In search of reinforcements for a taxed bullpen, the St. Louis Cardinals have selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Max Rajcic from Triple-A Memphis, the club announced Thursday. In a corresponding move, right-hander Chris Roycroft was designated for assignment.
Rajcic, 24, will make his Major League debut as the Cardinals’ third pitcher and sixth call-up overall to reach the big leagues this season. The Orange, California, native will wear uniform No. 71.
The 6-foot, 240-pound Rajcic (listed at 5-10, 250 in the release; official measurements favor the former) has been one of the International League’s most reliable relievers this season. Promoted to Memphis earlier in the year, he posted a 4-2 record with a 2.88 ERA across 26 appearances (one start), logging 40.2 innings. He leads the Redbirds in saves with five in six chances and ranks tied for fifth in the league in both saves and appearances. His strong work earned him Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Month honors for May, during which he delivered a 1.20 ERA, three saves, and 19 strikeouts in 11 outings while holding opponents to a .154 batting average.
A sixth-round pick (187th overall) by the Cardinals out of UCLA in the 2022 MLB Draft, Rajcic has steadily climbed the system. He was named the organization’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2023 while splitting time between Single-A Palm Beach and High-A Peoria. The right-hander has made appearances in Major League spring training each of the last three seasons, totaling 17.2 innings across 10 outings.
Over four minor league seasons, Rajcic owns a 26-26 record with a 3.81 ERA, one complete-game shutout, and five saves. He has struck out 400 batters in 413 innings. Originally developed as a starter, he transitioned primarily to relief work last year and has thrived in that role, showing improved strikeout rates, ground-ball tendencies, and lower exit velocities against him.
The Cardinals sit at 40-32, holding second place in the NL Central and looking to stabilize a bullpen that has shown vulnerabilities of late. Rajcic’s plus stuff and recent dominance provide a fresh arm for manager Oliver Marmol as the club heads into an interleague series against the Kansas City Royals.
Roycroft, who has struggled in limited big-league action this season (including a recent rough outing), heads to DFA status after time with the club. The move clears roster space for the highly regarded prospect.
Rajcic, whose last name rhymes with “magic,” will look to bring some of that to the Busch Stadium mound in what figures to be a meaningful boost for St. Louis down the stretch.
