Triple-A Memphis.
Chase Ford of MiLB Central reported the promotion, noting that the switch-pitcher is headed up after posting a 5.04 ERA with 100 strikeouts in 80.1 innings for Springfield. That line only tells part of the story, though. Cijntje’s season has been trending in the right direction for weeks, and the Cardinals are clearly ready to test him at the next level.
His overall numbers sit at a 5.04 ERA in 17 starts, but the recent work has been sharper. Since May 16, Cijntje has put up a 4.41 ERA across 10 starts.
Since June 23, that mark has dropped to 3.92 in 20 2/3 innings. He has allowed nine runs total since June 23, and six of those came in one outing on June 28.
The strikeouts have been piling up, too - 26 in his last four starts over 20 2/3 innings.
That’s why this promotion matters. Cijntje is now one step from St.
Louis, and it’s happening on July 12 after a fast climb through the system in 2026. If he keeps this momentum going at Memphis, the path to the majors starts looking very real by the end of the 2026 season.
For the Cardinals, that’s a big development because the rotation remains the club’s biggest issue. Matthew Liberatore has been struggling overall, and sooner or later St.
Louis is going to need another option. Cijntje is moving himself into that conversation.
In Other News...
Cardinals Let A Productive Bat Walk Without A Real Shot
Bligh Madris put together a strong season at Triple-A Memphis, but it never translated into a real look with the Cardinals. The left-handed bat produced enough to keep himself in the conversation, yet St. Louis had first base and designated hitter playing time spoken for, and the club continued leaning toward younger options as it sorted out its roster priorities.
Now Madris is moving on after being released, closing the door on a stint that never quite opened at the big-league level. He has had limited success in three major league seasons, and after previous stops overseas and a productive run in Memphis, the next chapter is taking shape away from the Cardinals. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Fans Have Every Right To Wonder About JJ Wetherholt Now
The Cardinals still have plenty of representation headed into the 2026 MLB All-Star Game, with three players and manager Oli Marmol already selected, but the omission of rookie JJ Wetherholt is the one that stands out. Wetherholt has played well enough to sit near the front of the National League Rookie of the Year conversation, so his name being left off the initial roster naturally caught attention, especially after fan voting did not get him into the starting lineup.
Now the focus shifts to whether the story is actually finished. There is still some buzz around Wetherholts All-Star case, and Cardinals fans have every reason to keep an eye on how the roster settles from here, because a late opening could change the picture for a player who has already done plenty to earn a bigger stage. [Read more 🡒]