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THE CARDINAL CHRONICLE Farm Report: Springfield Wins in 10, Franklin Deals, Gorman Homers St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurThe Cardinal Chronicle Farm Report is your most complete daily look at the Cardinals’ minor league system — from box scores and standings to standout performances and prospect notes.Thursday belonged to Springfield, and not much went right anywhere else.The Cardinals won a 10-inning game at Arkansas, with Tanner Franklin giving them six strong innings and Chen-Wei Lin finishing the final four without allowing a run. Rainiel Rodriguez homered, and Springfield extended its winning streak to three games while staying in first place.Memphis lost late. Peoria dropped its sixth straight. Palm Beach was held to three hits.The full-season affiliates finished 1-3.Memphis Redbirds — Triple-A Overall Record: 67-56 Second Half: 20-28, 8th in the International League West, 9.0 GB Streak: L3Jacksonville 8, Memphis 4Memphis took a 4-3 lead into the ninth inning, but Jacksonville scored five runs in the final frame and handed the Redbirds their third straight loss.Colton Ledbetter earned Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day honors after going 1-for-3 with his 11th home run, one RBI, two runs scored, a walk and his 21st stolen base.His final line:1-for-3, HR, RBI, 2 R, BB, SBNolan Gorman also homered, hitting his 13th of the season, and César Prieto drove in two runs. Thomas Saggese had a hit and scored, while Ramon Mendoza and Bligh Madris each walked twice.Memphis had only four hits, but two left the yard.On the mound, Mason Molina allowed three runs over 2.2 innings. The bullpen gave Memphis a chance for a while, as Jared Shuster, Matt Svanson and Skylar Hales combined for 5.1 scoreless innings. The ninth inning changed everything, as Jacksonville broke through for five runs.Takeaway: Ledbetter filled up the line, Gorman added power, and the bullpen held the game together until the ninth. But Memphis let one get away late.Springfield Cardinals — Double-A Overall Record: 61-55 Second Half: 30-18, 1st in the Texas League North, 1.0 game ahead Streak: W3Springfield 3, Arkansas 2 — 10 inningsSpringfield keeps finding ways to win.The Cardinals scored the deciding run in the 10th inning and beat Arkansas 3-2, extending their winning streak to three games and staying on top of the Texas League North.Tanner Franklin earned Cardinal Chronicle Pitcher of the Day honors after working six innings, allowing four hits, two earned runs and two walks while striking out eight.His final line: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 KFranklin gave Springfield the start it needed, and Chen-Wei Lin did the rest. Lin threw four scoreless innings, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out three.That was a big relief outing in a close game.Offensively, Rainiel Rodriguez hit his 15th home run and drove in his 47th run. Deniel Ortiz doubled and drove in a run, while Josiah Ragsdale added an RBI. Zach Levenson went 2-for-4 with a run scored, and Dakota Harris went 2-for-4 with a double.Won-Bin Cho had a hit and scored, while Trey Paige added a double.Takeaway: Franklin set the tone, Lin gave Springfield four huge innings out of the bullpen, and Rodriguez supplied the power in another first-place win.Peoria Chiefs — High-A Overall Record: 55-61 Second Half: 23-27, 5th in the Midwest League West, 8.5 GB Streak: L6Lansing 8, Peoria 2Peoria’s losing streak reached six games after Lansing jumped out early and never gave the Chiefs much of a path back.Lansing scored four runs in the first, two in the third and two more in the fourth. Peoria scored single runs in the fourth and sixth, but the game was already tilted heavily toward Lansing.Jalin Flores hit his 17th home run of the season and drove in his 80th run. Brayden Smith went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored, raising his average to .302 and OPS to .900.Sammy Hernandez doubled and walked, pushing his average to .309 with a 1.028 OPS. Ryan Weingartner added a double, while Caden Ferraro drove in a run.On the mound, Ty Van Dyke had a tough start, allowing eight runs, five earned, over 3.2 innings. The bullpen settled things down. Bobby Olsen threw 2.1 scoreless innings, Liam Best added a scoreless inning, and Trey Pooser worked a clean inning with a strikeout.Takeaway: Flores reached 80 RBIs, Smith stayed hot, and Hernandez continues to produce, but Peoria was buried early and has now lost six straight.Palm Beach Cardinals — Low-A Overall Record: 58-59 Second Half: 25-26, 2nd in the Florida State League East, 8.0 GB Streak: L1Fort Myers 8, Palm Beach 1Palm Beach could not get much going offensively in an 8-1 loss to Fort Myers.The Cardinals were held to three hits and struck out 10 times. Trevor Condon had two of the three hits, going 2-for-4 and stealing his second base with Palm Beach. Trevor Haskins had the other hit and stole his 20th base.Sebastian Dos Santos drove in Palm Beach’s only run.The pitching line had more strikeouts than the final score might suggest. Palm Beach pitchers combined for 16 strikeouts, led by Gabriel Chinchilla, who struck out seven over 3.2 innings while allowing one earned run.His final line: 3.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 KJR Fordham added five strikeouts over two innings, while Alan Reyes and Kaden Echeman each struck out two.The problem was damage around the strikeouts, along with three Palm Beach errors.Takeaway: Condon had two hits and Chinchilla missed bats, but Palm Beach’s offense was quiet and the defense did not help.Quick Hits: 10 Players, 10 Stats 1. Colton Ledbetter, Memphis: 1-for-3, home run, RBI, two runs, walk, stolen base.2. Tanner Franklin, Springfield: 6.0 innings, four hits, two earned runs, two walks, eight strikeouts.3. Chen-Wei Lin, Springfield: 4.0 scoreless innings, three hits, one walk, three strikeouts.4. Rainiel Rodriguez, Springfield: 1-for-5, 15th home run, 47th RBI.5. Nolan Gorman, Memphis: 1-for-4, 13th home run, RBI, run scored.6. César Prieto, Memphis: 1-for-3, two RBIs.7. Jalin Flores, Peoria: 17th home run, 80th RBI.8. Brayden Smith, Peoria: 2-for-4, double, run scored.9. Gabriel Chinchilla, Palm Beach: 3.2 innings, two hits, one earned run, two walks, seven strikeouts.10. Trevor Condon, Palm Beach: 2-for-4, stolen base.Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day Colton Ledbetter, CF, Memphis RedbirdsLedbetter gave Memphis the top all-around offensive line of the night.His final line: 1-for-3, HR, RBI, 2 R, BB, SBHe homered, walked, scored twice and stole his 21st base of the season.Cardinal Chronicle Pitcher of the Day Tanner Franklin, RHP, Springfield CardinalsFranklin gave Springfield six strong innings in a 10-inning win at Arkansas.His final line: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 KHe kept Springfield in the game, missed bats and helped set up another first-place Cardinals win. The Final Word Springfield carried the night again.Franklin gave the Cardinals six strong innings. Lin finished the final four without allowing a run. Rodriguez homered. Springfield won in 10 and stayed in first place.Memphis lost late after taking a lead into the ninth. Peoria’s losing streak reached six. Palm Beach struck out 16 on the mound but managed only three hits at the plate.The system finished 1-3, but Springfield gave the Cardinals something worth carrying forward. The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: www.cardinalchronicle.comPhoto Credit: Nolan Gorman, Memphis Redbirds | MLB

Springfield Wins in 10, Franklin Deals, Gorman Homers

THE CARDINAL CHRONICLE Walker’s Late Homer Not Enough in Cincinnati St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurCINCINNATI — Jordan Walker gave the St. Louis Cardinals one more chance in the ninth inning Wednesday night, but the rally came up short in a 5-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park.Walker hit a two-run homer off Emilio Pagán in the ninth, cutting Cincinnati’s lead to one after JJ Wetherholt was hit by a pitch. José Fermín followed with a double, putting the tying run in scoring position, but the Cardinals could not complete the comeback.The loss evened the five-game series at two games apiece and left St. Louis with another frustrating one-run defeat in Cincinnati. The Cardinals had a 2-0 lead, received a strong strikeout start from Matthew Liberatore and brought the go-ahead run to the plate late, but Cincinnati did enough in the sixth and eighth innings to take control.Liberatore was sharp for most of the night. The left-hander worked six innings, allowed three runs on four hits, walked none and struck out nine. He threw 100 pitches, 65 for strikes, and retired long stretches of the Reds lineup with swing-and-miss stuff.The damage came in the sixth.With the Cardinals leading 2-0, Matt McLain doubled to left and Elly De La Cruz followed with a single to center. Sal Stewart then hit a three-run homer to center, turning a two-run St. Louis lead into a 3-2 Cincinnati advantage.That swing changed the game.Before that inning, Liberatore had given the Cardinals exactly what they needed against Chase Burns, one of the National League’s better young arms. Liberatore struck out the side in the fourth and added two more strikeouts in the fifth, keeping the Reds off the board through five innings.The Cardinals gave him a lead in the fourth. Alec Burleson walked with one out, moved up on a wild pitch and scored when Nathan Church singled to left with two outs. Masyn Winn walked, and Bryan Torres followed with a single to right, scoring Church and moving Winn to third.St. Louis had a 2-0 lead and a chance to do more, but Blaze Jordan struck out to end the inning.That was part of the story. The Cardinals had traffic against Burns, who needed 104 pitches to get through five innings, but they could not separate. Burns allowed six hits, two runs and two walks while striking out eight.St. Louis had another chance in the fifth after Wetherholt singled and Burleson followed with a base hit to right, putting runners at the corners with two outs. Walker struck out to end the inning.The Cardinals also had two runners on in the sixth after Joshua Báez singled, stole second and Jordan walked, but Jimmy Crooks flied out to end the threat. In the seventh, Iván Herrera walked, took second on a wild pitch and moved to third on Burleson’s groundout, but Fermín popped out with Walker aboard to end that inning.Those missed chances mattered once Cincinnati moved in front.Luis Gastelum gave the Cardinals a clean seventh, striking out two, but the Reds added two runs in the eighth against Justin Bruihl. José Trevino singled, and McLain reached on a bunt single to the mound, with Trevino scoring on a throwing error by Jordan. McLain later stole second, moved to third on De La Cruz’s deep fly ball to center and scored when Dane Myers reached on an infield single.Bruihl loaded the bases with a walk to Eugenio Suárez, but he struck out Tyler Stephenson and got TJ Friedl to foul out to catcher Jimmy Crooks to keep the Cardinals within three.Walker nearly made that stand up.After Wetherholt was hit by a pitch and Burleson moved him to second with a groundout, Walker drove Pagán’s pitch to right-center for his 25th home run of the season. It was Walker’s 90th RBI and gave the Cardinals life after they had been down to their final outs.Fermín’s double kept the pressure on, but the Reds held on.Wetherholt finished with two hits and a run scored, while Walker drove in two with the late homer. Church and Torres had the Cardinals’ other RBIs. Báez reached base twice and stole two bases, giving St. Louis some pressure from the lower part of the order.The Cardinals finished with nine hits and six walks but left 10 men on base. They struck out 12 times and went just 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position.Cincinnati had seven hits, but Stewart’s three-run homer and the two-run eighth were enough. Stewart drove in three, Myers drove in one and McLain went 3-for-3 with a double, two runs and a stolen base.For St. Louis, it was another game where the pieces were there but the finish was not. Liberatore pitched well enough to keep the Cardinals in it. The lineup created chances against Burns and the Cincinnati bullpen. Walker supplied the late swing.The Cardinals simply left themselves too much to do.Reds 5, Cardinals 4.A late push from Walker.Another one-run loss in Cincinnati. The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: www.cardinalchronicle.comPhoto Credit: Jordan Walker, St. Louis Cardinals | MLB

Walker’s Late Homer Not Enough

THE CARDINAL CHRONICLE Ixan Henderson Returns to 60-Day Injured List St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurTough news out of Memphis, as the Redbirds have placed left-handed pitcher Ixan Henderson on the 60-day injured list.For Henderson, this is a frustrating turn after he had only recently been activated and worked his way back into the Triple-A pitching picture. The hope was that he could finish the season by building innings, regaining rhythm, and giving Memphis another upper-level left-handed option down the stretch.Instead, the focus now shifts back to health.Henderson, 24, is a name Cardinals fans should remember. The Cardinals selected him in the eighth round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Fresno State, and before injuries interrupted his climb, he had built one of the more impressive pitching résumés in the organization.In 2025, Henderson was one of the best pitchers in the Texas League.He was named the Texas League Pitcher of the Year, earned Texas League Postseason All-Star honors, and was also recognized as a Baseball America Double-A All-Star while pitching for Springfield.That is not minor background noise.That is real production.Henderson’s success at Double-A put him in position to become part of the Cardinals’ upper-level pitching depth conversation. Left-handed arms with a track record of performance are always worth tracking, especially in an organization still trying to sort through its future pitching picture.That is what makes this latest injured list move disappointing.This season has been more about availability than performance for Henderson. After spending time on the 60-day injured list, his return to Memphis was supposed to be the next step toward reestablishing himself. Even if the early results were uneven, the bigger priority was getting him back on the mound, building strength, and seeing if the 2025 version was still in there.Now that process pauses again.With any pitcher coming back from an extended absence, the first priority has to be health. Velocity, command, pitch shape, and results all matter, but none of it matters until a pitcher is healthy enough to take the ball consistently.For the Cardinals, Henderson still has enough track record to remain interesting when he is right. His 2025 season showed that. He has already proven he can get upper-level hitters out when healthy.But player development is not always a clean climb.Sometimes a pitcher moves quickly. Sometimes injuries stall the clock. Sometimes the biggest victory is not a promotion, a strikeout total, or a box-score line.Sometimes the biggest step forward is simply getting healthy enough to pitch again.For now, Henderson’s season takes another difficult turn.The talent and résumé are still worth remembering.The next step is getting him back on the mound. Feb 17, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Ixan Henderson (80). Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters&nbsp; Connect

Ixan Henderson Returns to 60-Day Injured List

THE CARDINAL CHRONICLE Game Day Preview: McGreevy Gets the Ball With Series on the Line in Cincinnati St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurThe St. Louis Cardinals close out their five-game series against the Cincinnati Reds this morning at Great American Ball Park with the series tied and another opportunity to leave town with a winning road trip.First pitch is scheduled for 11:40 a.m. CT. Right-hander Michael McGreevy will start for St. Louis against Cincinnati right-hander Brady Singer.St. Louis Cardinals: RHP Michael McGreevy, 5-9, 3.48 ERA, 91 strikeouts Cincinnati Reds: RHP Brady Singer, 5-11, 4.66 ERA, 104 strikeoutsThe Cardinals enter at 65-63 after Cincinnati rallied for a 5-4 victory Wednesday night, evening the series at two games apiece.St. Louis had a chance to clinch the series behind Matthew Liberatore and did enough early against Chase Burns to put itself in position. Nathan Church and Bryan Torres delivered two-out RBI singles in the fourth inning to give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead against one of the National League’s top pitchers.Burns was not at his best, allowing six hits and two walks over five innings, but he struck out eight and kept Cincinnati within striking distance.The game changed in the sixth.Matt McLain doubled, Elly De La Cruz followed with a single and Sal Stewart drove a 1-2 fastball from Liberatore 422 feet to center field for a three-run homer. What had been a well-pitched 2-0 Cardinals lead quickly became a 3-2 deficit, and Cincinnati eventually finished off the 5-4 comeback.The loss dropped St. Louis to 65-63 and kept the Cardinals three games behind San Diego for the final National League Wild Card position. Arizona remains one game ahead of St. Louis, making every opportunity to gain ground increasingly important.Today’s game is not complicated.Win, and the Cardinals take three of five in Cincinnati.Lose, and they leave after playing five games against a team below them in the standings without winning the series.McGreevy gives St. Louis a reasonable chance to finish the job.The 25-year-old enters with a 3.48 ERA, continuing a season in which his pitching has generally been better than his 5-9 record suggests. McGreevy is not going to overpower Cincinnati with triple-digit velocity. His success comes from command, movement and changing speeds while keeping hitters from sitting on one pitch.That approach becomes especially important at Great American Ball Park, where elevated mistakes can leave quickly.McGreevy must keep De La Cruz and Stewart from creating another big inning. Stewart’s home run Wednesday gave him 27 for the season and 94 RBI, while De La Cruz continues to create problems even when he is not driving the baseball. His speed, arm and ability to pressure a defense were all factors Wednesday.The Cardinals cannot afford to give either of them additional opportunities with walks or defensive mistakes.Singer enters with a 4.66 ERA, but his recent numbers should not encourage St. Louis to expect an easy afternoon.The veteran right-hander has enough experience and movement to work deep into a game when hitters become impatient. His sinker and slider can generate ground balls, and he is capable of taking advantage of a lineup that expands the strike zone.That puts the responsibility back on a Cardinals offense that has been inconsistent throughout the series.Alec Burleson continues to be the club’s most dependable run producer. JJ Wetherholt has created opportunities near the top of the order, while Jordan Walker, Iván Herrera and Joshua Báez give St. Louis several hitters capable of producing extra-base damage.Báez continues to adjust after his historic three-home-run debut at Wrigley Field. Major League pitchers have already changed the way they attack him, offering fewer pitches in the middle of the plate and testing whether he will chase breaking balls away.That adjustment was always coming.The next step is learning to take the walk, use the opposite field and wait for pitchers to make mistakes rather than trying to recreate his debut every afternoon.The Cardinals also need more from the entire lineup rather than depending on one hitter to carry the offense.Wednesday was a good example. St. Louis pushed Burns, reached base and built a 2-0 lead, but failed to create enough separation before Cincinnati finally broke through.Against Singer, the Cardinals need to keep applying pressure.A two-run lead at Great American Ball Park rarely feels comfortable. Neither does a three-run lead.The best way to protect a bullpen is still to score more runs.Today also concludes a demanding stretch of five games in four days. The Cardinals have used nearly every part of their pitching staff, including Quinn Mathews in Monday’s opener, Andre Pallante in the nightcap and Kyle Leahy on Tuesday.McGreevy providing six or seven innings would be valuable beyond today’s result.St. Louis travels directly to Philadelphia after the game to open another important series Friday night against a Phillies club currently occupying a Wild Card position. The Cardinals would much rather arrive there having won another series than needing to explain why another opportunity slipped away.That is where this season stands now.There are 34 games remaining after today.The Cardinals are close enough to October for every game to matter, but far enough away that simply playing .500 baseball will not get them there.They have to win series.They had the opportunity Wednesday and missed it.They get another one this morning.Michael McGreevy gets the baseball.Brady Singer stands in the way.Win the finale, take three of five and head to Philadelphia with the Hunt for a Red October still moving forward. The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: www.cardinalchronicle.comPhoto Credit: Michael McGreevy, St. Louis Cardinals | MLB

McGreevy Gets the Ball With Series on the Line

THE CARDINAL CHRONICLE Cardinal Chronicle Pitcher of the Day: Liam Doyle Strikes Out Nine&nbsp; St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurLiam Doyle gave Springfield another reminder Wednesday night of why he remains one of the Cardinals’ most important pitching prospects.The left-hander worked five innings, allowing just one hit, one earned run and two walks while striking out nine in Springfield’s 12-2 win over Arkansas.His final line: 5.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 9 KThat is the kind of line that gets your attention.Doyle did not just keep Springfield in control. He set the tone for a night that turned into one of the Cardinals’ most complete wins of the season. The offense put up 12 runs on 16 hits, but Doyle made sure Arkansas never had much of a chance to answer.He allowed only one hit over five innings and missed bats throughout the outing.The strikeout total was the story. Nine strikeouts in five innings speaks to the quality of the stuff, and it helped launch a dominant night for the Springfield pitching staff. After Doyle left, the bullpen kept piling up strikeouts, and the Cardinals finished with 18 strikeouts as a staff.That is not just a good pitching night.That is overwhelming.Doyle’s season has had some uneven stretches, but the swing-and-miss has never disappeared. That remains the carrying tool and the reason he continues to rank among the top arms in the Cardinals’ system.On Wednesday, everything lined up.One hit allowed. Nine strikeouts. Five strong innings. A first-place Springfield win.That earns the spotlight.Cardinal Chronicle Pitcher of the Day: Liam Doyle, LHP, Springfield CardinalsFinal Line: 5.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 9 K The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: www.cardinalchronicle.comPhoto Credit: Liam Doyle, Springfield Cardinals | MLB

MiLB Pitcher of the Day: Liam Doyle

THE CARDINAL CHRONICLE Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day: Ryan Campos Refuses to be Overlooked St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurRyan Campos may be the most overlooked catcher in a Cardinals system full of catchers.That is not a knock on the names ahead of him or around him. Rainiel Rodriguez is one of the top prospects in the organization. Leo Bernal is producing at Triple-A. The Cardinals have built real depth behind the plate.But Campos keeps giving the system a reason not to forget about him.On Wednesday night, the Springfield catcher was right in the middle of a 12-2 win over Arkansas, going 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs, three runs scored and a walk.His final line: 3-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, 3 R, BBThat is a full night.Campos reached base four times, hit his 12th home run of the season, drove in runs 55, 56 and 57, and scored three times as Springfield pounded out 16 hits.For a catcher, that kind of offensive production matters and his defense has been solid.Campos is not always the first name mentioned when people talk about the Cardinals’ catching depth, but maybe he should be mentioned more often. He continues to put together quality at-bats, show some power, and contribute in the middle of a Springfield lineup that has been carrying the Cardinals in the second half.The catching position is crowded in this system, and that can make it easy for a player like Campos to get squeezed out of the conversation.But production has a way of speaking for itself.Wednesday night, Campos made sure his bat was heard.Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day: Ryan Campos, C, Springfield CardinalsFinal Line: 3-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, 3 R, BB The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: www.cardinalchronicle.comPhoto Credit: Ryan Campos, Springfield Cardinals | MLB

MiLB Player of the Day: Ryan Campos

The St. Louis Cardinal Chronicle 

The St. Louis Cardinal Chronicle is dedicated to preserving Cardinals history, covering today’s game, and following the next generation through the minor leagues. Written in the tradition of the old beat writers, it’s baseball with perspective — steady, faithful, and rooted in a lifelong love for the game.