Premier Baseball alumni Dakota Hudson made his debut with the Cardinals on Saturday at Busch Stadium, entering in the seventh inning to a loud ovation. The rookie came through, striking out two in a 1-2-3 frame.
MLB.com ranks Hudson, a 2016 first-round pick, as the No. 4 prospect in the Cardinals’ organization, citing his ability to force ground-ball outs. He had a 13-3 record with a 2.50 ERA for Memphis this season.
Hudson warmed up to enter Friday night’s game against the Cubs, but Shildt opted to use other relievers. The Cardinals have used Hudson almost exclusively as a starter in the minors, and he said getting loose Friday helped him establish a bullpen routine. It settled some of his nerves, even if he didn’t see game action until the next day.
When Hudson jogged to the mound in the seventh inning Saturday, he passed infielders Matt Carpenter and Paul DeJong. The righthander said it felt surreal. These were guys he had seen on TV, and now he was lining up alongside them.
Hudson’s first test was not an easy one. Formidable Cubs outfielder Kyle Schwarber — runner-up in this year’s Home Run Derby — dug into the batter’s box. Hudson quickly threw two balls. He threw a 96 mph two-seam fastball in the strike zone, and Schwarber hit it foul for strike one. After throwing another ball, Hudson got Schwarber to chase two sliders, sending the slugger back to the Cubs’ dugout. One batter faced, one strikeout.
Hudson fanned Ian Happ next, then got Victor Caratini to ground out to third base. The young pitcher walked off the field to a standing ovation and a fist bump from Molina.