The rethinking and reclaiming of Alex Reyes’ role with the big-league Cardinals began, in earnest, with a 99-mph fastball Thursday night on the Gulf Coast of Florida.
A month after fracturing his left pinkie in a fit of frustration at Class AAA Memphis, Reyes made his first game appearance – and began his route back to the majors, this time as a starter. Reyes pitched five innings for High-A Palm Beach on 70 pitches, struck out six, and his fastball, according to TheCardinalsNation.com, hummed at 97 mph and touched 99 mph. Of his 70 pitches, 40 were strikes.