Former Cardinals No. 1 pick back with Peoria Chiefs and confident of healthy season

PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD/WYZZ) — He’s back in Peoria and healthy.

And that’s the big news for Cardinals 2022 first round draft pick Cooper Hjerpe. An elbow injury stopped the lefty starter’s 2023 season after he pitched only 41 innings for the Chiefs.

He was out four months after having elbow surgery.

“It could have been a lot worse,” “Hjerpe said as his team prepared for Tuesday’s home opener. “It could have been more than four months. It could have been a year. I’m happy to be back here.”

And the Chiefs are happy to have a No. 1 starter back as well. Hjerpe’s unorthodox arm motion gives him a unique delivery and he’s glad that didn’t change after his surgery.

“There was no reason to change anything mechanically. It was a fluke injury. The main goal is to regain those mechanics,” Hjerpe said. “It works for me. I was starting to get dialed in at the back end of my outings last year.”

The Oregon State product only pitched two-thirds of an inning on a chilly night in the season opener at Wisconsin on Friday. He is scheduled to start Thursday’s game against Beloit on the Chiefs’ first home stand of the season.

“He looked really good in spring training,” said Chiefs manager Patrick Anderson. “Staying healthy is the biggest thing. He threw it over the plate (in spring training).”

Hjerpe, 23, got the chance to pitch in the Cardinals spring training camp this year. He called it a thrill, especially having the opportunity to hang out with his pitching idol Sonny Gray.

“I always liked him,” said Hjerpe who grew up in Sacramento and followed Gray when he pitched for the A’s. “He is not the biggest guy but always the best. To be in the same locker room as him (was great), it was cool to be a part of it.”

Now Hjerpe is hoping to move up the St. Louis organization ladder to be in the same of clubhouse with Gray at Busch Stadium.

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