The St. Louis Cardinals optioned right-handed pitching prospect Gordon Graceffo back to Triple-A Memphis on Sunday and selected the contract of right-hander Jacob Bosiokovic from Memphis in a corresponding move. Bosiokovic will be making his major-league debut when he appears in a game with St. Louis. Graceffo, the team's No. 8 prospect per MLB Pipeline, made his big-league debut out of the bullpen for the Cardinals on Saturday against the division-rival Cincinnati Reds and looked good, giving up just one run in 4 1/3 innings pitched. The 24-year-old former fifth-rounder in 2021 out of Villanova has gone 8-5 with a 3.84 ERA and 1.35 WHIP with a 70:29 K:BB in 75 innings over 14 starts at Memphis this year and has a good chance at returning to the Cardinals in 2024, but it remains to be seen if it will come in a starting role at all.
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Gordon Graceffo is reportedly being called up on Friday. The right-hander will provide some much-needed depth to the bullpen ahead of Friday's game against the Cincinnati Reds. The Cards are expected to start Andre Pallante and have Graceffo could out of the bullpen behind him. Graceffo holds a 3.84 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and 70/29 K/BB ratio in 14 starts in Triple-A this season. There isn't a ton of fantasy value with Graceffo coming out of the bullpen but he could have value if he does end up in the rotation.
St. Louis Cardinals No. 4 ranked prospect Gordon Graceffo was touched up for six earned runs, including two walks and seven hits over five innings in his start for Triple-A Memphis this week. The performance is a blip in an otherwise strong campaign, having surrendered just three earned runs over his prior three outings combined. Graceffo's 60-grade control gives him a solid floor as a back-end rotation piece alongside plenty of room for growth. The 23-year-old projects to debut at some point in 2023. Given the Cardinals' starting pitching struggles this season, Graceffo's opportunity may arrive soon.
St. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect Gordon Graceffo, a 2000's baby, was taken with the 151st pick in the 2021 draft. The tall right-hander opened this season in High-A but spent most of the year with the Cardinals' Double-A affiliate. One of the top prospects in St. Louis' system, Graceffo is known for his strong arm, which delivers a fastball in the mid-to-upper-90s range. He also throws a slider, curveball and changeup. All three pitches are effective and can be good put-away pitches, but his slider is the best of the bunch. Graceffo put on a show this past Thursday, allowing one hit and zero walks over six fantastic shutout innings. He also struck out a whopping nine batters in the contest, providing evidence of some really impressive control. He may be just 22 years old, but an MLB debut seems to be right around the corner for Graceffo.