9 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
9 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
9 months agoIn two starts for Double-A Springfield, it's been a mixed bag for St. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect
Cooper Hjerpe. He gave up five earned runs in 2 2/3 innings in his first Double-A outing on June 12 but rebounded with a great start on June 20. He fired five no-hit innings with a walk and six strikeouts to earn the win. The Cardinals No. 6 prospect has a good fastball-slider combination with a plus changeup. The left-hander out of Oregon State has very high upside and could be a future rotation staple for the Cardinals. Right now, though, he is adjusting to a new level at Double-A. The 23-year-old's latest start is a positive sign that he is on the right track after shaking off a poor Double-A debut.
--Brian Buckey - RotoBallerSource: MILB.com
10 months agoSt. Louis Cardinals starting pitching prospect
Cooper Hjerpe is being promoted to Double-A Springfield on Tuesday, June 11, according to MiLB Central. Hjerpe has pitched 78 ⅔ innings at the High-A level since 2023 after being drafted with the 22nd overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft from Oregon State. Last summer with High-A, the 23-year-old posted a 3.51 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and a 25:51 BB:K ratio in 41 innings. This season, through a similar 37 ⅔ innings with High-A Peoria, the southpaw held a 3.55 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and an improved 20:56 BB:K ratio. MLB Pipeline ranks Hjerpe as the number six prospect in the St. Louis system and projects him to reach the majors sometime next season. He is on track to meet this ETA and should be closely monitored by dynasty managers, as he could be an interesting stash candidate if he performs well at Double-A.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MiLB Central
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