BA Cardinals correspondent Derrick Goold checks in with news that the Cardinals are moving Jess Todd to the bullpen.

Todd will head to Triple-A Memphis, where the righthandander will presumably serve as a late-inning reliever in front of Chris Perez, at least while the two are in Memphis. Todd, a second-round pick in 2007, went from high Class A Palm Beach to Memphis last year, compiling a 2.88 ERA in 153 innings with 42 walks and 136 strikeouts.

It seems like a move that should fit Todd’s skill set. He’s at his best when he’s throwing strikes and getting ground balls; last year 59 percent of his outs on balls in play came on the ground, which is above-average but not an extreme rate. His plus slider is good enough to get swings and misses from righthanded batters, but his changeup is still a work in progress that leaves him vulnerable against lefties. 

It looks like a good move for the Cardinals and a role that should suit Todd well. He probably won’t need much time at Triple-A before making his big league debut at some point this season.