St. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect Cooper Hjerpe (elbow) underwent Tommy John surgery and has been transferred from the 7-day injured list to the full-season injured list. According to the team, the left-hander is expected to return mid-season 2026. The 24-year-old was limited to just 52 innings of work last season due to numerous innings and will now face an extended absence. Across his 52 innings, Hjerpe spent time with High-A and Double-A. With High-A Peoria, the former 22nd overall pick posted a 3.35 ERA with a 1.19 WHIP. Then, during his first 14 2/3 innings with Double-A, the Oregon State product posted a strong 3.07 ERA with a 0.95 WHIP. Hjerpe is currently considered the No. 6 prospect in the system on MLB Pipeline and will likely not make his MLB debut until 2027 due to the injury.
Cooper Hjerpe Opening Season On Double-A Injured List
St. 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.
Cooper Hjerpe Steady At Double-A Since Earning Promotion
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitching prospect Cooper Hjerpe has remained steady since moving up to Double-A in early June. Through his first 14 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.
St. 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.
St. 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 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.
Cooper Hjerpe's Latest Start A Good Sign At Double-A
In 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.
St. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect Cooper Hjerpe threw six no-hit innings with seven strikeouts in a start for High-A Peoria. The 24-year-old struggled to start the season, with a 6.75 ERA and 3.38 HR/9 in his first four starts, but has a 1.54 ERA and 0.77 HR/9 in his last four starts. The 2022 first-round pick works out of a low arm slot with an arsenal that includes an explosive fastball, sweeper, changeup, and curveball. Hjerpe's unique mechanics and college success (2022 Golden Spikes Award Finalist) make him one of the dynasty format's more intriguing prospects. He has been unhittable in the past four games, and his stock in dynasty leagues has increased accordingly.
Cooper Hjerpe
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Cardinals
