Mason Molina, a left-hander from the Springfield Cardinals, is standing out on the pitching staff. In his last outing, he worked 6 ⅔ innings, allowing no earned runs on three hits with five strikeouts and no walks in a victory over Wichita.
Molina’s Progress
Molina is 2-2 with a 3.18 earned run average in 13 starts. He is second in the Texas League with a 1.11 WHIP. The 6-foot-2 Molina’s off-speed pitches are sharper, and he’s developed a new pitch to get a bigger advantage against lefty hitters.
Molina said it’s nice to see his offseason work paying off. He worked on his body in the offseason, trying to get in better shape, and it’s showing in his performance. Molina’s competitive nature stands out, and he’s done his best to turn being dealt twice within his first year of pro ball into a positive experience.
Team and Player Development
Six of the Cardinals’ top 30 prospects at MLB.com are Springfield starting pitchers. There’s a friendly competition between the prospects that pushes them to get better. Molina said it’s fun to hear Arkansas fans direct cheers toward him when the Cardinals and Naturals meet.
The Cardinals’ manager, Patrick Anderson, said Molina’s presence on the mound is something to watch. Anderson also commented on the team’s new addition, Jesus Baez, who was promoted from High-A Peoria. Baez has an interesting power bat that fans should enjoy watching.
Original reporting: Springfield Daily Citizen — read the source article.
