Wednesday, June 18

ST. LOUIS -- Having met at the DoubleTree hotel in Jupiter, Fla., just days after both were drafted by the Cardinals in 2021, right-handers Gordon Graceffo and Michael McGreevy have been mostly inseparable along the same career path over the past five years.

They pitched together at Single-A Palm Beach (2021), High-A Peoria (2022), Double-A Springfield (2022) and Triple-A Memphis (2023-25), and with a couple of MLB cameos apiece, the two pitchers born less than four months apart have one unfulfilled wish.

“We’re looking forward to the day when we can be here together and just compete,” Graceffo said.

By “here,” Graceffo was, of course, referring to the big leagues and the St. Louis -- spots where both have thrived in limited bursts, but each time previously they were shuffled back to Memphis because of the numbers game on the MLB roster. In something of a cruel twist of fate, Graceffo  (club’s No. 16 prospect) was recalled to the Cardinals on Monday, while McGreevy (No. 10 prospect) was optioned to Memphis.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound McGreevy, 24, more than deserves to be in the big leagues, especially after going 3-0 in four games with the Cardinals in 2024, and posting a 1.08 ERA with 12 strikeouts and no walks in Spring Training. He stated his case for a permanent promotion again on Sunday when he limited the high-powered Mets offense to one hit over 5 2/3 scoreless innings of relief to help St. Louis sweep a doubleheader from New York.

“For me, it’s just about having confidence in my stuff and filling up the zone,” said McGreevy, who struck out five and walked just one against the Mets on Sunday. “In my [MLB] debut [in 2024 against the Rangers], I was coming from Durham and I wasn’t allowed at the field the day before and I had to do my scouting report at the hotel restaurant off the TV, but have to have the same confidence. If the team behind you sees you confident, they play differently.”

Because the Cardinals have starters Sonny Gray, Erick Fedde, Andre Pallante, Matthew Liberatore, Miles Mikolas and Steven Matz, McGreevy didn’t get to continue with the Cards and was optioned to Triple-A on Monday.

Graceffo, who turned 25 on March 17, would likely be in the same scenario as McGreevy if the Cardinals hadn’t recently shifted him into a relief role. Added as the 27th player when the Cardinals played a doubleheader in Boston on April 6, Graceffo was knocked around by the Red Sox to the tune of eight hits and six earned runs over three innings of a lopsided loss.

However, a confluence of events -- work in the weight room, improved mechanics and a shift in mindset -- likely altered the course of Graceffo’s career. Back with the Cardinals last week in Cincinnati for another doubleheader, Graceffo shocked teammates -- and clearly the opposing hitters -- when he flashed some dramatically improved stuff. Not only did he throw the game’s five fastest pitches in his five innings of relief work, but his four-seam fastball topped out at 98.9 mph and averaged 96.5 mph. Even his slider ticked up to 93 mph and helped him strike out five hitters.

“It was just a matter of continuing to work on all the stuff that I was working on in the offseason … while trying to move down the mound better,” said Graceffo, who got the laundry cart ride into the shower, where he was sprayed with beer, chocolate milk, apple juice, ketchup and mustard following his first MLB win. “We knew that I was close [to picking up velocity on his pitches]. But, finally some things clicked these last couple of weeks. … It’s more about getting reps than anything else. Instead of getting stuck over the rubber, it’s about getting momentum as I go down the mound.”      

Graceffo’s growth has the Cardinals rethinking how the former fifth-round pick can be used the rest of this season. His eye-popping velocity has manager Oliver Marmol, pitching coach Dusty Blake and bullpen coach Julio Rangel wondering if he can close games on the nights when All-Star closer Ryan Helsley is unavailable. Tuesday was such a night as he mowed down the Pirates in order for his first MLB save.

In a perfect world, Graceffo and McGreevy would someday be reunited with the Cardinals, and the former would close out a victory started by the latter.

“Being optioned and sent up and down for one another makes it really tough,” Graceffo admitted. “We’d like to just be here together and be out there competing together, but this is just a part of the business. We both know that and get it.”

Double-A Springfield left-handed starting pitcher Ixan Henderson (pronounced EE-shawn) and Single-A Palm Beach catcher/first baseman Josh Kross were named Pitcher and Player of the Month for April by the club.

Henderson, 23, posted a 2-1 record with a 2.79 ERA and 24 strikeouts across his first four career Double-A starts. Among Cardinals Minor League hurlers with at least 17.0 innings pitched, Henderson ranked in the top five in ERA (5th, 2.79), OPS allowed (5th, .608), strikeouts per nine innings (2nd, 11.17) and K:BB ratio (2nd, 4.00), while also ranking third in total strikeouts. He did not allow more than three earned runs in any of his starts.

Kross, 22, slashed .288/.376/.671 and led all qualified Cardinals hitters in home runs (six), RBIs (29), runs scored (18), extra-base hits (14), total bases (49) and OPS (1.047) for Palm Beach. He homered in four straight games from April 11-15. Incredibly, he capped the streak with a cycle at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex on Jackie Robinson Day, going 4-for-5 with six RBIs versus Clearwater.

“Josh has shown improvements in multiple areas of his offensive game, especially in the areas of impact quality and productive launch angles,” Cardinals Director of Player Development Larry Day said. “Ixan’s April success comes as no surprise to those that have been around him. He is relentless when it comes to his physical and mental preparation.”

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