The St. Louis Cardinals bolstered their infield and bullpen on Friday, selecting the contract of hot-hitting corner infielder Blaze Jordan from Triple-A Memphis and recalling right-handed pitcher Chris Roycroft. In corresponding moves, infielder Nolan Gorman and right-hander Hunter Dobbins were optioned to Memphis following Thursday’s game, while veteran infielder Ramón Urías (right elbow) was transferred from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL.
The 23-year-old Jordan, a power-hitting corner infielder acquired from the Boston Red Sox last July in exchange for left-hander Steven Matz, has been one of the most productive players in the International League this season. In 57 games with the Redbirds, he is slashing .313/.373/.548 with a .921 OPS, 11 home runs, 35 RBI, and a league-co-leading 19 doubles. He ranks eighth in the circuit with 126 total bases and 72 hits, while leading Memphis in batting average.
Jordan, a 6-foot, 235-pound right-handed hitter from Southaven, Mississippi, shared Cardinals Minor League Co-Player of the Month honors for April and has been a consistent force since debuting professionally in 2021. Drafted by Boston in the third round (89th overall) of the 2020 MLB Draft out of DeSoto Central High School, he owns a .286 career batting average with 73 home runs and 375 RBI across 545 minor league games. Defensively, he has seen the bulk of his action at third base (262 games) and first base (228 games), including significant time at both positions this year.
Jordan will wear No. 33 and become the fifth Cardinals player to make his major league debut this season, joining JJ Wetherholt, Matt Pushard, Bryan Torres, and Brycen Mautz. With just one other active major leaguer sharing the given name Blaze (Blaze Alexander of the Baltimore Orioles), the young Mississippian brings legitimate pop and versatility to a Cardinals lineup searching for offensive consistency in the middle infield and corner spots.
The promotion comes at a logical time for the club. Gorman has struggled mightily in 2026, hitting around .194 with elevated strikeout totals that have tested the organization’s patience at third base. Jordan’s emergence provides a much-needed infusion of right-handed power and a potential long-term solution at the hot corner or first base.
On the pitching side, Roycroft returns to the big-league bullpen after a strong recent stretch in Memphis. The 28-year-old, who made the Cardinals’ Opening Day roster, owns a career mark of 2-5 with a 5.98 ERA in 52 major league appearances (58.2 innings). After being optioned on April 5, he posted a 5.84 ERA in 23 games for the Redbirds but has been much sharper since May 20: a 2.08 ERA over 8.2 innings with seven strikeouts, four hits, and two walks across eight appearances.
The 6-foot-7, 245-pound right-hander from Elmhurst, Illinois, gives manager Oliver Marmol another arm with swing-and-miss stuff in relief. Dobbins heads back to Triple-A to continue his development after contributing in the majors.
Urías’ move to the 60-day IL clears additional roster space but underscores ongoing injury concerns for the veteran infielder, who has dealt with right elbow lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) since early May. His return timeline remains uncertain.
The Cardinals enter the weekend series against the Minnesota Twins sitting at 37-29, three games back in the NL Central. Jordan’s debut tonight in Minneapolis adds excitement to a club that has leaned on prospects like Wetherholt and others for fresh production.
Fans and analysts have been clamoring for Jordan’s bat, and the Cardinals have finally answered the call. If the young slugger can translate his Triple-A success to the big leagues, he could provide exactly the kind of offensive spark the Redbirds need as they push toward the postseason.
