Cardinals pitching prospect Owen Rice retires shortly after promotion

Owen Rice, a 23-year-old prospect for the St. Louis Cardinals, has retired from baseball just days after being promoted to Class-A. Rice, a 20th-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, had a challenging outing in his debut, allowing three runs and walking four batters in two-thirds of an inning. His abrupt retirement follows a year where he began in the rookie-level Florida Complex League, posting a 5.84 ERA in 11 appearances. His performance has raised questions regarding the reasons for his decision to leave the sport so soon after achieving a career milestone.

• 11:30 AMYahoo Sports — Cardinals’ 23-Year-Old Prospect Ends Career Just 3 Days After Brutal Outing