St. Louis Cardinals Release Former 3rd-Round Pick Outfielder

After six seasons in the St. Louis Cardinals' system, outfielder Scott Hurst has been released.

Despite making his MLB debut with the Cardinals in 2021, Hurst's time in the majors was short-lived, going hitless in his five at-bats. His recent struggles continued in the 2023 season at Triple-A Memphis, where he had a challenging campaign, batting just .133 (4-for-30) with no extra-base hits and 12 strikeouts in 10 games.

Cardinals say they’ve released Scott Hurst, who made a big league cameo in early 2021.

— Jeff Jones (@jmjones) June 1, 2023

Hurst, 27 years old, showed promise in the upper minors last year, providing hope for a potential turnaround.

However, his performance this season with Triple-A Memphis didn't meet expectations, with a meager .133 batting average, .278 on-base percentage, and .133 slugging percentage. He managed to contribute two RBI and four stolen bases.

OF Scott Hurst (AAA) has been activated from the 7-day IL and given his unconditional release.

INF Jonathan Mejia (A) has been placed on the Temporarily Inactive List.

RHP Augusto Calderon has been transferred from the FCL to Palm Beach (A).

RHP Esteban Contreras (DSL) has…

— Cardinals Player Development (@CardsPlayerDev) June 1, 2023

While his release from the Cardinals is undoubtedly disappointing, Hurst's past success in the minors may attract interest from other teams. Although he struggled in his limited opportunities in the majors, his previous performances suggest that he has the potential to make a comeback and continue his development with a different organization.

For his minor-league career, the former 2017 third-round pick holds a .254/.341/.371 triple-slash line, with 26 home runs, 148 RBIs, 45 stolen bases, and 216 runs scored across 408 games played.

Hurst's future in professional baseball remains uncertain, but he may be granted another chance to prove himself and contribute at the highest level. Photo Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports