The St. Louis Cardinals have announced that top prospect RHP Alex Reyes is expected to make a Rehab Start for the Springfield Cardinals at Hammons Field this Saturday, May 19.
The Cardinals take on the Northwest Arkansas Naturals this Saturday at 6:10pm, with gates opening at 5:10pm.
Signed as a non-drafted free agent on December 3, 2012, Reyes is listed as the 17th-best prospect in all Major League Baseball by MLB.com and as the top prospect in the Cardinals farm system by MLB.com and Baseball America.
Reyes made his MLB debut on Aug. 9, 2016 and appeared in 12 games that season, starting five while finishing with a 4-1 record and 1.57 ERA in 46.0 innings, striking out 52. His 52 strikeouts for St. Louis in 2016 were the most by a Cardinals rookie in his first 12 career games since Joe Magrane’s 52 (81.2 IP) in 1987.
His 1.57 ERA in his first 12 career Major League games was the best (min. 46.0 IP) since the Reds’ Pat Zachry posted a 1.17 mark in 1976 and the best by a Cardinals rookie since Al Brazle’s 1.50 mark in 1943. Is a career 3-0 with a 2.19 ERA vs. the Chicago Cubs and was the first Cardinals rookie pitcher with three wins vs. the Cubs since Brooks Lawrence went 3-0 vs. CHI in 1954. Reyes was placed on the disabled list on March 30, 2017 to undergo right elbow (Tommy John) surgery.
The 2015 Cardinals Minor League Co-Pitcher of the Year returned from the D.L. and began his rehab stint with High-A Palm Beach on May 9, throwing 3.1 scoreless, four-hit innings while striking out six. Reyes’ second rehab start came with Class-A Peoria on May 14, where he pitched 5.0 scoreless innings, striking out 12 and allowing a single hit. It was the 11th time he’s posted double-digit strikeouts in a Minor League starts and was one short of his career-high 13 vs. Dunedin (6/17/15). In two rehab starts, Reyes has struck out 18 batters over 8.1 innings, allowing just eight baserunners.
Saturday would be Reyes’ first appearance in Springfield since 2015, when he was 2-2 with a 3.12 ERA in eight starts for the Cardinals, striking out 52 in 34.2 innings.
Reyes was selected as the starting pitcher for the World Team at the 2016 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game during All-Star Week in San Diego.
