Cards No. 2 prospect Winn getting his footing in Triple-A

MILWAUKEE -- Masyn Winn is out of sight these days with the Cardinals, but the dynamic, young shortstop certainly isn’t out of mind following a Spring Training performance for the ages last month.

Winn, the No. 2-ranked prospect in the Cards system, per MLB Pipeline, opened plenty of eyes at the MLB level when he took advantage of opportunities given to him in Spring Training and hit .333 over 18 games. Winn, who only recently turned 21, impressed the Cardinals coaching staff with his maturity at the plate while smashing two home runs and legging out two triples and two doubles with the Cardinals. He did strike out 13 times in 54 Spring Training at-bats, but he offset that somewhat by walking four times and stealing four bases.

That stretch of stellar play convinced the brash Winn that he will someday thrive as a Major Leaguer even though he is starting this season in Triple-A. With Gold Glovers Tommy Edman and Brendan Donovan ahead of him, Winn is being forced to bide his time before getting his shot at the big leagues, and he fully understands that.

“We’ve got such a good squad that it’s hard to be up there [at the MLB level] right now, and I think if I was with a different [organization], I would be up there, but I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Winn said recently. “I love it here [with the Cardinals] and with the way they do things. As far as confidence-wise heading to Triple-A, I think I deserve to be in the big leagues, and one day I will be there. I’ve just got to keep playing my ball.”

Things haven’t gone nearly as smoothly for the 5-foot-11, 180-pound Winn with Triple-A Memphis. Through his first eight games, Winn has hits in just five of his first 31 at-bats (.161). He does have a triple and two stolen bases, but he’s whiffed more than twice as many times (nine) as he has walked (four).

Here is a look at how things are going with the Cardinals other top Minor Leaguers early this season:

Triple-A Memphis
The Redbirds have a roster stocked with players with MLB experience, but they have been somewhat a disappointment thus far. After losing two of three games against Charlotte, Memphis then dropped three of its first five games against Nashville.

The biggest bright spot -- not only in Memphis, but possibly the entire organization -- has been the way left-hander Matthew Liberatore has pitched in two starts. Liberatore, who made his MLB debut in 2022 and is MLB Pipeline’s No. 6-ranked prospect in the Cardinals system, is 2-0 so far and has not allowed an earned run in 10 innings pitched with 14 strikeouts. That’s a huge jump over 2022 when he had a 5.97 ERA over nine games (seven starts) at the big league level.

First baseman Luken Baker has been a consistent source of offense for the Redbirds, smashing three home runs with eight RBIs in his first 25 at-bats. Moisés Gómez, MLB Pipeline's No. 14 Cards prospect who was the Minor League leader in home runs with 39 between Double-A and Triple-A last season, came into Sunday hitting just .185 with more strikeouts (seven) than hits (five).

Double-A Springfield
The Cards notched their first victory of the season on Saturday when slugger Chandler Redmond hammered two solo home runs as part of a three-hit, three-run day. Redmond, who became the second player in modern baseball history to hit for a home run cycle last season, has four hits in his first eight at-bats this season.

Michael McGreevy, the No. 8-ranked prospect in the Cards system, per MLB Pipeline, pitched well on Opening Day. He allowed one run (unearned) on four hits and a walk in four innings.

High-A Peoria
The Chiefs were swept in a season-opening series when they blew a 4-0 lead on Saturday and Cedar Rapids scored eight unanswered runs. All eyes have been on the Peoria pitching staff early in the season. Tink Hence, the No. 3-ranked prospect in the Cardinals system, per MLB Pipeline, was fabulous in his first start, allowing just one hit while striking out six in four scoreless innings.

Things were much rockier for Cooper Hjerpe, the Cardinals first-round pick in 2022. Hjerpe, who led all Division I players in strikeouts in his final season at Oregon State, racked up six strikeouts over 3 1/3 innings, but he got in trouble when he walked three batters and surrendered a home run. He was tagged for three earned runs in his first professional start.

Single-A Palm Beach
Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong, who stayed behind in Jupiter, Fla., after injuring his lower back late in Spring Training, spent the opening series working with the Cardinals. DeJong had a hit and two RBIs in an Opening Day win over Jupiter, but he finished the series just 1-for-9. He’ll now head to Triple-A Memphis to continue his rehab.

Left-hander Brycen Mautz, the Cardinals second-round pick in 2022 out of the University of San Diego and the team's No. 13 prospect per MLB Pipeline, allowed just two runs (one earned) on three hits and two walks while striking out seven over five innings to nab his first professional win on Opening Day.