Quinn Mathews, Bryan Torres win monthly honors for August
SPRINGFIELD, MO (September 5, 2024) - Minor League Baseball has announced that LHP Quinn Mathews has been named the Texas League Pitcher of the Month and INF/OF Bryan Torres has been named the Player of the Month for August 2024. This marks the first time in Springfield Cardinals history that
SPRINGFIELD, MO (September 5, 2024) - Minor League Baseball has announced that LHP Quinn Mathews has been named the Texas League Pitcher of the Month and INF/OF Bryan Torres has been named the Player of the Month for August 2024. This marks the first time in Springfield Cardinals history that a pitcher and player have swept the two Texas League monthly awards. Additionally, Torres was named the St. Louis Cardinals Minor League Player of the Month.
The two award-winners have company this season when it comes to awards given to Springfield Cardinals. Torres was named Texas Leaguer Player of the Week (August 13-18), LHP Cooper Hjerpe (June 17 - 23, Pitcher) and OF Nathan Church (April 15 - 21, Player) round out the weekly MiLB award list from this season. Church was also the St. Louis Cardinals Player of the Month in April of this year while Mathews took home Pitcher honors in June.
ABOUT QUINN MATHEWS
Mathews made four starts for Springfield in the month of August, earning him a promotion to Triple-A Memphis on August 28. For the Cardinals, the lefty went 2-0 with a 0.70 ERA and a 0.58 WHIP. He struck out 40 batters across 25.2 innings pitched in the month, cementing himself as Minor League Baseball's strikeout leader.
Mathews was nearly untouchable in his final Springfield start on Friday, August 23 at Hammons Field. Facing the Tulsa Drillers in front of 6,435 fans, the southpaw carried a perfect game into the seventh inning. He ultimately lasted 7.2 innings while striking out twelve batters, allowing one run on two hits. The fourth-round draft pick’s twelve strikeouts were the second-most by a Springfield Cardinal this season, second to only Tink Hence who punched out thirteen against the same Tulsa Drillers on May 24.
Final line for Quinn Mathews tonight: 7.2 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, 12 K. He retired the first 19 batters he faced in order. pic.twitter.com/gbWMog3Mlb
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) August 24, 2024
Mathews has skyrocketed through the Cardinals system this season after advancing through A-ball up to Triple-A. In his first year in professional ball, the Stanford product has jumped from the 21st-best prospect in the system up to number two earlier in the season, according to MLB Pipeline (now number three).
“Just throwing more strikes,” Mathews joked when asked postgame that Friday night about how he was able to find success in the Texas League. “The adjustments are being made throughout the week and stuff like that, but the game, you just have to go out there and compete.”
Mathews is in his first season in the St. Louis system and has bursted onto the scene. He was named St. Louis Minor League Pitcher of the Month twice this year in April and June. He became the third pitcher ever to take home Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Month honors twice in his first professional season. That list includes LHP Rick Ankiel (May and June 1998) and fellow Springfield Cardinals RHP Max Rajcic (June and August 2023). Mathews also represented St. Louis at the MLB Future’s Game in Arlington, TX on July 13, tossing a scoreless inning with a pair of strikeouts.
ABOUT BRYAN TORRES
Bryan Torres led all Texas League hitters in August with a .418 batting average, 38 hits and a .491 on-base percentage. Torres won Texas League Player of the Week for August 13-18 after hitting .609 (14-for-23) in five games against the Frisco RoughRiders. He also contributed defensively and in late-game situations throughout the week to ensure the Cardinals won five of six games on the road. He went on to launch his first walk-off home run on August 23 at Hammons Field, a solo shot in the bottom of the ninth.
THE. CARDIAC. CARDS. AGAIN.
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) August 24, 2024
BRYAN TORRES FOR THE WIN! pic.twitter.com/qT2XS6BdCT
This St. Louis Cardinals Player of the Month honor is the first of his career. He's currently in his first year in the Cardinals organization. Torres was primarily a catcher and corner-infielder in the Milwaukee Brewers and San Francisco Giants systems from 2015 to 2021. He elected free agency after the 2021 season and played two seasons with the Milwaukee Milkmen of the American Association. Torres won back-to-back American Association batting titles in 2022 (.374) and 2023 (.370). He was named MVP of the Puerto Rican Winter League in 2023 while playing with the Gigantes de Carolina. The St. Louis Cardinals signed him as a Minor League free agent this past offseason.
"Indy Ball helped me a lot," Torres explained in an interview in late July of this year. "Indy Ball helped me find who I am as a player. Before I went to Indy Ball, I was a catcher. I finally learned my role as a leadoff guy."
Torres has had a strong first season back in affiliated baseball. As of September 5, he currently leads the Texas League with a .324 batting average and 136 hits. He is nearing a Springfield franchise record in batting average. The current record holder is Tyler Minges who hit .324 in 2005.
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