2024 MLB All-Star Weekend set to begin on Saturday at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas the spotlight will be on the Futures Game and Inaugural Skills Showcase first.
That game features 54 of the rising prospects in minor league baseball. One of the players who was supposed to participate in the game is St. Louis Cardinals hurler Markevian Tink Hence, the club’s No.1 prospect and the No. 42 ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline. Hence won’t make the trip but will instead throw batting practice in Springfield as he returns from an injury.
With an expected call up this season, Hence is biding his time with Double-A Springfield where he’s been dominant in some of his outings.
In 12 starts this season Hence boasts a solid 4-2 record with an ERA of 3.29. He’s struck out 73 batters which is an average of six per start. His 1.13 WHIP is one of the best in all of the minors, which makes you wonder why the Cardinals haven’t called him up.
10) Tink Hence
Hence has been back to his dominant self after a rough AA debut in 2023. He throws a mid 90s fastball from a low slot while getting a lot of ride and rise on the pitch. He wields a gyro-slider, N-S curve, and a plus-plus changeup
Back in April, Hence was asked by reporters what he thought it would take for him to get the call to the majors this season, and he knows it’s all about mindset and belief in himself.
“I told myself, This is the year! So, it’s just keeping my word to myself, proving that I’ve put in the work and developed to the point that I’m ready for this. I have that mindset now that I’m going to be a big-league starter and I’m going to compete at the highest level. So, just telling myself that. I’m putting that on my shoulders for this season.”
With the Cardinals sitting at a surprising (48-42) in the National League and in the second wildcard spot, Hence has the type of talent that can help them secure that playoff spot. In fact, there’s belief throughout the organization that he could one day be ace of the pitching staff. Which is why they’ve taken their time with him and let him develop at his pace.
When the Cardinals drafted Hence with the No.63 pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, he weighed 160 pounds. Since then, he’s added 35 pounds to his slender 6-foot-1 frame. The Cardinals reasoning for taking their time with Hence was so he could add the necessary strength and stamina needed to become a major league pitcher.
If last year’s Futures Game where he pitched a scoreless inning — or this year’s Spring Breakout showcase in March where he struck out different hitters on three different pitches — were any indication, he’s ready.
“I’m really getting my confidence up there and I feel like all my pitches are on the rise. I’m trying to just build, build, build each time that I go out so that I have that confidence in all my stuff.”
Hence Should Be In Triple-A Memphis Soon
Barring any setback Hence should be promoted to Triple-A Memphis soon, and if he does his thing there, the Cardinals will have no choice but to bring him up. A move that could really help catapult them into the playoffs.
The 2024 MLB All-Star Game will take place on July 16th at Globe Life Field which is home to the defending World Series champion Texas Rangers.
While the game is sure to provide fans with plenty of fireworks, it’s all highly plausible that the Futures Game which will take place on Saturday July 13th will do the same. The beauty of this year’s game and skills showcase is there will be nine MLBbros either playing in the game or participating in the skills showcase.
That group is led by Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood who’s batting .276 with one homer, six RBI and six walks drawn in his first eight games and 29 major league at-bats. Wood is the Nationals No.1 ranked prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No.2 ranked prospect.
He’ll be joined on the National League squad by Cincinnati Reds No.3 ranked prospect Cam Collier who’s hit 13 homers to go with 48 RBI. He’s also drawn 31 walks this season with High-A Dayton.
Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall spoke about Collier, one of his prized prospects.
“When you sign as a young player, you first have to learn what it’s like to be a professional, what it’s like to live on your own and how to do a lot of things. I think he’s working himself through it and has done a pretty solid job. He’s shown the ability to play third base. He’s got some power in a tough hitters’ park.”
Crawford Brings The Speed, Johnson Supplies Steadiness And Hence Has Ace Potential
Rounding out the National League MLBbros is speedster Justin Crawford. Across three minor league season, the Philadelphia Phillies outfielder is hitting above .300 and has 120 stolen bases. The son of MLBbro Carl Crawford has many of the tools his father possessed and will eventually hit for more power.
Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Termarr Johnson is the club’s No.2 prospect and it’s all about his bat and steadiness at the plate, in three minor league seasons he’s hit 28 homers and drove in 101 runs.
His plate discipline is second-to-none as he’s also drawn 178 walks over that time as well.
St. Louis Cardinals top prospect Tink Hence is the lone pitching prospect and he’s a good one. The flamethrower who sports a 3.29 ERA and is likely to be called up at some point this season will take the mound in his second Futures Game after pitching a solid scoreless inning the 2023 event.
The American League squad features two Tampa Bay Rays prospects in minor league steals leader Chandler Simpson who has 58 thefts this season after leading the minors with 94 last season. That number tied with good friend and fellow MLBbro Victor Scott II of the Cardinals who also had 94 last season.
The supremely talented Ford is the talk of the town in the Pacific Northwest after he was moved from his catcher position into the outfield. Many believe the move is an effort to showcase his versatility as he’s a huge trade piece for Seattle Mariners in a possible deal before the July 30th deadline.
In all, 48 of the 54 players who participated in MLB’s Inaugural Spring Breakout event in March will play in Saturday’s game. It also features 39 of the top 100 prospects according to MLB Pipeline.
St. Louis Cardinals have five #MLBbros under the age of 23, who will eventually play significant roles in their eventual ascension back into World Series contenders.
We’re about a week into the 2024 MLB season, and while it’s early the (3-3) St.Louis Cardinals will at some point have to make a decision on it’s No.2 overall prospect Markevian “Tink” Hence, who can bring it in the triple digits.
The club’s top pitching prospect has the stuff that you’d want in an ace of your staff, and with five of the team’s seven rotational pitchers either 32 or older Hence would inject some youth into the rotation.
Tink Hence Coming As Part of St. Louis Cardinals MLBbro Youth Movement
Hence, who spent much of the 2023 season with the Cardinals Double-A affiliate Springfield will also begin the 2024 season there.
Hence is expected to get the call-up to Triple-A sooner than later, and the belief is he could make his way to the Cardinals 26-man active roster by late season.
Until then, Hence will continue to refine his mound skills against some of baseball’s rising talents in the minors. If Hence’s performance in MLB’s inaugural Spring Breakout is any indication, the Cardinals have to be excited.
Hence Had Dominant Outing
In two innings of work, the overpowering right-hander tallied three strikeouts of Miami Marlins hitters.
The three strikeouts came on three different pitchers, showcasing the arsenal that made him the No.63 overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft.
Even more impressive, it took him just 29 total pitches to get through the two innings.
Hence credited his added muscle in the offseason that has him up to 185 pounds and feeling as strong as ever for his play. In the aftermath of his outing he told reporters this.
“I feel it,” Hence said of his physical improvements. “The way I feel getting down the mound, and then with the way the ball is coming out, it’s a little easier. Today I was kind of top of stuff and the fastball had a lot of life like it usually does. So I was really excited about that.”
Hence’s two best pitches are his overpowering fastball (95-96 MPH) with ability to climb to (98 MPH) and top notch curveball. After struggling with his command and control early in his career he’s refined that and those two are his money pitches.
He’s also tossing a change up that has some real potential. Per reports, there’s a cutter in the mix, which would give him four go-to pitches at the major league level, that’s the stuff of an ace.
Hence Hopes To Join Others From Draft Class In Majors
When Hence does finally receive that call, he’ll join a talented trio of MLBbros with the Cardinals in outfielders Jordan Walker and Victor Scott II, plus rising shortstop Masyn Winn.
Four MLBbros in the Cardinals lineup has a nice ring to it.
Markevian “Tink” Hence has continuously shown the stuff of an ACE of a pitching staff. Just a few days after Hence was lights out in his first Double-A Springfield outing, throwing five innings of five-strikeout ball, the powerful mound marauder was lighting it up in the MLB All-Star Futures Game in Seattle.
Hence got the start for the National League, in the game that features best of the Minor Leagues in the country. He topped out with a 98.9-mph fastball which struck out a batter, and while allowing no runs, and surrendering just one hit and a walk. Hence showed great command and pitch velocity, two things that have everyone believing he’ll man one of the five starting rotation spots for the Cardinals next season.
Following his great back-to-back showings, Hence spoke with FOX 16, telling them this.
“Just going out and competing,” Hence told FOX 16. “I feel like if I go out and compete and have fun, whether I do bad or get the results I want, I’m going to continue to grow and one day I’ll be in St. Louis.”
Hence Doesn’t Let Pressure Of Being Cards No.2 Prospect Bother Him
One would probably think that when you’re the second-ranked prospect of a historic franchise like the Cardinals you’d feel some major pressure. But, Hence is the complete opposite, in fact, he’s about as cool as the other side of the pillow (Stuart Scott) voice. That’s what makes him so special, the hurler plays and carries himself with such a maturity.
“I try not to really think about it,” Hence said. “I just go out and have fun. Each game, I go out, I look at it as a new game. Just me showing what I got again.”
The Arkansas Pine Bluff Native Says He Does It For His State And City
Hailing from Razorback country, down in Arkansas, Hence has the unwavering support of his hometown, Pine Bluff where he starred at Watson Chapel. The former Razorbacks signee was drafted and turned pro at 17, and in three years he’s put himself in prime position to make the majors. Home means everything to him, and that’s who he says he does it for.
“It’s really special for me, for my family, for the city,” Hence said. “They’ve been pushing for me ever since I was about 9, 10, 11. Growing up around them, they continue pushing for me to keep going and wishing nothing but blessings for me.”
“I got nothing to do but go hard for the city.”
Hence, is currently the No.62-ranked prospect on MLB Pipeline, and the future ACE of the Cardinals staff.
Recent Comments