Cardinals outright former top prospect to Florida Complex League

Pitcher Tink Hence had been a highly regarded prospect for the St. Louis Cardinals as recently as 2025. Those days appear to be over.

The Cardinals had designated Hence for assignment on Saturday. He cleared waivers and was outrighted to the Florida Complex League on Thursday.

A second-round pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, Hence quickly moved up the prospect rankings. He was a consensus top-100 prospect from 2023 through 2025. MLB.com ranked Hence as the Cardinals' third-best prospect, and the 77th-best prospect in baseball, heading into 2025, lauded for his double plus changeup fronting a four-pitch mix. His biggest concern was his durability as injuries limited Hence to eight appearances in 2025.

Former St. Louis Cardinals top prospect Tink Hence still has time to live up to top prospect billing

Hence had been converted to the bullpen ahead of his first stint at Triple-A. That transformation has not gone according to plan. He had posted a 6.64 ERA and a 1.820 WHiP over his 20.1 innings, striking out 20 batters with 18 walks. 

His assignment to the FCL marks the second time this year that Hence has been sent to the instructs. He had previously been assigned to the complex on April 30 due to concerns about a drastic drop in velocity. Hence will return to Florida once more in an effort to revamp his mechanics and find his previous form in a no-pressure situation.

At 24 years old, Hence can still develop into a part of the Cardinals' future. His path may just be rockier than it appeared to be previously.