Memphis' Winn doubles down on home run trots

Masyn Winn entered Friday night with two big flies on the season. The Cardinals’ No. 2 prospect is now heading home with twice as many.

The two long balls were the only runs in the game for Triple-A Memphis, which ended up losing 6-2 in 11 innings.

Despite the loss, the game will be a memorable one for Winn, who notched his first career multihomer game.

“I’d rather go oh-for and get the dub, but it was nice,” Winn said. “That guy on the mound was talking a lot, so to get my first multihomer game off him was really nice.”

The first jack for the 21-year-old came in the third. With a 3-2 count and two outs in the inning, Jacksonville starter Sean Nolin grooved a middle-middle fastball that Winn got every stitch of, sending a rocket into the bullpen in left-center.

As Winn rounded second, he hit the “T’d up” celebration, holding his arms straight out and staring out to the bullpen. The celebration originated from the Redbirds’ bullpen pitchers and was first put into action this past Wednesday night after a two-run shot by first baseman Luken Baker.

“T’d up, we’re turnt up, man,” Winn said. “We’re having a good time playing baseball, obviously not tonight, but we’re winning some games and we’re having a really good time doing it.”

Winn’s homer gave the Redbirds a very temporary 1-0 lead, but it was tied up 1-1 in the blink of an eye in the top half of the fourth.

The score stayed 1-1 until Winn strolled up to the plate once again in the sixth. Facing off against Nolin for the third time in the game, the No. 43 prospect in baseball per MLB Pipeline sent the first pitch he laid eyes on deep into the Memphis sky for his second homer of the night.

Winn has recently shared a spot in the lineup alongside good friend -- and denizen of the home run column -- Jordan Walker.

The relationship between Winn and Walker -- the Cardinals' No. 1 prospect -- goes back to 2021, the first year for both in the Cardinals' organization. Since then, Walker and Winn have always worked together to help improve each other’s games; Winn even uses Walker’s bat.

"Anything I think about hitting-wise, I’ll go to him and ask, ‘Hey man, what do you see here?’" Winn said. “I mean, the way he knows how to hit, I don’t think anybody can replicate it, but I can take some little tips from him. It's been great.”

The two round-trippers total four on the season for Winn who has a .252/.333/.397 slash line with 10 stolen bases through 31 games.