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Cooper Hjerpe debuts with St. Louis Cardinals in historic performance
September 06, 2026 | Baseball
DENVER – Cooper Hjerpe makes 47.
The left-handed pitcher and three-year letterwinner for the Beavers earned a call-up to the Major Leagues Sunday, joining the St. Lous Cardinals in Denver. He made his Major League debut the same day, becoming the 47th different Beaver to play at the game's biggest level.
Hjerpe came on in relief in St. Louis' 10-8 win, making his debut in the fourth inning. He proceeded to throw four perfect innings against the Colorado Rockies, striking out six.
Only two other pitchers in MLB history went longer in a perfect debut; Max Kranick in 2021 for Pittsburgh and Max Scherzer in 2008 for Arizona.
"It was unbelievable," Hjerpe told MLB.com after the game. "It was a great experience, great debut. Can't get much better than that. I felt really good from the get-go. Felt like everything was moving really well and pounding the zone."
Hjerpe, the 2022 National Pitcher of the Year and Golden Spikes Award finalist, went 15-9 in 41 career games for the Beavers, starting 33 times. He finished with a 3.37 earned run average and struck out 275 in 192 1/3 innings.
He capped his OSU career with an All-American campaign in 2022. He went 11-2 with a 2.53 ERA, posting a school-record 161 strikeouts in 103 1/3 innings.
The left-handed pitcher and three-year letterwinner for the Beavers earned a call-up to the Major Leagues Sunday, joining the St. Lous Cardinals in Denver. He made his Major League debut the same day, becoming the 47th different Beaver to play at the game's biggest level.
Hjerpe came on in relief in St. Louis' 10-8 win, making his debut in the fourth inning. He proceeded to throw four perfect innings against the Colorado Rockies, striking out six.
Only two other pitchers in MLB history went longer in a perfect debut; Max Kranick in 2021 for Pittsburgh and Max Scherzer in 2008 for Arizona.
"It was unbelievable," Hjerpe told MLB.com after the game. "It was a great experience, great debut. Can't get much better than that. I felt really good from the get-go. Felt like everything was moving really well and pounding the zone."
Hjerpe, the 2022 National Pitcher of the Year and Golden Spikes Award finalist, went 15-9 in 41 career games for the Beavers, starting 33 times. He finished with a 3.37 earned run average and struck out 275 in 192 1/3 innings.
He capped his OSU career with an All-American campaign in 2022. He went 11-2 with a 2.53 ERA, posting a school-record 161 strikeouts in 103 1/3 innings.
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