Todd tops minor leaguers

From the St. Louis Cardinals organization CLIMBING THE LADDER QUICKLY — Kilgore native Jess Todd (above) has been named the St. Louis Cardinals' minor league pitcher of the year, and even has his own Donruss prospects card (inset). Driving around Kilgore and taking it easy might not be the first thing one would choose.

But after two years of non-stop traveling, baseball, moving and more baseball, it fits Jess Todd just fine.

Todd is glad to be home after a busy year that saw him:

• Move to Palm Beach, Fla. with the St. Louis Cardinals' single-A franchise.

• Move to Springfield, Mo., to join the Cardinals' double-A franchise.

• Move to Memphis, Tenn., to pitch for the Redbirds, the Cardinals' triple-A franchise.

And there's one more thing to add to the list: he's been chosen as the Cardinals' minor league pitcher of the year.

By the way, he's also been invited to take part in the club's spring training in February, meaning...

"If I can impress them in spring training," Todd, still 22, said this week, "then I've got a chance."

"A chance" meaning an opportunity to make the Big Team. But the way Todd is going, he'll do that sooner than later.

It's been a whirlwind for the Kilgore native since he graduated from Kilgore High School in 2004, really. He helped get the Bulldogs almost to the Class 4A state tournament that year as a senior, and originally accepted a scholarship to play at Texas Tech out of KHS, but elected to leave Tech shortly after his arrival. He eventually got his release, then had a phenomenal but brief career at Navarro College in Corsicana, caught the eye of coaches at the University of Arkansas and then became one of the Razorbacks' best pitchers in the 2007 season.

The Cardinals, then the defending World Series champions, took notice, and drafted Todd in the second round last June. Since then, his stock has only soared. He rose through the Cardinals' minor league system quickly, and even pitched in the prestigious Major League Baseball Futures Game in Yankee Stadium in July.

This latest honor, being named the Cardinals' minorleague pitcher of the year, is big — really big.

"The player development guy (from the Cardinals) called me, I think Monday," Todd explained. "He told me congratulations, that I was chosen as the minor league pitcher of the year, and that there was a banquet in St. Louis Jan. 17."

Then he invited Jess to spring training.

"I don't think everything has set in, still," Todd said. "It's weird to even talk about."

Outfielder Daryl Jones, who also played in Palm Beach and Springfield, was named the Cardinals' minor-league player of the year, with Todd.

"Daryl and Jess distinguished themselves at multiple levels to earn this honor," Cardinals vice president of scouting and player development Jeff Luhnow told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "These two young men reflect the quality of our system and organization, both on and off the field."

Todd went 8-6 this year in his three stops with a 2.88 ERA. Opponents hit .213 against him in 28 games.

He went 3-0 with a 1.65 ERA in seven games at Palm Beach, striking out 35 in 27 1/3 innings, leading to his selection as the Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Month for April.

Todd went 4-5 with a 2.97 ERA in 17 games for Springfield and finished the year by going 1-1 with a 3.97 ERA in four starts in Memphis.

"(Memphis) was by far the best stop so far," Todd said. "It was nice. We got to fly everywhere. When I got there, there were 18,000 people that night."

He's taking it easy for now,. He says he wants to make time to go see former classmate Clint Toon quarterback Texas State this football season (Toon is doing very well). And soon, Jess will begin workouts in preparation for the upcoming season, whether it be in Memphis or on the big stage.

"When it happens, I'll be happy," Todd said. "But it's been a lot of fun so far."