6 Cardinals pitchers who dominated Spring Training but faded away in the regular season

Bryan Augenstein

Spring Training (2011): 11.2 innings, 0.77 ERA, 13 K's, 3 walks

Cardinals Regular Season Career: 5.2 innings, 9.53 ERA, 6 K's, 3 walks

A 2007 seventh-round pick of the Diamondbacks, righty Bryan Augenstein quickly made his way through the minor leagues as a starter before making a very short MLB debut as a 22-year-old. Things did not go as planned, as he threw seven games, including two starts for the D'Backs. In 17 innings, he put up a 7.94 ERA with only six strikeouts and allowed an astonishing 23 hits and six walks.

He spent all of the 2010 season working through his struggles at the minor league level and was DFAd by Arizona after a mid-6 ERA in 129 innings. The Cardinals took a chance on the sidearmer and claimed him off of waivers with the idea of making him a swingman or long reliever.

The low-risk claim appeared to be another in the developing line of devil magic Cardinal players with a strong exhibition performance. The Cardinals gave him 11.2 innings, all in relief, and Augenstein dominated with increased strikeout stuff and better command. His 0.77 ERA was bolstered by his 13:3 strikeout to walk ratio, and he only allowed five hits.

Augenstein made the big league roster out of Spring Training but struggled out of the gate. He made his first appearance in an extra-inning game and was saddled with the loss after giving up two runs in the 11th inning. His next two appearances were scoreless but not clean by any means, as he allowed four hits and two walks in 2.2 innings. He received two more outings in mid-April but gave up five runs in two total innings before a groin strain sent him to the injured list.

His minor league rehab performance mixed with the big league team building towards an eventual World Series championship meant the Cardinals did not have a space for Augenstein in St. Louis, and the team DFAd him at the end of the season. He went unclaimed before bouncing around the Tampa Bay and Detroit minor league systems in 2012 before he had a scary change in his life.

In 2012, he was diagnosed with a rare disorder called transverse myelitis. One-third of people diagnosed with this neurological disorder never get out of bed, and another third have permanent damage. Augenstein was the lucky remaining third who recover, but he was briefly paralyzed in his right hand and foot. His inspirational story continued when he signed a minor league deal with Detroit in 2014, but he experienced more arm pain before eventually calling it a career. Augenstein is now a father and coach for his son.