Flaherty was promoted to Triple-A Memphis on Thursday.

EDGE Analysis

Flaherty opened the season at Double-A Springfield and had no problem adjusting to the higher level of competition. Over 10 starts (63.1 innings) he pieced together a 1.42 ERA and 0.92 WHIP. In that time he posted a solid 62:11 K:BB and surrendered just two home runs. Flaherty may lack a plus pitch, although his changeup is close, but what he lacks in high-end velocity or a knee-buckling breaking ball he makes up for with excellent command and pitchability. However, he is still likely behind Luke Weaver and Marco Gonzales in terms of MLB rotation options in the second half of the season.

Flaherty, who is 4-0 with a 0.33 ERA over his first four starts in 2017, is drawing rave reviews in what is his first experience in Double-A ball, Max Gelman of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. "The thing that really stands out for Jack is he has shown at each level, he's been able to command his fastball, a real quality that he has that separates him from younger pitchers," Cardinals farm director Gary LaRocque said. "He works his fastball to both sides of the plate and he gets himself into a lot of quality innings."

EDGE Analysis

The former No. 34 overall pick has followed up the career-high 134 innings he threw at High-A Palm Beach in 2016 with a near-perfect start to his first Double-A campaign, going at least six innings in each of his first four trips to the mound and allowing a single earned run overall in 27.1 innings. Besides being blessed with good health thus far, Flaherty's ability to consistently get ahead in counts and his above-average control overall have been pivotal to his success thus far. The 21-year-old righty boasts a 24:3 K:BB, 0.66 WHIP and .161 BAA in addition to his aforementioned stellar won-loss record and ERA.

Flaherty, 20, hurled seven scoreless innings Sunday for High-A Palm Beach. He scattered five hits, did not walk a batter and fanned four.

EDGE Analysis

Flaherty is among the better pitching prospects for the Cardinals, particularly now that Alex Reyes and Luke Weaver have ascended to the big leagues. Flaherty has a 3.83 ERA and 104:39 K:BB in 115 innings. He does not have the upside of Reyes or Weaver, but does have a ceiling of a No. 2 starter.