Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 55 | Overall: 50

Hjerpe was a talented lefty from the California prep ranks who didn’t get much attention from Major League teams, and he headed to Oregon State. After pitching out of the bullpen briefly as a freshman in the shortened 2020 season, he moved into the Beavers’ weekend rotation, pitching on Saturdays for a team that made the NCAA Regionals. The southpaw has moved into the Friday night role this year and seen his stock improve greatly as one of the more consistent starters in the country.

While Hjerpe doesn’t light up radar guns, he does a have a full starter’s repertoire, a ton of deception and a huge competitive streak. His fastball will typically sit in the 91-93 mph range, occasionally touching a bit higher. It plays up because of a funky, cross-fire delivery that makes the ball hard for even right-handed hitters to pick up, and because he combines it with his breaking ball so well. It’s kind of a Laredo, coming from a low three-quarters slot, and Hjerpe can vary its shape. One is more of a slow sweeping curve, thrown in the mid-70s, and the other is tighter with more slider characteristics, thrown up around 80 mph. His average changeup features good fade and should be a weapon for him in the future.

Even with the funk in his delivery, Hjerpe tends to always finish online, leading to a belief that he’s going to throw more than enough strikes in the future, and he is fearless on the mound. His ceiling is a bit limited, but mid-rotation southpaws who perform well in big college conferences tend to do decently when the Draft comes around.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Cutter: 45 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45

Hjerpe was arguably the most effective Division I pitcher in the country in 2022 as he finished with a 2.53 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 161 strikeouts in 103 1/3 innings for Oregon State – numbers that made him a Golden Spikes Award finalist. The Cardinals selected him 22nd overall that July and signed him for full slot at $3,182,200. Hjerpe made it through two months of his first full season with High-A Peoria but needed arthroscopic surgery to remove loose cartilage from his left elbow that knocked him out for a little more than three months. He returned for the Arizona Fall League but was still limited to 8 1/3 innings over seven appearances. 

The 6-foot-3 southpaw’s sidearm mechanics immediately stand out to any onlooker during his appearances. The crossfire angle creates a lot of deception from such a tough arm slot, and the ball can absolutely jump on batters. That said, Hjerpe’s fastball sat 88-91 mph after the procedure – down a tick or two from college – but still had the vertical action that made it most interesting. His upper-70s sweeper has plenty of gloveside horizontal break, while his upper-70s changeup runs the other direction with decent fade. Hjerpe also started incorporating a mid-80s cutter that remains a work in progress. 

The former Beaver didn’t have control issues in college, but those have become more worrisome in the pros. Hjerpe’s supporters believe 2023 was a lost year due to the surgery and his pitch characteristics can still make him an enticing starter. His detractors would like to see him stick to a mound more consistently after elbow issues popped up again in 2024.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 55 | Overall: 50

Hjerpe didn’t get much attention from scouts when he was coming out of the California prep ranks, but he certainly commanded it after his three seasons at Oregon State. The southpaw became the Beavers’ Friday starter as a junior and thrived in the role as one of NCAA Division I’s most consistent starters with a 2.53 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 161 strikeouts in 103 1/3 innings. Those results helped make him a Golden Spikes Award finalist alongside Kevin Parada and eventual winner Ivan Melendez, but the biggest prize may have come when the Cardinals selected him 22nd overall in July and signed him for full slot at $3,182,200.

The left-hander’s college workload meant he hasn’t thrown a pitch in a pro game entering 2023, but his stuff with Oregon State should make him an intriguing follow in his first full season. Standing at 6-foot-3, Hjerpe fires from a deceptive crossfire angle from a delivery that gets him impressive extension off the bump. That level of deceit makes his low-90s fastball play well above its velocity and makes the heater look downright explosive out of the hand. He tunnels his breaking stuff well off it with an upper-70s sweeping slider or a mid-70s curveball that can give a slower, more downward look. His fading changeup, sitting right around 80 mph, flashes above-average too and gives him a full starter’s arsenal.

Hjerpe appears almost fearless with the way he goes right after hitters, and despite his unorthodox mechanics, he throws plenty of strikes that should keep him in a starting role. He may already be a first-rounder, but his combination of stuff, presence and command remain promising. He underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove a loose body from his left elbow in the midst of the his first full season, putting the brakes on what could have been a breakout campaign.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 55 | Overall: 50

Hjerpe is a talented lefty from the California prep ranks who didn’t get much attention from Major League teams, and he headed to Oregon State. After pitching out of the bullpen briefly as a freshman in the shortened 2020 season, he moved into the Beavers’ weekend rotation, pitching on Saturdays for a team that made the NCAA Regionals. The southpaw moved into the Friday night role this year and saw his stock improve greatly as one of the more consistent starters in the country, so much so that the Cardinals selected him 22nd overall in July.

While Hjerpe doesn’t light up radar guns, he does a have a starter’s full repertoire, a ton of deception and a huge competitive streak. His fastball will typically sit in the 91-93 mph range, occasionally touching a bit higher. It plays up because of a funky, cross-fire delivery that makes the ball hard for even right-handed hitters to pick up, and because he combines it with his breaking ball so well. It’s kind of a Laredo, coming from a low three-quarters slot, and Hjerpe can vary its shape. One is more of a slow sweeping curve, thrown in the mid-70s, and the other is tighter with more slider characteristics, thrown up around 80 mph. His average changeup features good fade and should be a weapon for him in the future.

Even with the funk in his delivery, Hjerpe tends to always finish online, leading to a belief that he’s going to throw more than enough strikes in the future, and he is fearless on the mound. His ceiling is a bit limited, but there’s certainly the potential for him to settle into the middle of a future St. Louis rotation.

Awards

TEX Pitcher of the Week

Week	Team
06/30/2024
06/23/2024

AFL Rising Stars

Year	Team
2023

MID Pitcher of the Week

Week	Team
05/28/2023

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	09/24/2024	Springfield Cardinals activated LHP Cooper Hjerpe from the 7-day injured list.
	07/09/2024	Springfield Cardinals placed LHP Cooper Hjerpe on the 7-day injured list.
	06/11/2024	LHP Cooper Hjerpe assigned to Springfield Cardinals from Peoria Chiefs.
	03/07/2024	St. Louis Cardinals Prospects activated LHP Cooper Hjerpe.
	01/10/2024	St. Louis Cardinals invited non-roster LHP Cooper Hjerpe to spring training.
	11/03/2023	LHP Cooper Hjerpe assigned to National League Fall Stars.
	09/22/2023	Scottsdale Scorpions activated LHP Cooper Hjerpe.
	09/01/2023	Peoria Chiefs activated LHP Cooper Hjerpe from the 7-day injured list.
	05/30/2023	Peoria Chiefs placed LHP Cooper Hjerpe on the 7-day injured list.
	04/05/2023	Peoria Chiefs activated LHP Cooper Hjerpe.
	04/05/2023	LHP Cooper Hjerpe assigned to Peoria Chiefs.
	03/06/2023	LHP Cooper Hjerpe assigned to FCL Cardinals from Cardinals Organization.
	03/06/2023	FCL Cardinals activated LHP Cooper Hjerpe.
	02/26/2023	LHP Cooper Hjerpe and assigned to St. Louis Cardinals.
	08/16/2022	LHP Cooper Hjerpe assigned to Cardinals Organization.
	07/22/2022	St. Louis Cardinals signed LHP Cooper Hjerpe.