3 weeks agoSt. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect
Cooper Hjerpe (undisclosed) will open the Double-A regular season on the injured list. Hjerpe was limited by numerous injuries during the 2024 campaign and will now start the 2025 campaign sidelined. Last season, the former 22nd overall pick was only able to log 52 1/3 innings of work split between High-A and Double-A. With High-A, Hjerpe held a 3.35 ERA with a 1.19 WHIP across 37 2/3 innings. He struck out an impressive 56 batters. He then made his Double-A debut and continued to pitch well, posting a strong 3.07 ERA with a stellar 0.95 WHIP in 14 2/3 innings of work. During this brief taste, he tallied 20 punchouts and served up eight free passes. Dynasty managers should monitor his status as an extended injury could prevent him from reaching Triple-A this season.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
9 months agoSt. Louis Cardinals starting pitching prospect
Cooper Hjerpe has remained steady since moving up to Double-A in early June. Through his first 14 ⅔ innings (four starts) the southpaw has held a solid 3.07 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and an 8:20 BB:K ratio. Earlier this season at High-A, he posted a 3.35 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and a 20:56 BB:K ratio across 37 innings. While the sample size is small, the former first-round pick has raised his walk rate and ground ball through his first stint at Double-A, which is something to monitor going forward. Hjerpe is considered the seventh-best prospect in the St. Louis system on MLB.com and remains on track to reach the majors in 2025.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
10 months agoSt. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect
Cooper Hjerpe is a talented left-hander who was selected in the first round of the 2022 draft. One of the best southpaws in the St. Louis farm system, Hjerpe headlines his repertoire with a decent low-90s fastball. His sweeper and changeup are fine secondary offerings, and he continues to tinker with a cutter. For the most part, he's had a decent year stats-wise. However, he does need to improve his control and reduce his worrisome 4.83 BB/9 rate. His high strikeout rate is great, but it will become quickly overlooked if he continues to issue too many free passes. Hjerpe is coming off a great start last Wednesday in which he spun five scoreless frames. It was his second consecutive outing in which he went five innings without surrendering a run. For the most part, he kept opposing hitters off the bases, allowing two walks and zero hits along the way. If the southpaw can string together a few more dominant outings, he'll be headed to Triple-A very soon.
--Andersen Pickard - RotoBallerSource: FanGraphs
10 months agoSt. Louis Cardinals starting pitching prospect
Cooper Hjerpe tallied a season-high eight punchouts across five shutout frames on Wednesday. He allowed just two hits and two free passes. Hjerpe was recently promoted to Double-A on June 12. In his first start, he tossed only two ⅔ frames and allowed a season-high five runs. However, in his two recent starts at this level, he did not allow a run and held a stellar 0.30 WHIP with a 3:14 BB:K ratio. The former first-round pick from Oregon State is beginning to find his footing at Double-A and has progressed through the minor leagues fairly quickly. The 23-year-old southpaw is ranked as the sixth-best prospect in the St. Louis system on MLB.com and remains on track to meet his 2025 major league ETA.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB.com
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