最新杏吧原创

Ahead of the 2025 season, the Post-Dispatch released its ranking of the top 12 prospects in the Cardinals鈥� system.

The list, known as the Dispatch Dozen, ranked Cardinals prospects based on the four Ps of prospect: Potential, Proximity, Position, and Performance. The ranking only included players who had not yet appeared in the majors, even if they entered the season with their rookie eligibility intact through 2025, making prospects like Michael McGreevy, Gordon Graceffo, and Thomas Saggese ineligible for the list since they each debuted in the majors last season.

This year鈥檚 Dispatch Dozen was topped by infielder JJ Wetherholt, the seventh overall pick in last year鈥檚 draft, and included a pair of standouts from last season鈥檚 Dominican Summer League.

Before minor league baseball resumes play Friday following MLB鈥檚 All-Star break, let鈥檚 check in on each Dispatch Dozen member:

1. INF JJ Wetherholt

Within the first half of his first full professional season, the 22-year-old Wetherholt reached Class AAA after skipping Class High-A and excelling in Class AA. Wetherholt batted .300 with a .425 on-base percentage and an .891 OPS in 62 Class AA games before receiving his promotion to Class AAA in July, a week before playing in the All-Star Futures Game. He has four hits including a double, triple and homer in his first 11 at-bats for Class AAA Memphis. He received playing time at second base in Class AA and is expected to begin playing third base as he continues his ascent.

2. LHP Quinn Mathews

Mathews, 24, missed over a month for Class AAA Memphis because of left shoulder soreness that put him on the injured list in April. The 6-foot-5 lefty rejoined Memphis at the end of May and has a 3.86 ERA, allowed a .214 batting average against and struck out 36 batters while walking 24 in 30 1/3 innings across eight starts. Mathews鈥� last three outings ahead of the break showed improved average fastball velocity.

3. RHP Tekoah Roby

The 23-year-old righty鈥檚 strong start in Class AA, highlighted by a 2.49 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 47 innings, earned him a promotion to Class AAA in early June. But after making six starts and posting a .86 ERA in his most recent four starts at the level heading into the break, Roby landed on the 7-day injured list. An injury designation was not provided by the Cardinals. The IL stint makes this the third season in which Roby has been sidelined by an injury. Through the first half, Roby has a 3.10 ERA between the two levels in 78 1/3 innings, surpassing his total in each of the previous two seasons.

4. RHP Tink Hence

Following a right rib cage strain that put Hence on the IL to begin the season, Hence joined Springfield鈥檚 rotation in late June and made three starts before getting sidelined once again. Hence, 22, was placed on the 7-day IL days before the All-Star break. An injury designation was not given. The two IL stays come after Hence was limited by injuries during the last two seasons. The righty, who has yet to log 100 or more innings in a minor league season, allowed five runs in 10 2/3 innings when healthy for Springfield this season.

5. C Jimmy Crooks

The top-rated catching prospect in the Cardinals鈥� system heading into the year and the organization鈥檚 reigning minor league player of the year, Crooks has batted .260, slugged .440, and had a .321 on-base percentage in 68 games as Memphis鈥檚 primary catcher. Defensively, the 23-year-old has been charged with six errors in 477 2/3 innings and thrown out 28% of the base-stealing attempts against him. While he鈥檚 batted .293 and had a 53.6% hard-hit rate on fastballs, the left-handed hitter has whiffed on 50% of the curveballs he鈥檚 seen and is hitting .069 against that pitch, per Statcast. Coming off a down June, Crooks went into the break with a .344/.400/.531 slash line in eight games to begin July.

6. SS Yairo Padilla

In his leap to playing pro ball stateside, the 18-year-old switch-hitter is batting .283 with a .396 on-base percentage in 38 games in the Florida Complex League. Padilla has 24 stolen bases on 28 attempts and remained exclusively at shortstop in his second season in the minors.

7. LHP Cooper Hjerpe

The 2022 first-round pick had his third season in the minors wiped away because of Tommy John surgery. Hjerpe, who was held back by arm injuries in 2023 and 2024, has totaled 93 1/3 innings for his career. The 24-year-old lefty is expected to return midway through the 2026 season.

8. C Leonardo Bernal

Opening the season where he ended it in 2024, Bernal owns a .278 batting average and .818 OPS in Class AA. Bernal, who played 14 games in Class AA last year, has hit 11 homers and 13 doubles in 64 games this year. The 11 home runs match a career-high for the 21-year-old switch-hitter. He鈥檚 been charged with eight errors in 487 innings and thrown out 17 of the 45 stolen base attempts against him.

9. OF Chase Davis

The first round pick from the 2023 draft is batting .211 and has a .667 OPS in 73 Class AA games. Although Davis, who reached Class AA late last season, owns a 14.3% walk rate, the 23-year-old has struck out in 29.6% of his plate appearances. He has 93 strikeouts this season as his swing rate has dipped from 44.1% across three levels in 2024 to 40.6% this year, per FanGraphs. The 23-year-old鈥檚 primary position remains center field, but he鈥檚 also received innings at the corner outfield spots.

10. RHP Chen-Wei Lin

A breakout last year while a starter in Class Low-A, the 6-foot-7 right-hander has a 4.88 ERA in 31 1/3 innings over nine Class High-A starts. Lin鈥檚 season was delayed until May because of an injury. In his return, the 23-year-old had a 1.69 ERA in 16 innings for Peoria but has since posted a 7.27 ERA and allowed an .832 OPS to opposing hitters.

11. C Rainiel Rodriguez

A Dominican Summer League standout last year, Rodriguez鈥檚 leap stateside included seven homers and five doubles in his first 16 games in the Florida Complex League before being promoted to Class Low-A by the start of June. The 18-year-old has batted .221 and slugged .423 with three homers in 27 games against more advanced pitching since the promotion.

12. CF Royelny Strop

The Cardinals鈥� headlining international signee this past winter began his professional career in the Dominican Summer League. In 12 games since the start of June, the 17-year-old has seven hits in 44 at-bats. He鈥檚 struck out 18 times and played primarily center field to begin his pro career.

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In the Pennsylvania borough of Hanover, 809 miles from 最新杏吧原创, a man tries to keep the memory of a Cardinal alive.

His name is John Coulson.

Well, that鈥檚 the man鈥檚 name.

You may not know the Cardinals鈥� name, either.

That鈥檚 the point of this.

鈥淗e鈥檚 a forgotten Cardinal,鈥� Coulson said. 鈥淚 just felt the story needed to be told to a whole new generation.鈥�

Since the Cardinals franchise was founded in 1882, there have been hundreds and hundreds of hurlers.

Well, no left-handed pitcher won more games for the Cardinals than Bill Sherdel did.

The 最新杏吧原创 southpaw Sherdel, nicknamed 鈥淲ee Willie,鈥� totaled 153 wins from 1918-30 with a 3.64 ERA. Only right-handers Bob Gibson (251 wins), Jesse Haines (250), Adam Wainwright (200) and Bob Forsch (163) won more games for the Cardinals.

鈥淚 think the biggest problem is that he played so long ago that nobody remembers him anymore,鈥� Coulson said. 鈥淣obody has any real true idea of his value to the Cardinals team. Rogers Hornsby said (of Sherdel鈥檚 change-up), 鈥楬is slow ball is poison to sluggers.鈥欌��

And so, in a Pennsylvania area known for manufacturing potato chips, Coulson tries to manufacture momentum. The 74-year-old Coulson wrote a biography of Sherdel in 2018 and, a decade prior, a book on local baseball that included Sherdel. Coulson proudly gives presentations about Sherdel 鈥� in 2024, he went to Cooperstown and spoke at a symposium at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Coulson has delivered his address at the Gettysburg Library, as well as at libraries and luncheons in numerous Pennsylvania towns (he was even on ABC 27鈥檚 鈥淕ood Day PA.鈥�). If you鈥檝e got a ear and a minute, he鈥檒l tell you about Sherdel. And, as I can confirm, he passionately emails certain 最新杏吧原创 sportswriters. His dream is that Sherdel one day is enshrined in the Cardinals Hall of Fame.

But Coulson is not related to Sherdel. In fact, Coulson never got to meet Sherdel before Sherdel鈥檚 death in 1968. So, just why does he care this much about Bill Sherdel?

Coulson laughed in response over the phone Wednesday.

鈥淥K, so first of all, there was the connection to our area, because it was a local celebrity that nobody knew about,鈥� said Coulson, who previously worked a career in banking technology. 鈥淎nd the second piece of this, I just felt the story was lost because it happened so long ago. There are very few people around, if any, that remember him at all.鈥�

Coulson has connected with Sherdel鈥檚 family to help share the family鈥檚 story. Sherdel鈥檚 daughter-in-law is still living at 102, Coulson said. Sherdel鈥檚 great-grandson still lives in Sherdel鈥檚 home in McSherrystown, which is 1.8 miles from Hanover (incidentally, Sherdel was born in a town called Midway, which was, sure enough, midway from Hanover to McSherrystown 鈥� as Hanover grew it essentially took over Midway).

And Sherdel鈥檚 grandson sometimes joins Coulson during his presentations and sets up, Coulson said, 鈥渕aybe five to seven long tables鈥� with memorabilia 鈥� old gloves, letters from Cardinals executive Branch Rickey and, yep, Sherdel鈥檚 1926 World Series championship ring.

Indeed, Sherdel went 16-12 with a 3.49 ERA for the Cardinals鈥� first-ever title team. And in 1928, the Cards won the pennant again 鈥� and Sherdel had the team鈥檚 highest WAR, along with a 21-10 record and 2.86 ERA.

The Cardinals鈥� winningest lefty is also third in games pitched (465) and fifth in innings (2,450 2/3). Incidentally, he also has the fourth-most homers hit by a Cardinals pitcher, not bad for a fellow nicknamed 鈥淲ee Willie.鈥�

鈥淚f you look at the baseball almanac, it says he was 5 foot 10, 160 pounds,鈥� Coulson said. 鈥淏ut if you look at his draft card, he was listed as 5 foot 8. I think that was probably more realistic when you look at these pictures.鈥�

Coulson has seen seemingly every picture of the pitcher 鈥� and read, literally, thousands of articles. Coulson is a baseball fanatic 鈥� 鈥淚 held a bat before I held a pencil鈥� 鈥� and his father was a local coach.

Coulson takes pride in researching and sharing Sherdel鈥檚 story. Before getting access to digitized newspapers online, 鈥淚鈥檇 go to Guthrie Memorial Library here in Hanover, and at that time, they had all these microfilmed newspaper pages. That鈥檚 the way I started, you know? I鈥檇 take my little roll of dimes along so I could print off all these pages and have this big tub with folders each year from all the pages that I printed out.鈥�

In June of 1930, Sherdel was traded, along with Fred Frankhouse, to the Boston Braves for Burleigh Grimes. But in 1932, he rejoined the Cards, for three games, at age 35. After his retirement, Sherdel lived a quiet life in McSherrystown.

鈥淚n 1962,鈥� Coulson said, 鈥渉e received the 最新杏吧原创 Baseball Writers Association nostalgic award. This was a huge event in 最新杏吧原创 at that time. If I ever made a feature film, this would be one of the highlight scenes. Bill Sherdel came to that with his son, and he was on crutches because he had one leg amputated because of some problems with his circulation. He was never much of a speaker, but when he got up and started walking to the podium, he just broke down in tears.

鈥淎ll he could say was 鈥楾hank you,鈥� and everybody stood up and gave him a standing ovation. It included people like Warren Spahn and Enos Slaughter and Stan Musial. And they all followed him into a back room after the event ended, and they鈥檙e all sitting around him and asking him questions about his time as a pitcher for the Cardinals. That鈥檚 how well thought of he was at that period of time.鈥�

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ATLANTA 鈥� The last batter standing between a traditional All-Star Game, like the 94 before it, and a new-fangled ending Major League Baseball would try for the first time Tuesday, Brendan Donovan came to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the ninth of a tie game with one goal.

He had to find a way to keep the inning going against Aroldis Chapman.

鈥淚 think Chapman wants the punch out there and I don鈥檛; I don鈥檛 want to give it to him,鈥� the Cardinals鈥� lone All-Star said. 鈥淗e was throwing hard, man. He was throwing me a sinker. He threw me a four-seamer, a couple of sliders. I think the one I tapped was a slider. I was just in battle mode.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 want to be the last out.鈥�

He wouldn鈥檛 be.

Not that everyone on the field knew that.

The American League erased a six-run deficit and tied the game, 6-6, in the top of the ninth. When Donovan 鈥渢apped鈥� lefty Chapman鈥檚 slider for a grounder, the ball spun just barely fair in front of home plate to become a tag out. The shortest ball in play of the evening led to the biggest change in deciding an All-Star Game 鈥� well, ever. And it came at the end of the night that introduced robo-umps to the Midsummer Classic. Donovan stood at the nexus of both: His ninth-inning at-bat began with an automated ball-strike (ABS) challenge that reversed the call on him to a strike and it ended with an L-screen rolling out for a distilled home run derby to determine a winner.

With the score tied after nine innings a 鈥渟wing off鈥� would decide the All-Star Game. Each team picked three hitters. Each hitter got three swings against a batting practice pitcher to put a ball out of the park. The most derby-style home runs wins.

The Athletics鈥� designated hitter Brent Rooker, whose three-run homer sparked the AL rally, hit two balls out of the park on three swings as the first ever 鈥渟wing off鈥� hitter. Kyle Schwarber was the NL鈥檚 second batter, and he went 3-for-3, including a low liner that cleared the wall in center field and a drop-to-a-knee homer that proved the clincher. The NL won the swing off, 4-3, to take the Midsummer Classic by an official score of 7-6. Despite lobbying by the Dodgers to award BP pitcher and coach Dino Ebel with the win, there would be no 鈥淲鈥� in the box score.

The MVP of the All-Star Game, Schwarber, did not get a hit in the All-Star Game.

鈥淚 was just saying there are a lot of guys who are way more deserving of this award,鈥� Schwarber said.

The first-of-its-kind finish to the All-Star Game 鈥� an option that had been lurking for years in the rules and waiting to emerge with extra innings 鈥� brought an unexpected, dramatic ending to Donovan鈥檚 debut as an All-Star. He was in the thick of it. The only player on either team to collect more than one hit in the game, Donovan went 2 for 3 with two singles. He also scored a run on Pete Alonso鈥檚 three-run homer and had a backhand play at second base to quell the AL. All of that came after a day spent 鈥� as one NL official described him 鈥� 鈥渂eing a sponge.鈥�

Standing at his locker late Tuesday night surrounded by boxes packed with gear and goodies and bound for 最新杏吧原创, Donovan gestured around the clubhouse to say he tried to learn something from each All-Star in it.

鈥淎 couple of minutes with each person,鈥� he said.

That included a conversation he鈥檚 sought from the moment he debuted.

In 2022, Donovan took the field for the Cardinals as a pinch-runner and made his major-league debut. The first player to congratulate him was Francisco Lindor, the Mets鈥� shortstop, right there at second base.

That gesture has been on Donovan鈥檚 mind ever since, and he鈥檚 wanted to 鈥渏ust be around that guy.鈥� He got that chance this week at the All-Star festivities.

He also got a handshake, an embrace, and a conversation with Aaron Judge between team photos on Tuesday. Donovan hit in the cage with Mets slugger Alonso. He talked biomechanics with other hitters around the batting cage and listened how they described cues from their movements that he could use to act when his swing feels off. Donovan got some time with Dodgers鈥� game-planning coach J.T. Watkins.

Before rain doused some of the National League鈥檚 BP, Donovan took infield 鈥� the only player doing so and alone with coaches. Chris Woodward, the Dodgers鈥� first-base coach and former Rangers manager, spoke about different drills and how they adjust.

Donovan described the angles he likes to work on.

Most grounders are hit at an average of 90 mph, Donovan said, and Woodward pointed out how he likes to hit grounders off of flip pitches from another coach to simulate game speed. Donovan intends to borrow that for his routine and see how it works for the angles.

鈥淚 learned a lot here, for sure,鈥� Donovan said. 鈥淵ou look around this clubhouse and you see most of the best in the world at this game right now, right here. And we got the win. I could probably say one thing I got from each person. But I can鈥檛 give you all of the secrets.鈥�

Neatly stacked near Donovan as he spoke late Tuesday night in the NL鈥檚 clubhouse was gear he wore. He had matching peach-colored protective pads from EvoShield with a Georgia peach logo to mark the All-Star Game in Atlanta. With dirt still lodged in the cleats, Donovan also had the Skechers shoes he wore. The company told him they designed and made his special All-Star cleats before the season 鈥� so they鈥檇 be ready for him when he was.

Donovan entered the game in the top of the fifth inning at second base.

He was quickly on opposite ends of two groundballs with Kansas City鈥檚 great shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. In Donovan鈥檚 first at-bat, he slashed a grounder against the lean of the defense and Witt gave chase. Donovan got an infield hit by beating Witt鈥檚 throw. An inning later, with a runner at third base, Witt skipped a grounder up the middle. Donovan backhanded the ball, and with his momentum carrying him from first he still threw over in time to beat Witt and get an out before the inning spiraled beyond four runs allowed.

鈥淎nything hit that is not directly at me by Bobby Witt Jr., I know I have to get rid of quickly,鈥� Donovan said. 鈥淚t was part of a cool night. To do that, to be out there, to face the best arms in the league 鈥� just to be on the field was pretty cool.鈥�

He was walking off the field after the frustrating groundout when word started spreading about how the game would be concluded.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts approached a few hitters Monday about being in the trio just in case there was a 鈥渟wing off.鈥� His plans changed a bit when Eugenio Suarez was out with a bruised hand due to a pitch in the game when he could not be one of the three. He turned Tuesday night in the ninth to a player he nicknamed 鈥渟tarfish,鈥� Marlins outfielder Kyle Stowers.

A coach talked to him in the dugout, and his response was: 鈥淵ou鈥檙e kidding.鈥�

鈥淚 thought it was a joke,鈥� he said.

Roberts walked over to promise they weren鈥檛 joking.

鈥淎nd they weren鈥檛,鈥� Stowers said of participating. 鈥淚f they would have asked me, I probably would have said no. I鈥檓 glad they nudged me.鈥�

The NL trailed after the first round pitted Rooker against Stowers. Donovan leaned against the dugout railing 鈥� his bat and helmet already put away because he figured he would not be one of the three chosen. That鈥檚 also where he was when Schwarber hit. Donovan noted how many players, like Schwarber, do not take BP on the field, so the 鈥渟wing off鈥� was Schwarber鈥檚 first BP on the field in awhile and it came after already playing half of a game. Still, he tattooed three baseballs for a one-homer lead before the AL鈥檚 final batter. Tampa Bay鈥檚 Jonathan Aranda failed to put one out of the ballpark, and the NL won.

The derby-style resolution to the Midsummer Classic was, as hockey fan Brendan Donovan might appreciate, akin to a shootout on the ice. He mentioned a different sport 鈥� but similar idea.

鈥淚 thought it was a cool finish,鈥� Donovan said. 鈥淓ssentially penalty kicks for the win.鈥�

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Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol is rightfully proud of the progress his field staff has made with young veterans during this transition season.

Growth from players like Brendan Donovan, Masyn Winn, Ivan Herrera, Alec Burleson, Matthew Liberatore, Andre Pallante and Victor Scott II could set the stage for more success next season.

But there is much more work to do 鈥� both in the majors and the minors 鈥� before the 2025 season winds down.

Marmol wants to stay in the playoff chase. He would celebrate the addition of reinforcements ahead of the trade deadline. They may or may not come, based on how president of baseball operations John Mozeliak views things from his perch on the fence.

Meanwhile, the field staff must remain locked in on player development to make the most of the remaining games that remain.

The heaviest lifting must be done with pitching.

Veterans Miles Mikolas and Erick Fedde have expiring contracts. They don鈥檛 appear to have a future here. But getting them back on track would have value, either to keep the Cardinals in the playoff chase or to create trade leverage.

That is especially true for Fedde, whose team-friendly contract could make him appealing to a contender willing to spend prospect capital for pitching depth.

Trading Fedde would open a spot for Michael McGreevy, who is overdue to pitch regularly in the majors. Of course, no team will covet Fedde while he is getting shelled ... so yeah, there is work to do.

Liberatore and Pallante are still learning how to handle the grind of starting pitching. Liberatore is trying to hold his mechanics together through the 162-game marathon, while Pallante is still tinkering with pitches to use against right-handed hitters.

At Triple-A Memphis, Tekoah Roby recently gained traction while putting previous injuries behind him. Given all the pitching casualties this organization has suffered this year, the Cardinals would love to get him through the season in one piece.

Quinn Mathews is experiencing a reset year at Memphis. He soared up the organization ladder last season before hitting a wall this spring. The Cardinals need him to finish well and go into his offseason program feeling strong.

Relievers Andre Granillo, Gordon Graceffo and Matt Svanson have shown promise this season while riding the Memphis shuttle. Can they keep progressing and earn more permanent bullpen roles next season?

The Cardinals will create developmental plans for their just-drafted pitching prospects. Top pick Liam Doyle could see the majors next season if he can refine his secondary stuff, and the other power collegiate arms could offer badly needed organizational depth.

Then there is Tink Hence. All efforts to keep this former top prospect healthy have failed. He is back on the injured list at Double-A Springfield (Missouri) after pitching just eight games and 21 1/3 innings for four minor league teams this season.

Hence turns 23 next month. Is there a path forward for a prospect whose body can鈥檛 handle the rigors of pitching?

On the offensive side, the Cardinals must address their futility against left-handed pitching. They hoped outfielder Jordan Walker would reemerge this season and add right-handed clout to the batting order, but he faded badly after an encouraging start.

His wrist injury was disruptive. So was his bout with appendicitis. But when he landed back at Double-A Springfield on a rehab assignment, his struggles at the plate continued.

Walker is still only 23, but he is reaching a critical point in his career. If he remains lost at the plate, the Cardinals will need to move other right-handed hitters to the outfield and/or look outside the organization for help.

Scott must play regularly, given his elite fielding in center field. But he is high on the list of Cardinals left-handed batters who must become more competitive against southpaws.

This team needs more production from catcher Pedro Pages, whose offensive struggles offset his fine work behind the plate. Backup Yohel Pozo is hitting well, Herrera is hitting very well, and prospects Jimmy Crooks and Leonardo Bernal are developing on schedule.

Will the remaining games provide clarity at this position?

Ideally, Nolan Arenado would get healthier and go on a heater after the break. Ideally, he would create a trade opportunity that makes both him and the Cardinals happy.

This franchise is committed to a youth movement, and Arenado wants another shot at postseason play.

Top 2024 draft pick JJ Wetherholt could reach the big leagues before the end of the season. He seems destined to take over at second base and give Winn some needed breaks at shortstop.

Donovan should remain an offensive mainstay in that scenario, playing regularly in a super-utility role. The resulting positional crowding would create job competition (and trade scenarios) for outfielder Lars Nootbaar and infielders Nolan Gorman and Thomas Saggese.

There is much to ponder here. The Cardinals have made encouraging strides this year, but their to-do list will be lengthy regardless of which direction their remaining season takes.

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ATLANTA听鈥� As if calling on computers to arbitrate balls and strikes wasn't novel enough for baseball's 95th Midsummer Classic, the game built for and around nostalgia was also the first decided by something called a "swing off."

The American League erased a six-run deficit to force a tie game into the bottom of the ninth inning.

The regulation game ended when Cardinals infielder Brendan Donovan, 2-for-2 in his All-Star debut at that point, tipped a pitch that appeared to be foul until it spun into a nook just in front of home plate. He was tagged out by catcher Alejandro Kirk for the third out, and that sent Major League Baseball where no game had gone before.

Decided by derby.

Each team chose three hitters who were still at the ballpark, and each player got three swings to crush balls out of the park and break the tie. The team with the most successful swings wins.听

Brent Rooker, the A's designated hitter who sparked the AL with a three-run homer in the seventh, hit two balls out of the park as the first ever "swing off" hitter. The Phillies' Kyle Schwarber answered by going 3-for-3 on his swings. Schwarber's round provided the difference as the NL won the "swing off," 4 to 3.

The "swing off" victory delivered the NL's fifth win the past 22 All-Star Games.

Polar pop

All it took to thaw the Hotlanta crowd on the Polar Bear for a moment was a home run that, for the first time in his career, helped their home team.

Booed as he was introduced and as he came to the plate and throughout the week at Truist Park for obvious rivalry reasons, New York Mets slugger Pete "Polar Bear" Alonso inspired cheers from the Atlanta fans in the sixth inning. Beloved in Queens and momentarily celebrated in Atlanta's Battery, Alonso drilled a home run into the seats beyond right field that lifted the National League toward a 6-0 lead by the end of the sixth inning.

On base for Alonso鈥檚 homer was the Cardinals鈥� lone All-Star, Donovan. He had an infield single immediately before Alonso鈥檚 homer opened up a five-run lead for the National League.

Donovan played the final five innings of the game at second base, had a backhanded play for an important out, and went 2-for-3 with two singles.

Alonso鈥檚 homer was the first of two by the National League in the sixth inning. Arizona鈥檚 Corbin Carroll roped a lifted a solo homer three batters later. It was the first homer in an All-Star Game by a player from the Diamondbacks.

Pittsburgh Paul Skenes started his second consecutive All-Star Game for the NL and struck out the first two batters he faced before coaxing a groundout from Aaron Judge and calling it an evening.

Donovan debuts, collects firsts

One of the first reserves into the game, Cardinals utility fielder Donovan took over at second in the top of the fifth inning.

Donovan didn鈥檛 have much action in the field initially.

He helped create some at the plate.

During Donovan鈥檚 first career All-Star at-bat, San Diego鈥檚 Fernando Tatis Jr. stole second to get into scoring position. Donovan fouled off a pitch from Kansas City lefty Kris Bubic, and then he connected on one for a groundball toward shortstop. The grounder against the shift of the fielders left KC鈥檚 Bobby Witt Jr. to rush a throw to first that did not beat Donovan. His first All-Star Game hit was an infield single, and that put him on first for the biggest blast of the evening.

Two pitches after Donovan鈥檚 hit, Alonso crushed the three-run homer that pushed the National League out to a 5-0 lead.

An inning later, Donovan and Witt were on opposite sides of another grounder. This time, Donovan ranged to his right, backhanded the grounder, and threw against his momentum to beat Witt to first base with the ball.

Tribute to Aaron brings chills, fireworks

At the end of the sixth inning, the lights went down at Truist Field and the goosebumps rose.

A tribute to the late Hank Aaron and his 715th home run was projected onto the field so that the basepaths and infield became the silver screen for one of the most significant swings in Major League Baseball history.

Clips from Aaron sitting on 714 played on the infield. At one point, the pitcher and fielders were projected at their positions, and there in the batter鈥檚 box was the image of Aaron, one shy of breaking the career home run record held by Babe Ruth. The moment his bat connected with the pitch, a single firework shot off from home plate toward left field 鈥� just as No. 715 did.

Footprints illuminated around the basepaths following his trot.

Aaron died in January 2021 at 86.

His widow, Billye, was in the crowd standing as she watched the tribute.听

Kershaw, Freeman get their moments

An honorary addition to the National League roster in the same way Albert Pujols was in 2022, Clayton Kershaw got into the game early, got out of the game fast, and got the moment scripted for him by his manager.

Kershaw took over for starter Paul Skenes to begin the second inning.

The lefty, fresh off his 3,000th career strikeout, drew Home Run Derby champion Cal Raleigh as the leadoff hitter. Raleigh ripped a first-pitch line drive to left field that Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker tracked down with a sliding catch toward the corner on the warning track. That out set up Kershaw against Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Kershaw got ahead with the closest thing to baseball鈥檚 endangered species 鈥� an 89-mph fastball. Kershaw spun two curveballs past Guerrero to eventually get to a 2-2 count.

He went to the slider for a called strike three and a finish to his evening.

Roberts removed Kershaw in the middle of the inning so that the could walk off the mound to an ovation from the Truist crowd. Rather than hand the ball to Roberts, Kershaw kept it in his glove as he left the All-Star Game.

Roberts orchestrated a similar moment for first baseman Freddie Freeman. The longtime Atlanta star and current Dodgers All-Star, Freeman was removed in the middle of the third inning so that he too could be escorted by an ovation as he stepped to the dugout and inside.

ABS makes ASG debut

The 95th Midsummer Classic wasn鈥檛 an inning old before history was made when catcher Raleigh challenged a call from home-plate umpire Dan Iassogna and technology acted as arbiter.

For the first time in All-Star Game history and the first time in a major-league game during the regular season, players had access to the automated ball-strike (ABS) system. Making its way toward the majors for official games, ABS allows for a batter, pitcher, or catcher to challenge the call at the plate of the umpire, and it uses radar tech to decide if the pitch was in the strike zone or out of it.

In the first inning, American League catcher Raleigh tapped his helmet and challenged Iassogna鈥檚 call on a two-strike pitch to Manny Machado.

An image of the strike zone and pitch appeared on the scoreboard to show the pitch clipping the bottom of the strike zone. The successful challenge overturned the call and struck out Machado looking 鈥� at the scoreboard.

In thew fifth inning, Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson became the first batter to challenge a pitch. Washington lefty MacKenzie Gore seemed to sneak a 1-0 pitch past Wilson for a strike. The young shortstop tapped his helmet, and the decision went from Iassogna at the plate to the technology on the board. The image showed the pitch missing the strike zone by a couple of inches, and Willson had successfully tapped his way to a 1-1 count.

He would ground out.

AL rallies, with help

The biggest hit that hoisted the American League back into the game came from a likely source, but it took some help from the National League after that moment for the AL to add on.

The Athletics鈥� designated hitter Rooker echoed Alonso with a three-run homer in his first at-bat. The homer, off a 98-mph fastball from Giants鈥� reliever Randy Rodriguez, crushed the NL鈥檚 shutout bid and took advantage of the work by two close and longtime friends. Childhood teammates in Mexico, Alejandro Kirk and Jonathan Aranda seeded the bases for Rooker. Kirk, Toronto鈥檚 catcher, singled, and Aranda, Tampa Bay鈥檚 first baseman, walked immediately ahead of Rooker.

The homer cleaved the NL鈥檚 lead in half, 6-3.

And then the errors began.

A throw to second base by Hunter Goodman sailed high on Donovan at second base when Maikel Garcia stole second. He came around the score one batter before a fielder error at first base by Atlanta鈥檚 Matt Olson kept the inning alive.

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• Derrick Goold | Post-Dispatch

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Story Vols coach didn鈥檛 tell on TV was this hurdle Cardinals鈥� power pick Liam Doyle faced at UT

• Derrick Goold | Post-Dispatch

ATLANTA 鈥� Within the first few minutes of his opening statement to a gathering of baseball writers Tuesday morning, Major League Baseball Players Association Executive Director Tony Clark referenced the power pitching matchup for that evening鈥檚 All-Star Game and the level of generational talent throughout the game.

鈥淭he game is in a good place,鈥� he said.

The clock is ticking on for how long.

The owners and the players union are already gerrymandering their messages 17 months in advance of what could be baseball鈥檚 next labor grapple and second work stoppage in five years. The current collective bargaining agreement, forged at the end of a 99-day lockout in 2021-22, expires on Dec. 1, 2026, and both sides are bracing for another lockout. A core clash was on display Tuesday as MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and Clark held separate conversations with members of the Baseball Writers鈥� Association of America. Manfred stressed a 鈥渇an-driven鈥� concern about payroll disparities and competitive balance.

Clark hears rhetoric that鈥檚 a Trojan horse for salary cap.

鈥淚n this instance, when they鈥檙e highlighting for you what they鈥檙e interested in, then you should believe them,鈥� Clark said. 鈥淎nd if we find ourselves coming to 12:01 on Dec. 1 and they look to lock you out, well, they told us they were going to do that. So prepare accordingly.鈥�

Owners, who have the power to lock out players without a new deal in place, have pursued a salary cap in previous CBA negotiations 鈥� never successfully. In 1994, it was the pursuit of a cap structure that contributed to a player strike that cost the World Series.

A former All-Star, Clark described himself as a 鈥減up鈥� during the longest work stoppage in the sport鈥檚 history and how it was 鈥渙ver the same issue.鈥�

He drew a line Tuesday on what historically has been a non-starter for the union.

鈥淭hat is why it鈥檚 not about competitive balance. It鈥檚 not about fair vs. not. This is institutionalized collusion,鈥� Clark said. 鈥淭hat is what a salary cap is.

鈥淟et鈥檚 be very clear, though: A cap is not about a partnership,鈥� he added. 鈥淎 cap is not about growing the game. That is not what a cap is about. A cap is about franchise value and profits. That is what a cap is about. If there are ways that we need to improve the existing system to polish some rough edges that otherwise exist, we have proposals to do that. A salary cap has historically limited contract guarantees associated with it. It literally pits one player against another, and ... is what the definition of a noncompetitive system. It doesn鈥檛 reward excellence. It undermines it.鈥�

Clark and his staff have started their in-season meetings with all 30 teams, and work stoppage preparation is part of the conversation. The union voted to withhold its dispersal of licensing revenue to begin building a chest for a work stoppage.

Manfred has circulated through clubhouse and conversations with players, too.

He insisted he has not used the same term some owners have: salary cap.

He introduces a problem 鈥渢hat we need to work together on, and that is: There are fans in a lot of markets who feel like we have a competitive balance problem,鈥� Manfred said Tuesday. 鈥淚 never used the word salary within one of cap. What I do say to them in addressing this competitive issue that is real is we should think about this system. Is it the perfect system from a player鈥檚 perspective? And my goal there is not to convince them of one system or another but it is to convince that everybody go to the table with an open mind to try to address a problem that is fan-driven. (That) leads to a better collective bargaining process and better outcome.鈥�

The gravitation of star players to tycoon teams has defined the past three years of the current CBA, with Shohei Ohtani setting a contract record to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Juan Soto rewriting that record as he signed with the New York Mets. Payrolls for some of the larger markets dwarf smaller markets. That comes at a time when a revenue stream relied on by teams like the Cardinals has been clogged by the ongoing regional sports network disruption.

The Cardinals saw a cut in their rights fee for this season and upcoming seasons, and they trimmed payroll in response to that and reduced ticket sales.

Manfred said there has been progress toward a stronger, unified broadcast deal for Major League Baseball, with the goal to have it ready for 2028.

He acknowledged that revenue turbulence is only part of the equation.

Franchise value, which Clark mentioned, is inviting questions from owners.

鈥淲hat about our economic system has put us in a position where our franchise values have not grown as quickly as some other sports?鈥� Manfred said. 鈥淎nd try to figure out how we might fix that.鈥�

Other professional sports leagues, from the NHL to MLB, NBA to NFL, have salary caps. Doing so can require the two sides agreeing on a definition of revenue before carving it up 鈥� and that can be combative. The NHL lost an entire season due to a work stoppage when the owners pursued and got a salary-cap system 20 years ago. This past month, the NHL and its players association announced an extension to 2030 of the current CBA months in advance of its expiration.

Past negotiations between MLB owners and the MLBPA have yielded revenue sharing and a luxury tax as soft caps or penalties for spending.

The union has previous proposed a spending floor.

鈥淟et me be clear on this one,鈥� Clark said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e never been opposed to a floor. Not opposed to a floor. Opposed to what comes with it 鈥� or historically has.鈥�

Clark was asked by the Post-Dispatch if the union prefers the open market to grow salaries, and if that can happen with only a handful of teams bidding on players, where does he see an overlap with the union鈥檚 goals and competitive balance. Smaller markets incentivized to spend more is one area the union has pursued, sources previous described.

鈥淲e have a lot of confidential financial information that I recognize most don鈥檛 have,鈥� Clark said. 鈥淲hen we say that all teams can compete and they鈥檙e choosing not to, it鈥檚 based on the information that we have. And based on the information that we have and the proposals that we鈥檝e made 鈥� most particularly in the revenue-sharing area 鈥� we believe there are ways to incentivize and provide support to those who are in a different market than an L.A. or New York. There is an opportunity to do that and do so to the benefit of the group that doesn鈥檛 require a restriction on player salaries to do so.鈥�

This past October, Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III told the Post-Dispatch when asked that the Cardinals did not need a salary cap to contend in the National League.

鈥淲e鈥檙e going to compete whether there is a new framework, the same framework or whatever it is,鈥� he said.

This winter will feature negotiations on the next CBA.

By then, there will be one season remaining before the uncertainty of a season at all.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 know what they鈥檙e going to propose,鈥� Clark said. 鈥淲e know that it is they鈥檙e saying they鈥檙e interested in. We鈥檒l get in the room, and we鈥檒l see what it is that they propose. The history (of salary caps) is more lockouts, more work stoppages as a result of that system being in place.鈥�

During their annual meetings with BBWAA, the two baseball officials touched on other topics:

• On major league players participating in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles: Players are interested, and the new CBA could carve out a way to do that, plus officials from L.A.鈥檚 Olympic coordinator met this week in Atlanta with both MLB and the players union to explore ways to make the best players available.

鈥淚t鈥檚 doable,鈥� Manfred said. 鈥淟et me define 鈥榩ossible.鈥� It is possible to take it, play the All-Star Game in its normal spot, have a single break that would be longer, obviously but still play 162 games without bleeding into the middle of November. That is possible. It would require significant accommodations, but it鈥檚 possible.鈥�

Said Clark: 鈥淲e鈥檙e hopeful we can figure out a way.鈥�

On the automated ball-strike (ABS) system used in Tuesday鈥檚 All-Star Game and questions about its 1/2-inch margin for error: Clark called ABS in regular-season games 鈥渕ore inevitable than not.鈥�

He called concerns 鈥渢angible鈥� and added, 鈥淲hat are going to be the rules around how the ABS system is going to be navigated? Are we looking to get the half inch? Does there need to be some kind of buffer zone consideration? Or do we want to find ourselves in the world where it鈥檚 the most egregious misses that we focus on?鈥�

• On ongoing changes to immigration policy and enforcement from the Trump administration, MLB and the union are working together with players who are on work visas. The union has instructed players to carry their documents with them.

鈥淚t is a concern,鈥� Clark said.

鈥淚 worry about anything that could be disruptive to the very best players in the world being out on the field,鈥� Manfred said. 鈥淭he prospect of that disruption given that all our players have visas 鈥� it鈥檚 speculation at this point. We see no evidence of it.鈥�

On the gambling鈥檚 increased presence in advertising at the ballpark and an instance already this season of a player being investigated for possible violations of league rules regarding participation in gambling: 鈥淲e tell players do not (make a) play on baseball, you cannot bet on baseball, stay away from baseball, be cognizant of any bet whether it鈥檚 at the professional level, college level, amateur level 鈥� you name it,鈥� Clark said. 鈥淚 think we even talked about winter league. Don鈥檛 bet on baseball. That鈥檚 what players hear from us.鈥�

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On Day 2 of draft, Cardinals take Oklahoma lefty with fastball zip, change-up whiff

• Daniel Guerrero | Post-Dispatch

Back on the clock for Day 2 of the MLB draft after using their first-round pick to take swing-and-miss lefty Liam Doyle at fifth overall, the Cardinals鈥� approach for rounds 4-20 kept them open to considering 鈥渁ll types of pitchers鈥� when the draft resumed on Monday.

What that approach netted them on the final day of the 2025 draft was a class that features 10 college pitchers. The first three pitchers selected by the Cardinals on Day 2 possess fastballs that can get up to 98 mph or higher.

鈥淚 think that it sets the tone when you鈥檙e picking in the top five and certainly seems like, wow, that was a rush for swing-and-miss,鈥� Randy Flores, Cardinals assistant general manager and scouting director, said via Zoom on Monday. 鈥淏ut that鈥檚 very rare to be picking up there and to have that type of talent. After that, what we wanted to do is just be open to all types of pitchers, not just certain types.

鈥�... I think working together, we look for those opportunities that, rather than going in a little bit more of a direction, let鈥檚 just say, that is a little bit more typical for us, we wanted to go a little bit bigger and have the range of outcomes be a little bit wider but with that being something pretty special.鈥�

Of the three power arms they took to begin Day 2, the Cardinals used their first pick on Monday to take University of Oklahoma lefty Cade Crossland in the fourth round. Picks of East Carolina University righty Ethan Young (fifth round) and Payton Graham, a right-hander from Gonzaga University, in the seventh round followed.

While Crossland flashed a fastball that got up to 98 mph and a change-up Baseball America rated as 60 on its scale of 20-80 to help him strike out 26.6% of the batters he faced in 2025 for the Sooners, Young鈥檚 ability to touch 99 mph and throw an above-average slider led him to strike out 30.4% of the batters he faced as a reliever in his lone season for ECU.

Young, 21, maintained an 11.2% walk rate in 70 1/3 innings as he made 22 of his 23 outings this past season from the bullpen, where he notched three saves.

A larger role could await him in the Cardinals鈥� system.

鈥淓than Young was just a great example of us in position for someone who was missing bats,鈥� Flores said. 鈥淥bviously, extended out, not just an inning at a time reliever, but he has a history of pitching in high-leverage situations and a ton of strikeouts this year. Someone we could stretch out if we so chose.鈥�

Flores said the selection of the 6-foot-2, 220-pound Graham came in a spot where the Cardinals thought there would be 鈥渘o chance鈥� to take him if it were not due to injury.

A reliever in his first two seasons at Gonzaga, Graham had his third season end following one start and five innings because of Tommy John surgery. Graham struck out 21.3% of the batters he faced in his freshman and sophomore years. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound right-hander flashed a 98 mph fastball and was ranked as high as the No. 75 draft prospect by Baseball America earlier this year before his season was cut short.

鈥淥ur hope was that we鈥檙e betting on him returning to form,鈥� Flores said of Graham. 鈥淎bsent that injury, there鈥檚 no chance we thought that we鈥檇 have a spot for him in the seventh round.鈥�

Along with the Crossland, Young and Graham, the Cardinals took Ty Van Dyke, a righty who reaches 97 mph with his fastball, in the 10th round. Kaden Echeman (12th round), Jake Shelagowski (13th round), Anthony Watts (14th round), Alec Breckheimer (16th round), Dylan Driessen (18th round) and Liam Best (19th round) were drafted by the Cardinals in the rounds that followed.

The Cardinals鈥� position player selections on Day 2 began with a sixth-round pick of University of Hawaii outfielder Matthew Miura. They also took infielders Ryan Weingartner (eighth round), Michael Dattalo (ninth round), Jalin Flores (11th round), Trevor Haskins (15th round), outfielder Cameron Nickens (17th round) and catcher Chase Heath (20th round). Heath, a catcher from the University of Central Missouri, is a native of O鈥橣allon, Missouri.

All seven of the bats the Cardinals took on Day 2 are right-handed bats. Flores said the handedness didn鈥檛 factor, but the traits they possess did.

鈥淚 think that鈥檚 just the way it fell. It wasn鈥檛 intentional,鈥� the Cardinals鈥� scouting director said. 鈥淓ach of them offered something at that spot in the draft that intrigued us. Miura is just a really, really good defender, a good runner, a good baseball player. The track record of Jalin Flores playing up the middle at a big school (University of Texas) was just intriguing there for us in the 11th round. Weingartner鈥檚 versatility, bat-to-ball.

鈥淭hose were more of the reasons than the handedness.鈥�

They also searched for outliers when they reached the late rounds.

What Nickens did in his lone season at Austin Peay University checked that box.

After three years at the University of Houston, Nickens batted .422, reached base at a .520 clip and slugged .768. He set career highs in homers with 18, doubles with 24 and in OPS (1.288).

鈥淵ou鈥檙e looking for that in any of these guys, and his almost a 1.300 OPS, the home runs started to come, we saw the exit (velocity) was something that we liked,鈥� Flores said of the 22-year-old Nickens. 鈥淚 think that at that spot, you鈥檙e taking a stab at something on the upswing. That鈥檚 our hope there.鈥�

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ATLANTA 鈥� Eager to find somewhere that would give him a chance to play college ball, Brendan Donovan was willing to play everywhere, and that鈥檚 how he found himself at third base in Panama City, Florida, gasping for air because of a bad hop and a baseball to the neck.

About to start his senior year at Enterprise High in Alabama, Donovan attended a showcase for the region鈥檚 top players at a panhandle junior college. He went with no offers and one goal.

鈥淚 was trying to do everything I could just to get recognized,鈥� Donovan said this past week before preparing to lead off for the Cardinals. 鈥淚 threw from the outfield. I threw from third. Threw from behind the plate. Wasn鈥檛 very good. But I was like maybe someone will like it. I just wasn鈥檛 getting any traction. Maybe they don鈥檛 like me at shortstop. Maybe I just need to go all over the place.

鈥淪o I went all over the place.鈥�

His rotation for attention eventually put him at third base between a row of college coaches along the dugout and a strapping first baseman trying to impress them with his arm strength. The first baseman overcooked a throw to third, and Donovan instinctively dropped down to smother the bounce. The ball hit the lip of the infield, caromed off Donovan鈥檚 neck and rolled toward the coaches at the dugout. He went to retrieve it and was asked if he was good.

Donovan summoned enough air to reply: 鈥淚鈥檓 good.鈥�

鈥淚 was not good,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 was pretty messed up. I couldn鈥檛 breathe.鈥�

The throw hit him so close to his throat and so hard that it crushed his chain and left an indentation of the cross. It also left a good impression.

South Alabama鈥檚 head coach Mark Calvi jotted down a name.

鈥淚鈥檓 like, alright, this kid likes to play,鈥� Calvi said. 鈥淗e wasn鈥檛 a coveted recruit. He had no plus-tool. He鈥檚 got the makeup, and he鈥檚 got that 鈥榠t鈥� factor. The dude didn鈥檛 start on third base, man. He鈥檚 a self-made player. That鈥檚 what he is. He鈥檚 a self-made player. No one grabbed him and yanked him up to the big leagues. He has earned everything. He鈥檚 a self-made college player. He鈥檚 a self-made big leaguer.

鈥淗e put himself in that position,鈥� Calvi said, 鈥渁nd he鈥檚 not letting go of it.鈥�

As goal-oriented now at 28 as he was at 18 and raised in a military household to be disciplined and determined, Donovan sets achievements he鈥檇 like to reach for each season. On Tuesday evening, he checks off one for 2025. The Cardinals utility fielder is set to appear in his first All-Star Game when Atlanta鈥檚 Truist Park hosts the 95th Midsummer Classic. Elected to the National League roster by his peers and the only Cardinal selected, Donovan鈥檚 .297 average is tied with fellow All-Star Freddie Freeman for second in the NL.

He arrived in Atlanta on Monday morning, a day later than planned because Sunday鈥檚 rain delays at Busch Stadium caused him to miss his flight. The Cardinals arranged a private jet from 最新杏吧原创 for him and his family, Donovan said. He added it was his first time on a private jet.

How he got to Atlanta was comfortable and direct.

How he got to the All-Star Game was neither.

Getting there took a road paved by the willingness to play anywhere.

鈥淚 think part of that is the military upbringing: Just make it happen. Just solve the problem,鈥� Donovan said. 鈥淚 think having to play everywhere has made me who I am as a player, made me 鈥� sports is a great teacher for life 鈥� who I am as a person. If I would have just played one position and I wasn鈥檛 highly drafted and I wasn鈥檛 considered a prospect, would I find a way to get into the lineup, would I find a way to get to the major leagues? Probably not. I didn鈥檛 know it at the time. At the time, I was like: How is this going to be great for my career? It鈥檚 probably been the greatest thing that ever happened to my career.

鈥淏eing an All-Star?鈥� he then added when asked where that honor fit. 鈥淚t鈥檚 one of those things you always dream about when you close your eyes and you picture yourself. You see World Series. You see All-Star.鈥�

Finding somewhere

Born in Germany while his father, Jim, was stationed there with the U.S. Army, Donovan was first introduced to baseball at 5 by his mother, Lisa, after the family relocated and lived in Clarksville, Tennessee, right across the state line from Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

One of Donovan鈥檚 friends was going to play T-ball, and Lisa Donovan asked if Brendan wanted to try it. His father, deployed overseas at the time, had northeast roots and kept hockey sticks around the garage, not bats. Donovan鈥檚 only experience holding a stick for sports was on a frozen pond or hard concrete. When he grabbed a bat for the first time, he held it like he would a hockey stick, then brought his hands together. That is how his left-handed swing was born.

His mother set up a tee and practiced with him, offering this instruction:

鈥淭ry to hit it hard.鈥�

When the family moved to Alabama, there weren鈥檛 many frozen surfaces to use hockey sticks 鈥� but baseball? Baseball was everywhere. Amidst the moving and his father鈥檚 active duty, sports, Donovan said, became a constant he could count on anywhere. An anchor.

As Donovan neared graduation from Enterprise, he thought about going into the military, like his father. But he first wanted to pursue baseball.

Intrigued by the showcase and assured by how he saw Donovan play later, Calvi gave him that chance at South Alabama.

The coach was on the bus back from the Sun Belt Conference tournament and an extra-inning loss in the championship on a grand slam when his phone rang. It was Donovan, the incoming recruit. He told Calvi it was a great season and he heard about the tough loss.

鈥淭hat will never happen on my watch,鈥� Donovan stated.

When he arrived on campus that fall and started fall workouts, Calvi instructed his coaches to get Donovan a bigger bag. The freshman needed it for all the 鈥渄ifferent gloves I told him to have on him all the time,鈥� Calvi said. The Jaguars鈥� infield was set, but the coach wanted to get Donovan鈥檚 bat in the lineup. That meant time in the outfield and also staying sharp at several infield positions. As the fall continued, Donovan struggled.

He hit poorly.

He fielded worse.

Trying to play everywhere felt like he could play nowhere.

鈥淚f I caught the ball, I sailed it,鈥� Donovan said. 鈥淢ost of the time I didn鈥檛 even catch it.鈥�

During one round of batting practice, Donovan recalled how he couldn鈥檛 get pitches out of the cage 鈥� the 鈥渢urtle鈥� 鈥� and slammed his bat against its side. Calvi told him to sit in the visitors dugout.

鈥淚鈥檓 like in a dungeon,鈥� Donovan recalled. 鈥淚鈥檓 in timeout.鈥�

In a phone interview this past week, Calvi re-created several conversations between the two, and Donovan鈥檚 reply was usually, 鈥淵essir, yessir.鈥� When he told Donovan that day he would not play in the scrimmage, the reply was different: 鈥淣o. No.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 like, 鈥楲isten, man, you鈥檝e got a chance to play this game for a long time,鈥欌�� Calvi recalled. 鈥淚 said, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e going to be a manager鈥檚 dream one day.鈥� He was looking at me like, 鈥榃hat are you talking about?鈥� He鈥檚 1 for 21 and he鈥檚 made six errors in the outfield and infield. I said, 鈥榊our best tool is your toughness and your willingness to play other positions. Get good at it.鈥欌��

At one point early in his career at South Alabama, Donovan filled out a bio questionnaire for the media guide, and one of the questions was, 鈥淔avorite athlete?鈥�

He thought of a big leaguer who played multiple positions, hit .300 and represented the Cardinals at three All-Star Games but rarely at the same position.

He wrote down: 鈥淢att Carpenter.鈥�

The position Calvi expected Donovan to play was Carpenter鈥檚 first as an All-Star, second base. But he never did at South Alabama. As a junior, he filled in for an injured teammate at shortstop and helped lift the Jaguars back to the championship game in the Sun Belt tournament, the one they lost the year before he arrived. In extra innings, with the winning run on third, Donovan singled for the walk-off clincher.

鈥淗e said it would never happen on his watch,鈥� Calvi said. 鈥淎nd when he was in position to back that up, he did it.鈥�

Playing anywhere

The Cardinals scout who followed Donovan that junior year, Clint Brown, shared this description with the club: 鈥淎 player who may have limitations, but wherever the ceiling is, he will break through it.鈥�

Evaluations from president of baseball operations John Mozeliak and Gary LaRocque, the farm director at the time, mentioned how Donovan was 鈥渞elentless in his pursuit to get better.鈥�

The Cardinals drafted him in the seventh round in 2018, the same year they took Nolan Gorman with their first pick. It wasn鈥檛 long before the high school slugger was drawn to the college ballplayer who sure didn鈥檛 get flustered by a bad round of batting practice.

鈥淚t may not seem like it now, but I could get frustrated and hotheaded,鈥� Gorman said. 鈥淚 wanted to be around him. I wanted to be like him. I wanted to do the things he was doing.鈥�

They would advance together and be united by position, too.

With Gorman at third, Donovan moved to second.

When the Cardinals acquired Nolan Arenado and Gorman moved to second, Donovan moved to shortstop, maybe left ...

鈥淪o I was like, where do I go?鈥� he said. 鈥淚 know. I need to go everywhere.鈥�

He realized quickly why in the days leading up to his promotion to the majors in April 2022 the Cardinals had him play first base. In his first big league start for the Cardinals, he played first. In his second start, he played third. Three days later, he was at second. A week later, shortstop. Donovan鈥檚 first four starts in the majors were at four different positions.

That morsel of trivia was actually a harbinger as he won the National League鈥檚 first ever utility fielder Rawlings Gold Glove Award in 2022. The Cardinals boast more Gold Glove winners than any other organization, but they have only one rookie who won one: Donovan.

When he found out, Donovan called Calvi.

The kid willing to play anywhere to get noticed, the college leader able to play everywhere to contribute and the rising pro who always had somewhere to play to stay in the lineup had a big league honor to tie all of those moments into a theme he felt all along.

Even as that bruised formed on his neck, versatility was taking him places.

As he tugged on an All-Star cap Monday in Atlanta, Donovan said he wasn鈥檛 sure what inning or what position he鈥檒l play in the game. Fitting.

But he knows exactly where he鈥檒l be.

In Atlanta with the other stars.

He was asked what he鈥檇 tell that kid trying to catch his breath.

鈥淕ood job,鈥� Donovan answered. 鈥淭oughness will get you further than you think it will. You never know who is watching. And to play every moment like it鈥檚 your last because you never know 鈥� it could be. These moments are what got you here. Don鈥檛 forget that. Play like that kid, and you鈥檒l continue to climb.鈥�

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When the baseball season started, it sure seemed like Cardinals catchers Ivan Herrera and Pedro Pages were set up to work as a tandem. Veteran catcher Willson Contreras moved to first base to facilitate and solidify that duo鈥檚 ascension into full-time roles.

The two interacted seamlessly and took on responsibilities as co-pilots of the pitching staff. They had all the earmarks of two guys working together to push a boulder up a hill.

Now, the Cardinals move closer to a point where they need to find another position for Herrera. His offensive prowess and potential and Pages鈥� defensive inclination and acuity may seem to present a push-pull.

However, it鈥檚 becoming clearer that their push-pull isn鈥檛 a matter of opposing forces. Instead, it鈥檚 one guy behind that boulder pushing it up the hill and the other in front pulling it up the hill. Herrera and Pages are just coming from different points of leverage.

Limited to just 43 games this season (175 plate appearances) due to a pair of stints on the injured list, Herrera has still managed to pummel eight home runs, register 36 RBIs and post a slash line of .320/.394/.529 and make a case for being one the most dangerous right-handed hitters on the Cardinals roster ahead of aging superstar Nolan Arenado, struggling young former super-prospect Jordan Walker and veteran masher Contreras.

Herrera, who has 200 fewer plate appearances than team home run leaders Lars Nootbaar and Contreras (12 each), has batted .419 with runners in scoring position and .389 with runners in scoring position and two outs.

Across his time in the big leagues since his debut in 2022, he鈥檚 shown an ability to hit all types of pitches 鈥� fastball, breaking ball and off-speed 鈥� and he looks the part of an impactful right-handed bat in a lineup sorely in need of just that.

Herrera鈥檚 well-documented deficiency controlling the running game 鈥� he鈥檚 thrown out just 3 of 54 base stealers in his big league career 鈥� almost nullify his work as a pitch framer and blocking pitches (two areas where he was average or above average last season).

Meanwhile, Pages intermittently flashes offensive upside.

Last summer, he slashed .318/.348/.477 over a 27-game stretch (93 plate appearances). Through his first 23 games (19 starts) of this season, he batted .247. Ultimately, he鈥檚 been a .222 hitter with a .267 on-base percentage and a .353 slugging percentage during his tenure in the big leagues.

Pages鈥� biggest value comes via his work with the pitching staff, game planning, calling pitches and managing the game on the field.

Pages has caught seven of the club鈥檚 10 shutouts this season, including Erick Fedde鈥檚 complete game blanking of the Washington Nationals on the road as well as Sonny Gray鈥檚 one-hit, 89-pitch performance in Cleveland against the Guardians.

The Cardinals pitching staff recorded an overall ERA of 4.13 heading into the All-Star break. With Pages catching, the club鈥檚 ERA is 3.88. Pages ranked 12th in the majors in catcher framing runs this season, and he broke even 鈥� neither positive nor negative 鈥� on catcher base stealing runs. He鈥檚 gotten dinged for blocking this season to the tune of minus-1 run.

The Cardinals history includes a litany of defensive-oriented catchers. However, the club seemed to make a shift in approach after Yadier Molina retired. They signed Contreras in a move that signaled they wanted to take advantage of the kind middle-of-the-order or top-of-the-order production from the catcher position he could provide.

However, the Cardinals haven鈥檛 completely committed to that shift.

鈥淚t just depends how your roster is constructed,鈥� Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said during the last weekend before the All-Star break. 鈥淚 feel like you should be able to be defensively minded behind the plate and count on offense in other areas. But if that鈥檚 not how you鈥檙e built, then you adjust.

鈥淏ut I feel like there鈥檚 enough guys in our lineup that should be able to contribute to scoring points. And Pages has done a nice job of managing our pitching staff and giving them the best shot to navigate lineups.鈥�

The Cardinals will primarily use Herrera as a designated hitter for the rest of this season, but they plan to explore the possibility of using him the outfield.

Herrera鈥檚 right-handed bat could be vital to their efforts in the second half. The Cardinals have the second-best batting average in the majors against right-handed pitchers (.261) and rank among the top 10 in on-base percentage (.328, sixth), but they鈥檙e 20th in batting average against southpaws (.232) and 24th and slugging against left-handers (.351).

Herrera鈥檚 production as either a DH or outfielder helps pave the way for a more defensive-oriented backstop like Pages.

On the pitching side, their staff does not have the sort of strikeout proficiency that provides a large margin for error to overcome defensive mistakes, bad luck or an abundance of base runners. The Cardinals鈥� 7.37 strikeouts per nine innings ranks 29th of 30 teams.

So being able to 鈥渘avigate lineups,鈥� as Marmol put it, holds even more importance for the Cardinals than a team like the Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers or Milwaukee Brewers (all among the top seven in the majors in strikeouts per nine).

The fact that Pages excels in this regard means Herrera can focus on being an offensive contributor.

So Herrera and Pages are as much a tandem now as they were when they shared the catching duties. Each of their respective strengths fill needs in the Cardinals lineup and allows for the other鈥檚 presence.

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