Every baseball season leaves memories. At the Triple-A level, those memories come wrapped with a layer of hope for the future. Here are a few impressions from the 2021 Memphis Redbirds season that may prove lasting.
• A quiet phone. A season’s top highlight for a Triple-A player isn’t a game-winning home run or a complete-game shutout, but “The Call,” a first invitation to the big leagues. There weren’t a lot of these in 2021 here in Memphis. Infielder José Rondón was promoted by the St. Louis Cardinals after only 21 games with the Redbirds, but has seen limited action (primarily as a pinch-hitter) with the big club. Outfielder Lars Nootbaar hit .308 in 35 games for Memphis before his promotion and has become somewhat of a cult hero in St. Louis, chants of “Noooooooot!” rising from Busch Stadium with the rookie’s every appearance. Nootbaar made a sensational catch to prevent a home run in New York against the Mets earlier this month and hit two homers in the Cardinals’ 14th consecutive win last Friday night in Chicago. His impact hasn’t been merely a fun surname.
• Twin prospects. The Cardinals’ top two prospects — pitcher Matthew Liberatore and second-baseman Nolan Gorman — made significant strides toward the majors in 2021. Pitching for the first time above Class A, the 21-year-old Liberatore has posted an 8-9 record with a 4.15 ERA (through Sunday). Not impressive numbers. But Liberatore has hurled 121 innings against Triple-A hitters, many of them with experience in the majors. Expect him to compete for a Cardinals rotation spot next spring, St. Louis having gone through cases of duct tape to keep its starters competitive this season. As for Gorman (also 21 and a childhood pal of Liberatore’s from Arizona), a spot on the Cardinals’ roster in 2022 is all but certain after he hit .276 with 14 home runs in 74 games for Memphis, and after slamming 11 homers in 43 games for Double-A Springfield. With power from the left side and versatility on the infield, Gorman could represent what Matt Carpenter once did on the Cardinals roster.
• Streakers! The Redbirds fell to 21-36 when they lost the first game of a doubleheader at Louisville on July 9th. It would be their last loss for two weeks. After taking the final two games of that series with the Bats, Memphis swept six games against the Norfolk Tides at AutoZone Park, then swept seven games back at Louisville to set a new franchise record with 15 wins in row. The streak shattered the previous mark of 11 set by the 2017 Pacific Coast League champions. “We kept winning ballgames,” reflects Gorman, “so we started saying, ‘Let’s see how far we can take this.’ Every game meant something. We had a lot of fun with it. We’d go down 2-0 or 3-0 in the fifth inning, but we never felt like we were out of it. We knew we’d pull it off in the end. It happened quite a few times. There was a lot of confidence in the clubhouse. It was fun to be a part of.”
• Hidden gem. It’s not all about the prospects. First baseman Juan Yepez was not among the Cardinals’ top 20 prospects at the beginning of the season, but the case could be made he was the 2021 Memphis Redbirds MVP. After a strong start (five homers in 19 games) at Springfield, the Cardinals promoted Yepez to Memphis and he will finish the season as the team’s leader in home runs (currently 21), slugging percentage (.575), and OPS (.790). With Paul Goldschmidt entrenched at first in St. Louis, Yepez may not have a long future with the Cardinals. But the way he’s hit in 2021, the 23-year-old appears to have a future somewhere in the big leagues.
• A bobble and bombs. Now and then, the connection between AutoZone Park and Busch Stadium can feel surreal. Such was the case on September 18th, a Friday night. The Redbirds distributed Dylan Carlson bobbleheads to the first 2,000 fans at the game, one in which Memphis came from behind to beat Louisville. Up the river in St. Louis, Dylan Carlson — the Cardinals’ rookie rightfielder — hit a home run from both sides of the plate, the second one a grand slam, in a victory over the San Diego Padres. Coincidence? Probably. A reminder of the happy baseball marriage between Memphis and St. Louis? Absolutely.
The Redbirds (58-67) host the Charlotte Knights (Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox) Wednesday through Sunday at AutoZone Park to conclude their 2021 season.
