Chris Roycroft #53

Graduated from Willowbrook High School in Villa Park, Ill. in 2015 where he was Daily Herald All-Area honoree in baseball and All-Area, All-Conference and Most Improved Player in basketball...Was a two-sport athlete at Aurora (Ill.) University, playing basketball his freshman year before focusing on baseball for the rest of his career...Played in 11 basketball games his freshman year with 27 rebounds and nine points with four blocked shots...Played college baseball at Aurora (Ill.) compiling a 17-3 record with a 3.33 ERA over 40 appearances, making 19 starts...Struck out 184 batters over 181 innings along with eight saves over a three-year career...While playing independent baseball for the Joliet Slammers of the Frontier League, would stop by Busch Stadium on road trips to O'Fallon and Gateway and look through the gates thinking about playing for the Cardinals...His mother, Maggie, travels to wherever he is playing on Mother's Day and would add a game ball from his location...His step-father Dan is a union carpenter who worked on the Wrigley Field renovation project...Worked in a classic car shop operating forklifts, car lifts and floor jacks, while helping detail cars during the 2019 off-season between college baseball and independent league baseball...Volunteers for the local interfaith pantry in Aurora, helping pass out food and operating heavy machinery...Resides in Dundee, Ill.

2024

Appeared in a career-high 63 games between Memphis (36) and St. Louis (27)...Began the season in Memphis (AAA) before his contract was selected on May 7 and made his MLB debut that night against the Mets...Struck out the side in the ninth inning while allowing one run...Struck out Francisco Lindor swinging for his first Major League strikeout...Surrendered a home run to two-time All-Star Game Home Run Derby Winner, Pete Alonso, as the next batter, challenging him on a 1-2 pitch...Did not allow another Major League home run until July 29, a span of 120 batters over 21 appearances (26.1 IP)...Was recalled seven times during the season, including twice as the 27th player in doubleheaders...Earned his first Major League win vs. PIT (6/13) on a Thursday afternoon as Brendan Donovan's home run in the sixth inning off Mitch Keller put the Cardinals in the lead after he escaped the sixth inning, stranding a runner...Profiled the lowest hard-hit percentage (exit velocity of 95 MPH or more) on a four-seam fastball (13%) of pitchers facing 40 or more batters...Ran off five straight scoreless appearances from June 4-15 for a season-high 6.2 scoreless innings...Struck out a career-high four vs. SEA (9/8) over 1.2 innings...Retired the first batter faced in 24-of-27 appearances...Posted the seventh-best xBA (.133) on his four-seam fastball of pitchers with 40 plate appearances or more...His 2.17 ERA over 36 appearances at Memphis was the lowest among pitchers with more than 15 appearances...Tied for third among Memphis relief pitchers with five Holds...Ranked second on the club with a career-high six saves.