The injury bug just continues to feast on pitchers in the St. Louis Cardinals minor league system.
The latest victim is 23-year-old right-hander Sem Robberse, who on Tuesday was placed on the full-season injured list by Triple-A Memphis, with reports indicating that he had undergone Tommy John surgery and will also miss part of the 2026 season. Robberse was initially added to the 7-day IL on April 21 after giving up seven runs on nine hits in 2.2 innings the previous day, and the Cardinals’ No. 14 prospect sees his season end after four starts and 14.2 innings, posting a 7.36 ERA with 19 strikeouts.
It’s been a rough few months for the organization’s hurlers.
Tink Hence Likely Remaining on IL for Foreseeable Future
On March 28, in the final days of spring training, right-hander Tink Hence (No. 3 prospect) was placed on the 60-day injured list by Triple-A Memphis with a right rib cage strain. There has been no update on Hence’s recovery, which indicates the likelihood that Hence’s time on the shelf will extend well past the initial 60-day window.
Hence started 20 games for Double-A Springfield in 2024, and he posted a 2.71 ERA with 109 strikeouts and 26 walks in 79.2 innings, earning the No. 71 spot on MLB Pipeline’s preseason Top 100 Prospects ranking for 2025. However, Hence was dropped entirely from the updated list that was released on Sunday.
“Hence really needed a healthy 2025,” wrote MLB Pipeline’s Sam Dykstra. “He still hasn't thrown more than 96 innings in a season since the Cardinals took him 63rd overall in 2020, and lat/chest/shoulder issues held him to 79 2/3 frames in '24. He suffered a right rib cage strain before the season began and moved to the 60-day injured list in late March. As good as the stuff has looked, he needs to show he can stick to the mound to regain more solid Top 100 consideration.”
Left-hander Cooper Hjerpe (No. 12) was initially placed on the 7-day IL by Springfield on March 31, but any optimism over a potential return this season was snuffed out a few weeks later when it was announced that Hjerpe would undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery. It’s the third consecutive season with significant time lost to injury for the 24-year-old Hjerpe, who is likely out until the middle of 2026.
Quinn Mathews to Make Rehab Start This Week
Another left-handed starter, Quinn Mathews (No. 2 Cardinals; No. 40 overall) was put on the 7-day IL by Memphis on April 13 with what was described as shoulder discomfort, tempering the enthusiasm after Mathews led all minor league pitchers with 202 strikeouts in 2024, then impressed Cardinals coaches with a strong spring training. However, Mathews, who resumed a throwing program in late April, will reportedly make a rehab start this week with the Cardinals' Florida Complex League affiliate.
Chen-Wei Lin, Drew Rom on Path Back From Injuries
In more positive news regarding injured Cardinal pitchers, Chen-Wei Lin (No. 13), the 6-foot-7, 23-year-old right-hander signed as an international free agent from Taiwan in July of 2023, was recently activated from the 7-day IL by the High-A Peoria Chiefs. Lin threw two scoreless innings during a rehab assignment earlier this month with Palm Beach, striking out four, and in his lone outing for Peoria on Sunday, Lin gave up five hits and one earned run in 2.2 innings, with three strikeouts.
Drew Rom, the 25-year-old left-hander acquired from Baltimore in the Jack Flaherty trade, has begun a rehab assignment with the Single-A Palm Beach Cardinals. After missing the entire 2024 season following shoulder surgery, Rom, who made his MLB debut with the Cardinals in late August of 2023 and finished that season with eight major league starts, has pitched nine innings over three starts for Palm Beach, allowing six hits and one earned run while striking out 13 and walking none.