Ex-Cardinals Top Prospect’s Bullpen Shift Could Launch MLB Career

It sounds like St. Louis Cardinals prospect Tink Hence is shifting roles for the foreseeable future into the bullpen.

Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reported on Wednesday that Hence is expected to remain on a reliever's schedule at least through the remainder of Spring Training, although the door hasn't been closed on Hence being a starter at some point.

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"[Oli Marmol] said this morning that Tink Hence will remain on a reliever’s schedule through the end of spring. One to two innings, multiple times a week to get him used to the feel of the routine," Jones wrote. "Door is not closed on him as a starter, but it certainly seems pointed that way."

The former top prospect is making a change

Feb 14, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Tink Hence (30) delivers a pitch during a spring training workout at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Hence was a second-round pick by the Cardinals in 2020 and has shown explosive upside, but injuries have been the story of his young career so far. In 2023, Hence was the Cardinals' No. 3-ranked prospect behind Jordan Walker and Masyn Winn. He moved into the No. 1 spot when Walker and Winn graduated from prospect status.

In 2025, he made just eight total appearances and now is the team's No. 16 prospect. On the bright side, he had a 2.95 ERA in 2025, but it was across just 21 1/3 innings of work. He also hasn't advanced past Double-A yet in his young career. But this is the type of decision that could expedite the process. When Hence is healthy, his stuff plays. MLB.com has his fastball graded as a 55 and his changeup as a 70.

"Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 70 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45," MLB.com's scouting report reads. " ... Hence doesn’t cut an imposing figure on the bump at 6-foot-1, but his stuff certainly puts enough fear into batters. He buzzes a 92-96 mph fastball up in the zone from a three-quarters slot and touched as high as 98 mph in the Texas League last season.

"His best pitch, however, is a 82-84 mph circle changeup that looks much like the heater out of the hand until it dives armside. Per Synergy Sport, the pitch had an insane 73 percent overall whiff rate and a 63 percent whiff in-zone in 2024. Hence went to his gyro slider (around the same velocity) even more often with Springfield, and he’s added back an upper-70s curveball that many scouts loved during his amateur days."

That's the type of stuff that plays well in short bursts. If being in the bullpen keeps Hence healthy, he could develop into a weapon for St. Louis. As of writing, there isn't much of a path to the big league starting rotation for him after all of the additions of the offseason. That's not the case in the bullpen. There's a path there. Now, he just has to stay healthy and show what he can do.