Cardinals prospects Tink Hence, Quinn Mathews will participate in 2024 Futures Game in Arlington

Cardinals starting pitching prospects Tink Hence and Quinn Mathews were named among the 54 players who will participate in the All-Star Futures Game on Saturday, July 13 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

Mathews, who was drafted in the fourth round of the 2023 draft out of Stanford, has been arguably the fastest rising Cardinals prospect in the system. Matthews started the season in Palm Beach in Low-A, but would quickly earn a promotion to High-A Peoria after six starts, where he allowed only five earned runs in 30 2/3 innings while striking out 52 batters to only 11 walks.

Mathews stay at High-A Peoria would also be very quick, with Mathews earning a promotion to Double-A Springfield at the end of June after seven starts in which he allowed only 13 earned runs in almost 44 innings while striking out 58 batters to only nine walks.

Mathews made his Double-A debut Sunday against the Arkansas Travelers and he was rather decent in his Springfield debut, pitching 5 1/3 innings, allowing two unearned runs, only one hit, striking out three and walking three.

The fast rise by Mathews earned him a spot in MLB Pipeline's updated Top 100 prospect rankings , coming in at 100.

Hence has been more successful in his second year at Springfield compared to 2023, posting a 3.29 ERA and 2.74 FIP this season and a very good 32.4% strikeout rate with the Springfield Cardinals. Hence command has improved this season, with his walk rate going from 9.7% in his first season in Double-A to 7.6% in his second year. The latter number falls in line with walk rate percentages at High-A and Low-A.

Hence has also shown this season in Double-A a potential to go deep into games, with Hence pitching into the sixth inning four times this season, including going a career-high seven innings in April against the Dodgers Double-A Affiliate Tulsa Drillers. Prior to this season, Hence had not gone past five innings once.