In moves made to protect some of their better young prospects from the upcoming Rule 5 draft, the St. Louis Cardinals added right-handers Tink Hence, Tekoah Roby and Matt Svanson and outfielder Matt Koperniak to their 40-man roster on Tuesday. Hence is the team's most decorated prospect, with MLB Pipeline listing him as their No. 2 prospect. Injuries have been a problem for the 22-year-old, but when healthy, he has displayed promising upside on the mound. The former second-round pick in 2020 had a nice 2.71 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 109 strikeouts and only 26 walks in 79 2/3 innings over 20 starts for Double-A Springfield in 2024. Roby checks in as St. Louis' No. 6 prospect, while Svanson and Koperniak aren't listed among the team's top-30 prospects. All four of the young players cannot be claimed in the Rule 5 draft now by other organizations.
St. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect Tink Hence struck out six batters and generated 15 whiffs in his 3 2/3 innings on Wednesday for Double-A Springfield. The Cardinals' No. 2 prospect allowed one run on three hits with two walks in his brief outing. Hence is 4-3 this season with Springfield with a 2.66 ERA and 1.06 WHIP. The 22-year-old has recorded 100 strikeouts in 74 1/3 innings. Hence has the look of a future big-league ace and has produced a very good season at Double-A this year. He could be looking at a big-league debut at some point next season.
St. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect Tink Hence tossed four more shutout innings for Double-A Springfield on Wednesday. Hence, the club's top pitching prospect went four innings and allowed three hits with a pair of walks and two strikeouts. With his performance, it marks the third straight start that he has not allowed a run. Hence continues to be limited with innings, as he has been recovering from being sidelined with general soreness, but has been impressive with a 2.67 ERA to go along with 94 strikeouts in 70 2/3 innings over 17 starts. Hence, 22, continues to take steps forward for the Cardinals, but he will need to build up more stamina to take to be a starting pitcher long term. With his impressive arsenal that includes a fastball that can reach 99 MPH, Hence has all the makings of a strong starting pitcher, but he will need to show he has the stamina to continue in that role versus being moved to the bullpen long term.
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitching prospect Tink Hence has continued to increase his workload since returning to the bump on July 27. Hence was sidelined for just over a month due to general tightness. However, in his first handful of appearances, the right-hander was only tasked to record a few outs and slowly increase his pitch count. On Wednesday evening, the top prospect in St. Louis reached four innings for the first time since his injury. In this outing he looked very sharp as he served up just one hit while striking out six batters. Since returning, the 22-year-old has posted a strong 1.50 ERA and a 0.58 WHIP. Hence, he could finally be nearing the end of his recovery plan and could reach the five-inning mark in his next start. Throughout the summer, Hence has been one of the better pitchers at Double-A, posting a solid 2.84 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP through 66 innings of work.
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitching prospect Tink Hence tossed 3 2/3 innings of two-run ball with five punchouts on Thursday evening. Since being diagnosed with shoulder tightness back in June, Hence has been on a strict innings limit when he first returned to the bump on July 27. In his past three outings, he has logged only eight innings combined and held a 2.25 ERA while striking out 13. Prior to the injury, the top prospect in St. Louis looked poised to contend for a major-league debut in the second half. Overall through 64 2/3 innings at Double-A this summer, the right-hander has held a 3.16 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and a 20:86 BB:K. Hence remains one of the top right-handed pitching prospects in the minor leagues but is now unlikely to see time in the big leagues this summer, given how much time he missed.
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitching prospect Tink Hence (undisclosed) logged a successful side session last weekend, according to KY3 News. Hence has been sidelined since late June due to a cramping issue. As a result, the top prospect in St. Louis was unable to participate in the MLB Futures Game. This is a good sign, as it looks like the 21-year-old could be nearing a return to the mound. Prior to the injury, Hence was pitching very well at Double-A and was closing in on a promotion to the top level of the minor leagues. Across 54 innings at Double-A, the right-hander held a 3.29 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and a 17:73 BB:K ratio. Hence could still contend for a major league debut this season if he recovers well from the injury.
St. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect Tink Hence was having an effective first half for Double-A Springfield before injuries derailed him. The injuries don't sound serious, although the 21-year-old had an MRI done on his arm anyway which came back clean. The righty was supposed to take part in the Futures Game but decided to bypass it so he could focus on getting healthy. The plan was to have him throw live BP this past weekend and have him rejoin the rotation after the break. Hence posted a 3.29 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and a 24.9% K-BB% to this point and is currently ranked as the Cardinals' top overall prospect. The injuries may have delayed his potential major league debut, but he certainly appears primed for a promotion to Triple-A, and with his strikeout upside, redraft managers should be ready to pounce if he were to get the call at some point this season.
St. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect Tink Hence (undisclosed) left Sunday's start after one inning. Sunday's start was the first for Hence since he was sidelined on June 5 with tightness in his chest, shoulder, and side. It's never a good sign when a pitcher re-injures themselves right after returning from being banged up, but more should be known on the situation as Monday goes on. Hence, 21, is the Cardinals top prospect and has put together a strong season at Double-A Springfield. On the season, Hence is 4-2 with a 3.29 ERA to go along with 73 strikeouts in 54 2/3 innings. Hence has never thrown more than 96 innings in a season, and the longevity of the season could also be catching up with the youngster. When healthy, Hence possesses the stuff of a potential middle of the rotation starter. For now, Hence remains a hold in dynasty leagues and just a name for redraft managers to file away.
Tink Hence Tallies 13 Strikeouts Across Six Shutout Frames
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitching prospect Tink Hence struck out a season-high 13 batters on Friday across six shutout frames. Hence has been one of the best arms in Double-A this season and is on the brink of moving up to Triple-A. Through 45 innings at Double-A, he has struck out 59 batters with a 2.76 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. His ERA is a bit inflated due to one poor outing where he allowed six earned runs. The top prospect in St. Louis is projected to reach the major leagues this season, according to MLB Pipeline, which means a promotion to Triple-A could be right around the corner. Hence is a top-10 right-handed pitching prospect and is worth stashing in dynasty leagues.
Tink Hence Named To April’s MiLB Player Of The Month List
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitching prospect Tink Hence was named Texas League Pitcher of the Month for April. Throughout April, Hence has pitched 25 innings to the tune of a strong 2.10 ERA and stellar 0.74 WHIP. He struck out 31 batters and only surrendered six free passes. The 21-year-old has taken a significant step forward at Double-A this season, as he struggled last year with a 5.47 ERA and 1.51 WHIP. MLB Pipeline ranks Hence as the top prospect in the St. Louis system. He should be rostered in most dynasty leagues, as he could very well push for a late-season promotion, thanks to his dominant opening month.
Tink Hence
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Cardinals
