St. Louis Cardinals right-handed pitcher Tink Hence struck out eight batters across 4 1/3 hitless innings on Friday evening during their contest against Double-A Corpus Christi. Hence allowed just one free pass. Hence was activated off the 60-day injured list earlier in the week. Hence was sidelined throughout most of the season with a rib injury. The 22-year-old spent time with Low-A and High-A during his rehab assignment. Across 10 2/3 innings, Hence struck out 10 batters and allowed two earned runs. Last summer, the No. 3-ranked prospect in the system showed potential but also dealt with injuries. He logged just 79 2/3 innings of work, all with Double-A. During this stint, Hence held a strong 2.71 ERA with a 1.09 WHIP. If he continues to find his footing, he should be in the mix to reach Triple-A later this season.

St. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect Tink Hence (rib cage) is starting the 2025 season at Triple-A Memphis on the seven-day injured list with a right rib-cage strain, according to president of baseball operations John Mozeliak. The team's No. 3 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, will now miss the start of the minor-league season, but it's unclear exactly how much time he might miss. The right-hander was drafted by St. Louis in the second round of the 2020 draft and has some of the best stuff among young pitching prospects. However, the 6-foot-1, 195-pounder hasn't been able to stay healthy so far on the farm and has yet to reach the 100-inning mark due to various arm ailments. Last year in 20 starts for Double-A Springfield, Hence had a nice 2.71 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 109 strikeouts and 26 walks in 79 2/3 innings but missed notable time with a shoulder injury. If he continues to struggle to stay healthy, perhaps he'll be moved to a relief role.

According to Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Dispatch, St. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect Tink Hence (back/lat) will enter spring training without any lingering injuries. Last season, the starting pitcher flashed upside at times but was limited by lingering back and lat injuries. The 22-year-old was able to throw just 79 2/3 innings at Double-A as he missed more than a month of play due to these injuries. However, the No. 2 ranked prospect in the system is expected to be a full-go for spring training. Across these innings, the right-hander posted a strong 2.71 ERA with a 1.07 WHIP. He struck out 109 batters and served up just 26 free passes. This was a significant improvement compared to the 5.47 ERA and the 1.51 WHIP he held at Double-A the previous season. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status during spring training, as Hence could push for an early season debut if he can stay healthy.

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.