News and notes on 17 St. Louis Cardinals farmhands playing this winter across the globe. Our Player of the Week is shortstop Edmundo Sosa who is adding power to his game in the Dominican.
All posts by Blake Newberry
Cardinals 2019 Arizona Fall League Season Wrap-Up
TCN’s 2019 St. Louis Cardinals Rookie Player of the Year
Our Johnson City Player of the Year, infielder Chandler Redmond, is also The Cardinal Nation’s choice as the top first-year player in the St. Louis Cardinals system in 2019. Not a bad debut for a 32nd round draft pick.
Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 24, 2019
photo: Conner Capel (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
In Wednesday AFL action, Glendale won again behind Conner Capel’s third home run in the last three games and three RBI. Kodi Whitley picked up his fourth AFL save. Cardinals Elehuris Montero and Seth Elledge also appeared.
Wednesday, October 23 – Glendale Desert Dogs 6 at Salt River Rafters 5
Four St. Louis Cardinals took part in Glendale’s Arizona Fall League victory on Wednesday evening. Conner Capel started in left field and batted seventh, Elehuris Montero played third base and hit eighth, Seth Elledge pitched the seventh inning and Kodi Whitley closed the victory with a save.
Capel played an important role in the victory, crushing a home run and a double for three RBI while Montero was 1-for-4 with a single and a strikeout. Elledge pitched a scoreless seventh inning but worked around a pair of hits for his second hold and Whitley recorded his fourth AFL save despite allowing three hits and one earned run.
OF Conner Capel heating up just as the AFL approaches its end with his third HR in the last three games. https://t.co/iPyWFWbkCL
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) October 24, 2019
Big league quality play by Double-A third baseman Elehuris Montero in the AFL. https://t.co/rBdikm04uk
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) October 24, 2019
In a game filled with offense, the teams combined for 22 hits and 11 runs.
Reds outfield prospect Stuart Fairchild led Glendale in hits, with three in four at-bats. The 23-year-old hit three singles and walked once as he reached base a game high four times. Fellow Reds prospect Tyler Stephenson also performed well for the Desert Dogs. The catcher batted 2-for-5 with a double and a single as the only other player to tally a multi-hit game.
Brewers right-hander Victor Castaneda started on the mound for Glendale. The 21-year tossed four innings and surrendered just one run on two hits and three walks while fanning seven. Dauri Moreta (CIN) then took the mound to begin the fifth inning. However, he yielded three earned runs on two hits and a walk and was unable to finish the inning. Brewers right-hander Robbie Hitt recorded the final out of the fifth before tossing a scoreless sixth inning as well to maintain Glendale’s lead.
Elledge then pitched the seventh before handing the ball to Quintin Torres-Costa (MIL) who struck out the side in a scoreless eighth inning. Whitley followed with the save to end the game.
With the victory, Glendale improved to 12-15 on the season, but remain in last place in the West Division. The Desert Dogs trail the Surprise Saguaros by four games with just two games remaining.
The Desert Dogs’ next contest will take place on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. MST against the Peoria Javelinas. The probable starters are RHP Gerardo Carillo (LAD) for Glendale and LHP Adrian Morejon (SD) for Peoria.
Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation
For more
Stop by The Cardinal Nation each morning during the Arizona Fall League season for game recaps focused on the Cardinals prospects competing with the Glendale Desert Dogs. Player interviews with all eight players will be coming soon – exclusively for TCN members.
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TCN’s 2019 St. Louis Cardinals Rookie Starting Pitcher of the Year
17th-round draftee Michael YaSenka dominated in 10 outings in his initial professional season between Johnson City and State College and is The Cardinal Nation’s choice as the top rookie starting pitcher in the St. Louis Cardinals system in 2019.
TCN’s 2019 St. Louis Cardinals Rookie Relief Pitcher of the Year
From among a number of recently-drafted candidates with considerable potential, seventh-rounder Jack Ralston of State College is The Cardinal Nation’s choice as the top first-year relief pitcher in the St. Louis Cardinals system in 2019.
Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 22, 2019
photo: Kramer Robertson (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
In Monday AFL action, three Cardinals prospects were busy. 2B Kramer Robertson walked twice and doubled, 3B Elehuris Montero walked and LF Conner Capel singled, walked and scored twice.
Monday, October 21 – Salt River Rafters 11 at Glendale Desert Dogs 7
Three St. Louis Cardinals prospects played a role in Glendale’s AFL loss on Monday. Kramer Robertson played at second base and batted second in the lineup, with a double and two walks in five plate appearances. Elehuris Montero started at third base and hit sixth, walking once and batting 0-for-4 with a strikeout. The final Cardinals prospect to play was Conner Capel, who played left field and hit seventh. The 22-year-old singled and walked in five trips to the plate and crossed home plate both times.
The Desert Dogs plated a run in the first inning and another in the second to jump out to an early 2-0 lead. However, they surrendered the lead in the third by allowing five runs. The Dogs battled back, however, tallying a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth before scoring again in the seventh and eighth innings to retake a two-run lead. However, in the top of the ninth, Salt River rallied for six runs to take the final lead as Glendale was unable to mount another comeback.
The Desert Dogs recorded 11 hits on the night and every player in the lineup reached base at least once. Dodgers middle infield prospect Omar Estevez, White Sox first baseman Gavin Sheets and Brewers catcher and corner infielder David Fry each recorded two hits to lead the team. Estevez and Sheets finished with a single and a double while Fry hit his first home run of the AFL season, as well as a single.
White Sox left-hander Bernardo Flores began the game on the mound for Glendale. The 24-year-old cruised through his first two innings but ran into trouble in the third. He yielded five runs and was only able to record the first two outs before getting relived by Reds right-hander Cory Thompson. Thompson finished the inning and then tossed a scoreless fourth while fanning three and not allowing a single base runner. Bobby Wahl (NYM), Diomar Lopez (CIN), Vince Arobio (CWS), and Brett de Geus (LAD) then tossed the next four innings without conceding a run. These four pitchers combined for six strikeouts and allowed just one hit.
The Desert Dogs ran into trouble when Mitchell White (LAD) entered the game in the ninth inning in a save opportunity. The 24-year-old was unable to do so as he allowed five runs to score off four hits and a walk while collecting just two outs. Tyler Johnson (CWS) entered and allowed a three-run home run before recording the final out (only one run was charged to Johnson).
With the loss, Glendale drops to 11-15 and remains in last place in the AFL West Division. The Desert Dogs are five games behind the division leading Surprise Saguaros.
After taking Tuesday off, Glendale’s next game will be on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. MST when they will once again play the Salt River Rafters. The probable starters are RHP Victor Castaneda (MIL) vs. RHP Dakota Chalmers (MIN).
Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation
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Stop by The Cardinal Nation each morning during the Arizona Fall League season for game recaps focused on the Cardinals prospects competing with the Glendale Desert Dogs. Player interviews with all eight players will be coming soon – exclusively for TCN members.
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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 21, 2019
photo: Conner Capel (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
Sunday, October 20 – Scottsdale Scorpions 2 at Glendale Desert Dogs 7
Glendale broke out the bats in the fifth inning to break a one run tie by tallying five runs. The outcome was never in doubt after that as the Desert Dogs rolled to a 7-2 Sunday win.
Ivan Herrera and Conner Capel were the only prospects from the St. Louis Cardinals to appear. Herrera drew the start behind the plate and recorded a single in four at bats. Capel batted seventh in the lineup, one spot behind Herrera, and started in right field. The 22-year-old easily played his best game in the AFL as he crushed two home runs in four trips to the plate. He did make a fielding error in the outfield, but his strong day at the dish more than made up for his mistake.
Besides Capel’s impressive afternoon, Reds outfield prospect Stuart Fairchild recorded a double and a single in his two RBI effort. Another key contributor was Dodgers infielder and 2019 first round pick Michael Busch, who provided production from the top of the lineup with a home run as well as a pair of walks. The team as a whole collected nine hits and four walks while fanning just five times.
On the pitching side, Jordan Johnson (CIN) started and tossed five strong innings. The 26-year-old right-hander yielded just one earned run on two hits and no walks while striking out four. This outing lowered his AFL ERA to 3.32. Marshall Kasowski (LAD) hurled a scoreless sixth inning. He worked around a hit and a walk to keep the score unchanged before handing the ball to Brewers left-hander Clayton Andrews. The 22-year-old Andrews surrendered one earned run on two hits and a walk, but he also demonstrated an impressive ability to generate as he fanned four batters. Andrews seems to be the rare example of a diminutive strikeout pitcher. Despite his 5’6”, 160-pound size, he fanned 11.68 batters in the Brewers organization this season, and he appears to have brought this ability to the AFL. Dauri Moreta (CIN) then entered the game in the ninth and tossed a quick 1-2-3 inning to end the game.
With the victory, Glendale improves to 11-14 on the season. However, they remain in last place in the AFL West Division and have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Glendale plays next on Monday at 6:30 p.m. MST against the Salt River Rafters. The probable starters are Bernardo Flores (CWS) for Glendale and Dakota Chalmers (MIN) for Salt River.
Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation
For more
Stop by The Cardinal Nation each morning during the Arizona Fall League season for game recaps focused on the Cardinals prospects competing with the Glendale Desert Dogs. Player interviews with all eight players will be coming soon – exclusively for TCN members.
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TCN’s 2019 Palm Beach Cardinals Player of the Year
Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 17, 2019
photo: Conner Capel (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
Wednesday, October 16 – Surprise Saguaros 4 at Glendale Desert Dogs 8
Conner Capel was the only St. Louis Cardinals prospect to play for Glendale in their home win over the first-place Surprise Saguaros Wednesday night. The 22-year-old was the left fielder and batted seventh in the lineup. He tallied a single, a double, and a walk in four plate appearances while scoring once and recording an RBI.
Glendale collected 12 hits on the night as the lineup helped overcome a leaky bullpen.
The Dodgers 2019 first round pick Michael Busch was one of four players besides Capel to enjoy a multi-hit night. He finished with a pair of singles as well as two walks in five plate appearances. Fellow Dodgers infield prospect Omar Estevez, as well as Stuart Fairchild (CIN), tallied two hits and a walk in five plate appearances. Brewers outfield prospect Pablo Abreu also slapped a double and a single with a run scored and an RBI out of the ninth spot in the lineup.
Glendale starter Victor Castaneda (MIL) worked five strong innings with six strikeouts and no runs allowed. He yielded just three baserunners on two hits and a walk. However, the team ran into trouble after the call to the bullpen. White Sox right-hander Vince Arobio was the first reliever to enter the game and he struggled through the sixth inning. The 24-year-old surrendered two earned runs on two hits and two walks while throwing just 10 of his 25 pitches for strikes.
Diomar Lopez (CIN) entered the game next and did not perform much better. The right-hander conceded two more runs after allowing a pair of hits and a walk. He was unable to finish the seventh inning as he recorded just two outs. Cory Thompson (CIN) and Mitchell White (LAD) then combined to toss the final 2 1/3 innings, allowing no runs while White struck out the side in the ninth to finish the game.
With the victory, Glendale improves to 9-13 and moves to six games behind division-leading Surprise. The Dogs’ elimination number is just two, however, as it appears highly unlikely that they will make the playoffs.
After the league-wide day off Thursday, the Desert Dogs return to action on Friday at 6:30 p.m. MST against the Saguaros once again. Probable starters are TBA.
Cardinal Griffin Roberts had been listed as Wednesday’s starter, with Casteneda pegged to go Friday, so perhaps the two just switched. We will have to see…
Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation
For more
Stop by The Cardinal Nation each morning during the Arizona Fall League season for game recaps focused on the Cardinals prospects competing with the Glendale Desert Dogs. Player interviews with all eight players will be coming soon – exclusively for TCN members.
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© 2019 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 16, 2019
photo: Elehuris Montero (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
Tuesday, October 15 – Mesa Solar Sox 3 at Glendale Desert Dogs 4
Elehuris Montero was the only St. Louis Cardinals prospect to play for Glendale in Tuesday afternoon Arizona Fall League action. The 21-year-old third baseman went 2-for-3 with a double and a single and led his team in hits.
The home Desert Dogs jumped out to an early lead, scoring two in the first and one in the second. Mesa briefly tied the game with a pair of runs in the fifth inning, but Glendale countered with one run in the bottom half of the inning before holding Mesa to four consecutive scoreless innings to end the win.
Glendale hitters combined for eight hits, with seven different players tallying at least one. Montero led the team with two hits, but Dodgers outfield prospect Jeren Kendall provided the biggest hit with a home run in bottom of the fifth to retake the lead for the Desert Dogs. Highly touted Reds prospect Jonathan India connected on a triple to right field in the first inning. In total, the Glendale lineup combined for six extra base hits, which helped the team push just enough runs across the plate to come away with the victory despite going just 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
White Sox southpaw Bernardo Flores started on the mound for the Desert Dogs. The 24-year-old completed 4 1/3 innings and allowed three earned runs on seven hits. However, despite these struggles, he collected five strikeouts.
Dodgers right-hander Marshall Kasowski entered in relief of Flores with two runners on base and one out in the fifth. He allowed a hard-hit single to the first batter he faced, which allowed one inherited runner to score, but he managed to escape the inning after that without allowing any more damage. Kasowski (blown save, win) stayed in the game to pitch a scoreless sixth. Bobby Wahl (NYM), Clayton Andrews (MIL), and Dauri Moreta (CIN – save) finished, combining for three scoreless innings and three strikeouts while allowing just one base runner.
With the win, Glendale improves to 8-13 on the season. However, they remain in last place, seven games behind the division leading Surprise Saguaros. The Desert Dogs’ elimination number is three, rendering them highly unlikely to make the playoffs.
Glendale’s next game is Wednesday, October 16 at 6:30 p.m. MST, when they will play the division leading Surprise Saguaros at Glendale’s Camelback Ranch. Probable starters are Cardinals right-hander Griffin Roberts for Glendale and 21-year-old Rangers right-hander A.J. Alexy for Surprise.
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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 15, 2019
photo: In perfect symmetry, Ivan Herrera (9) and Conner Capel (10) scored on Devin Mann’s (11) eighth-inning home run (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
Monday, October 14 – Glendale Desert Dogs 9 at Mesa Solar Sox 5
Four St. Louis Cardinals prospects participated in the Glendale Desert Dogs’ first game of the second half of the Arizona Fall League season, held on Monday afternoon at the spring home of the Cubs, Sloan Park in Mesa.
Conner Capel played in right field, Ivan Herrera started behind the plate, and Roel Ramirez and Kodi Whitley each tossed one inning in relief. Capel finished 1-for-3 with a single, a walk, a run, and an RBI via a sac fly while Herrera also slapped a single, was hit by a pitch, scored two runs, and tallied two RBI in four at-bats.
On the pitching side, Ramirez allowed an unearned run without being charged with a hit or a walk before Whitley yielded an earned run on a pair of hits, including a solo home run.
Glendale broke a 4-4 tie in the eighth inning by pushing five runs across the plate to start the second half with a win.
White Sox left-fielder Blake Rutherford and Dodgers second base prospect Devin Mann each tallied a pair of hits for the Desert Dogs. Rutherford doubled, singled, and walked while Mann doubled and homered to drive in four runs. White Sox first baseman Gavin Sheets also reached base twice on a pair of walks.
Reds right-hander Jordan Johnson (CIN) started on the mound for Glendale and performed well. The 26-year-old surrendered just one earned run on five hits while fanning two. In the second, Capel made a valiant diving attempt on a hard-hit single by Mesa first baseman Alfonso Rivas (OAK). Rivas scored on a double by second baseman Jahmai Jones (LAA).
Johnson was relieved by Milwaukee right-hander Robbie Hitt, who retired the side in order in the fifth. Quintin Torres-Costa handled pitching duties in the sixth and conceded two runs (1 ER) on a hit and a walk while registering two strikeouts.
Ramirez took over in the seventh and was the victim of an error leading to an unearned run. There was a missed catch at second on a stolen base attempt, but Ramirez was bailed out by a great diving catch by Rutherford in the left-field corner on what became a sacrifice fly.
Whitley gave up his first earned run of the AFL campaign in the eighth when center fielder Brandon Marsh (LAA) took him deep. It was Marsh’s second long ball of the game. After a swinging strikeout, Whitley also yielded a single, which was erased on an inning-ending 4-6-3. Bennett Sousa (CWS) preserved the four-run lead with a scoreless ninth.
The Dogs did not help themselves on defense, with three errors that led to a pair of unearned runs. Reds infield prospect Jonathan India made a pair of throwing miscues while Herrera also committed a throwing error, misfiring to first on a wild strike three offering.
With the victory, Glendale improves to 7-13 (.350), but remains seven games out of first place in the West Division, trailing the Surprise Saguaros.
Glendale’s next game will occur on Tuesday, October 15 at 12:30 p.m. MST at home. They will again take on the Mesa Solar Sox, currently two games out of first place in the East Division. Probable starters are lefty Bernardo Torres (CWS) for the Dogs and righty Aaron Hernandez (LAA) for the Solar Sox.
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Cardinals 2019 Arizona Fall League Mid-Season Update
TCN’s 2019 Palm Beach Cardinals Starting Pitcher of the Year
Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 10, 2019
photo: Ivan Herrera (Springfield Cardinals FANatic Photos)
In Wednesday #stlcards Arizona Fall League action, Ivan Herrera and Elehuris Montero drew three walks each and the former also doubled. Seth Elledge pitched a dominating final inning, but Glendale fell short again.
Wednesday, October 9 – Glendale Desert Dogs 2 at Salt River Rafters 6
Three St. Louis Cardinals prospects started Wednesday night’s game at Salt River – Conner Capel (LF), Elehuris Montero (DH) and Ivan Herrera (C) – and reliever Seth Elledge pitched the eighth inning.
Capel struggled to make an impact, batting 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts. The six-hole hitter was picked off first base after drawing free pass. Montero and Herrera fared much better, as each hitter walked three times. Herrera, chosen for the West Fall Stars roster, added a double as he reached base in all four of his plate appearances.
Elledge continued his dominant AFL stint with another scoreless inning and two strikeouts. (Editor’s note: Fall Stars Game selection Elledge blew away name prospects Seth Beer and Victor Victor Mesa with his mid-90’s heat.)
However, the Desert Dogs were unable to hit the ball enough in order to take advantage of a generous 10 walks conceded by the Salt River pitching staff (seven of which were taken by the aforementioned Cardinals trio).
White Sox first baseman Gavin Sheets collected two of Glendale’s four hits, tallying a single and a double. Fellow White Sox prospect Micker Adolfo also contributed to the offensive effort with a ninth inning solo home run, but it was too late for the Desert Dogs to mount a full comeback.
White Sox southpaw Bernardo Flores began the game on the mound for Glendale and struggled through five innings. The 24-year-old surrendered four earned runs on seven hits. However, there were positive signs as well as he fanned six batters. Tyler Johnson (CWS) and Bennett Sousa (CWS) followed Flores by combining to allow two earned runs in the next two innings. Subsequently, Elledge’s scoreless eighth inning snapped a streak of three consecutive run-scoring frames for Salt River. However, the damage had already been done.
With the defeat, Glendale drops to 5-12 on the season and falls six games back of the division leading Surprise Saguaros. With two and a half weeks remaining, the Desert Dogs’ elimination number is seven.
Glendale’s next game will be on Thursday, October 10 at 12:30 p.m. MST when they take the field at the Peoria Javelinas. AFL probable starters remain TBA for the week due to Saturday’s Fall Stars Game.
Related Cardinals AFL news
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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 9, 2019
photo: Conner Capel (Springfield Cardinals FANatic Photos)
In Tuesday #stlcards Arizona Fall League action, Conner Capel had three hits and Elehuris Montero had two, but Glendale lost in the 10th on a sac fly against Kodi Whitley.
Tuesday, October 8 – Salt River Rafters 11 at Glendale Desert Dogs 10 (10 innings)
The Glendale Desert Dogs were unable to overcome an early deficit in a game that did not feature much pitching (21 combined runs allowed) or defense (six combined errors). Salt River scored the first 10 runs after just two innings to take a commanding lead. However, Glendale fought its way back, eventually scoring the tying run in the seventh, and forcing extra innings. Salt River pushed the winning run across in the 10th inning.
Four Cardinals prospects participated, two position players and two hitters. Conner Capel started in right field and hit seventh in the lineup. He tallied a double and two singles to lead the team in hits. Elehuris Montero pinch hit for Jonathan India after India’s first at-bat and then took his spot at third base the rest of way. Montero went 2-for-4, both singles. Both Cardinals scored a run and drove in one.
The Desert Dogs fared well at the plate, collecting 13 total hits. In addition to Capel and Montero, Brewers first baseman/catcher David Fry and White Sox first baseman Gavin Sheets each recorded multi-hit games. Fry batted 2-for-4 with a double and a walk while Sheets tallied a pair of singles, but also struck out twice.
On the mound, starter Bobby Wahl (NYM) struggled to contain the Salt River lineup. He recorded just one out and surrendered five earned runs on three hits and two walks. Brewers right-hander Robbie Hitt entered the game in the first inning to attempt to stop the onslaught. However, he struggled to record outs as well, allowing another five runs (four earned) in 1 2/3 innings.
After the disastrous two opening innings, the Desert Dogs pitching staff settled down. Jordan Johnson (CIN), Mitchell White (LAD), and Quintin Torres-Costa (MIL) tossed the next five innings without allowing another run before handing the ball to the pair of Cardinals relievers to finish the game, starting with Roel Ramirez. The right-hander tossed a scoreless eighth inning, fanning one while allowing a hit and a walk.
Kodi Whitley took the ball next and pitched the ninth and 10th innings. He took the loss after allowing an unearned run in the 10th, but pitched well overall. The right-hander allowed just one walk and no hits while striking out one. The winning run began on second per rule, moved up on a fly out and scored on a sac fly.
With the defeat, Glendale drops to 5-11 on the season and remains in last place in the West Division, five games out.
The Desert Dogs next game is Wednesday, October 9 at 6:30 p.m. MST when they will once again take the field against the Salt River Rafters (11-5). Probable starters are TBA this week as rotations as shuffled in preparation for Saturday’s Fall Stars Game.
Related Cardinals AFL news
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Cardinals Elledge and Herrera Headed to AFL Fall Stars Game
photo: Seth Elledge (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The Arizona Fall League has announced the rosters for its annual Fall Stars Game on Saturday, October 12th at 5 p.m. MST. Two Cardinals prospects – and Glendale Desert Dogs teammates – Seth Elledge and Ivan Herrera – have been selected.
Seth Elledge
Elledge delivered decent 2019 results across the Double-A and Triple-A levels of the Cardinals organization. He posted a solid 3.78 ERA in 33 1/3 innings out of the Springfield bullpen. The right-hander flashed a dominant swing-and-miss ability with 11.61 K/9 as opposed to 3.51 BB/9 in the Texas League, but he faltered upon promotion to AAA Memphis. In the Pacific Coast League his ERA rose to 4.72 as he struck out fewer hitters (8.39 K/9) and walked more (4.98 BB/9).
The Cardinals then decided to send the 23-year-old to the Arizona Fall League where he has dominated in early action. Elledge has tossed six innings without allowing an earned run, although he has yielded one unearned run. He fanned nine batters and walked none while allowing just five hits.
The Fall Stars Game is a well-earned recognition for the 2017 fourth round draft pick of the Seattle Mariners. Elledge joined the Cardinals in the Sam Tuivailala trade in 2018 and is currently 29th in The Cardinal Nation’s top 50 prospect rankings.
Ivan Herrera
Herrera strengthened his standing in the Cardinals organization with a strong season at A Peoria and A-Advanced Palm Beach. The catcher slashed .286/.381/.423/.805 in 69 games at Peoria. Following this success, he was promoted to the Florida State League, where he posted a power-sapped slash line of .276/.338/.328/.666. The FSL is a notoriously pitching-oriented league, for a variety of reasons including the large MLB sized parks.
The 19-year-old parlayed his strong season into an Arizona Fall League assignment, where he has experienced a moderate level of success. The native of Panama has recorded a .263 batting average (5-for-19) with a .616 OPS while playing behind the plate behind Reds prospect Tyler Stephenson, who is the other West backstop selected for the Fall Stars Game. This recognition is an important step in the career of the Cardinals #12 prospect according to TCN.
Full Fall Stars rosters
Here are the rosters for @MLB Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game!
Saturday, October 12th
5:00 PM
Salt River Fields at Talking StickCan't make it to Scottsdale? Stream at https://t.co/ZJSvndc4Hj pic.twitter.com/cSTBfdyaw3
— MLB's Arizona Fall League (@MLBazFallLeague) October 8, 2019
For more
Stop by The Cardinal Nation each morning during the Arizona Fall League season for game recaps focused on the Cardinals prospects playing for the Glendale Desert Dogs. Player interviews will be coming soon.
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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 7, 2019
photo: Elehuris Montero (Springfield Cardinals FANatic Photos)
Sunday, October 6 – Scottsdale Scorpions 6 at Glendale Desert Dogs 5
Two St. Louis Cardinals players started for the Glendale Desert Dogs in Arizona Fall League action on Sunday afternoon. Center fielder Conner Capel batted third while Elehuris Montero hit sixth and played third base. Capel failed to record a hit in four at-bats, but walked once and scored. Montero went 1-for-5 with an RBI single and a strikeout.
After surrendering the first six runs of the game, Glendale rallied for five runs in the seventh inning to bring to Scottsdale lead to just one. However, the Desert Dogs were unable to complete the comeback, and they lost by one run.
Glendale’s Omar Estevez (LAD), Tyler Stephenson (CIN) and Jose Garcia (CIN) recorded multi-hit games. Estevez and Garcia each slapped a pair of singles, while Stephenson doubled twice and singled once to lead the team with three hits. Dodgers 2019 first round pick Michael Busch also reached base twice on a pair of walks to help the team from the bottom of the lineup.
Dodgers right-hander Gerardo Carrillo started on the mound for the Desert Dogs. He tossed 3 2/3 innings while yielding three runs on five hits and a pair of walks. Despite his struggles, the 21-year-old managed to tally six strikeouts. Vince Arobio (CWS) was the first reliever to enter the game, and he also struggled. The 24-year-old right-hander allowed one run on two hits and a walk in 1 1/3 innings. Cory Thompson of the Reds entered the game next and failed to prevent a run from scoring despite collecting just two outs. He yielded two walks and two hits. Diomar Lopez (CIN) Clayton Andrews (MIL) and Dauri Moreta (CIN) then combined to throw the final 3 1/3 innings without surrendering any more runs. The trio combined for five strikeouts and just two hits allowed.
With the loss, Glendale drops to 5-10 on the season.
Glendale’s next game is on Tuesday, October 8 against the Salt River Rafters (10-5) at 6:30 MST. Probable starters are TBA.
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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 3, 2019
photo: Elehuris Montero (Springfield Cardinals FANatic Photos)
Three St. Louis Cardinals prospects took the field for the Glendale Desert Dogs on Wednesday afternoon. Conner Capel played in left field and tallied a base hit, but also struck out twice. Elehuris Montero started at third base and collected a pair of hits, including a triple and a walk, while fanning once.
Catcher Ivan Herrera also slapped a base hit in his four at-bats and struck out once. The 19-year-old catcher also made threw out an attempted base stealer at second base in the seventh inning. However, the next inning, he made a throwing error when Peoria tested his arm again with another stolen base attempt.
Wednesday, October 2 – Peoria Javelinas 2 at Glendale Desert Dogs 0
Despite a strong pitching performance, Glendale was unable to claim victory as the lineup failed to generate enough base runners and the defense made three errors.
Outside of the trio of Cardinals prospects, Glendale failed to generate any offense. White Sox outfielder Blake Rutherford was the only non-Cardinals prospect to record a hit, but he managed to reach base three times as he also walked twice. The offensive struggles of the Desert Dogs can be summed up with one number – 16 strikeouts.
White Sox southpaw Bernardo Flores started and pitched well enough to keep Glendale in the game, but not nearly well enough to dominate. He yielded a pair of runs on five hits and two walks while fanning three. However, the bullpen was solid and managed to suppress the Javelinas lineup for the rest of the game. Diomar Lopez (CIN), Cory Thompson (CIN), Dauri Moreta (CIN), and Brett de Geus (LAD) combined to throw the final five innings and allowed just two baserunners and no runs.
With the loss, Glendale fell to 3-9 on the season and are 5 ½ games back of the division leading Surprise Saguaros.
Glendale will get Thursday off before playing their next game at 12:30 PM MST on Friday against the Surprise Saguaros. Probable starters are Cardinals prospect Griffin Roberts for Glendale and Baltimore right-hander Dean Kremer for Surprise.
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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 2, 2019
photo: Seth Elledge (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
Two St. Louis Cardinals prospects took the field for the Glendale Desert Dogs Tuesday – Conner Capel started in right field and batted fifth, and Seth Elledge pitched the ninth inning. Capel recorded a single, and one of the team’s four hits, in his four at-bats and fanned once. Capel was thrown out attempting to steal second, shortly after reaching base. Elledge had another good outing, tossing a scoreless inning, striking out a pair and allowing just one hit.
Tuesday, October 1 – Mesa Solar Sox 4 at Glendale Desert Dogs 0
A four-run Mesa lead proved to be insurmountable as the Dogs’ offense struggled and was unable to answer a three-run third inning by the Solar Sox.
The Glendale lineup struggled to produce against Mesa’s starter, Tigers right-hander, Anthony Castro, as well as the Mesa bullpen. Besides Capel, the only other Glendale players to record a hit were Reds backstop Tyler Stephenson, who tallied a double, and Reds outfielder Stuart Fairchild, who collected two singles.
Reds minor league right-hander Jordan Johnson started on the mound for Glendale and worked four innings, yielding three runs, despite fanning six. He struggled with control as he walked five Mesa batters to go with four hits allowed. Vince Arobio (CWS) entered the game next and also allowed a runner to cross the plate before getting three outs to end the fifth inning. Marshall Kasowski (LAD), Quintin Torres-Costa (MIL) and Seth Elledge (STL) then combined to throw the next four innings, striking out nine and allowing no runs.
With the loss, the last-place Desert Dogs fall to 3-8 on the season, five games back.
Glendale will play next at 12:30 MST on Wednesday, August 2 at home against the Peoria Javelinas. The probable starters are Bernardo Flores (CWS) for Glendale and Tanner Houck (BOS) for Peoria.
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TCN’s 2019 Palm Beach Cardinals Relief Pitcher of the Year
Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – September 30, 2019
photo: Conner Capel (Springfield Cardinals FANatic Photos)
Two St. Louis Cardinals players took part in Sunday AFL action for the Glendale Desert Dogs. Outfielder Conner Capel entered as a defensive substitute in the ninth. He contributed to the Desert Dogs’ rally with a single and run scored in the bottom of the frame but the Dogs fell just short. Kodi Whitley pitched the scoreless top of the ninth while fanning two.
Sunday, September 29 – Salt River Rafters 4 at Glendale Desert Dogs 3
The visiting Rafters jumped out to an early lead, as three runners crossed the plate in the second inning against Glendale starter and Dodgers right-hander Gerardo Carrillo. The Desert Dogs chipped away at the lead the rest of the way, scoring one in the third and two in the ninth. Their rally ended just short of a victory as they allowed a final run in the eighth.
Catcher David Fry, a seventh-round pick of the Brewers last year, led the team with three hits and two RBI. Fry and Jonathan India, a highly touted Reds infield prospect, each tallied a double, the only extra base hits of the game for Glendale.
After Carrillo’s bad second inning, the Desert Dogs’ pitching staff did a good job of preventing the Rafters from pulling away. Right-handers Diomar Lopez (CIN) and Tyler Johnson (CWS) tossed the next 2 1/3 scoreless innings before handing the ball to Milwaukee southpaw Clayton Andrews, who threw another clean inning with a pair of strikeouts. Reds farmhand Dauri Moreta yielded the decisive run in the eighth before Whitley collected the final three outs.
With the loss, Glendale drops to 3-7 on the season and remains in last place in the West Division.
Glendale’s next game will be on Tuesday, October 1 at 12:30 PM MST when they take on the Mesa Solar Sox. The probable starters are Daniel Gossett (OAK) for Mesa and TBA for the Desert Dogs.
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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – September 25, 2019
photo: Seth Elledge (Frank Ramirez/The Cardinal Nation)
Two St. Louis Cardinals players participated in Tuesday’s Arizona Fall League game for Glendale as Conner Capel drew the start in center field and batted sixth while Seth Elledge was called to the mound in the seventh inning. Capel tallied an RBI single in his four at-bats and also came around to score late in the inning. Elledge tossed one scoreless and hitless inning while fanning two.
Results for the game played on Tuesday, September 24.
Aguilas de Mexicali 2 at Glendale Desert Dogs 7
After jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning, the Desert Dogs surrendered the lead in the top of the sixth as Mexicali of the Mexican Pacific League rallied to tie the game. However, Glendale countered with three in the sixth and two more in the seventh to put the game away.
Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson recorded a game high three hits, with two singles and a double in four trips to the plate. White Sox first baseman Gavin Sheets, and Dodgers designated hitter Jeren Kendall also slapped a pair of singles each. Kendall gave the team great production out the nine-hole with three RBI while Sheets and Stephenson each crossed the plate twice. White Sox right fielder Micker Adolfo, and Dodgers second baseman Devin Mann also walked twice each to contribute from the bottom of the lineup.
Capel did his damage in the seventh, singling to plate Sheets and scoring on Kendall’s two-run single.
Dodgers prospect Gerado Carrillo began the game on the mound for the Desert Dogs and threw four efficient innings. He tossed just 39 pitches while allowing just one hit, one walk and no runs. The 21-year-old also struck out three. Reds prospect Cory Thompson was the first pitcher out of the bullpen, and he struggled, allowing a pair of runs on three hits in his two innings of work, but was the pitcher of record when his team took the lead, so was assigned the win.
The aforementioned Cardinal Elledge (first hold) locked down the seventh inning in order on two strikeouts and a pop out before handing the ball to Robbie Hitt of the Brewers. The latter proceeded to punch out the side in order before White Sox left-hander Bennett Sousa followed suit, except for facing one extra batter. The Desert Dogs logged 12 strikeouts in total.
Wednesday’s game
With the win, Glendale improves to 2-4 on the young season and will look to string together consecutive wins for the first time this season at 8:30 CT Wednesday when the team will face off against the Salt River Rafters.
The probable pitching matchup is Reds prospect Jordan Johnson for the Desert Dogs against Rockies prospect Ryan Castellani.
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2019 Palm Beach Cardinals Team Review
photo: Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium (St. Louis Cardinals)
The St. Louis Cardinals’ A-Advanced affiliate fell just short of a first-half title, but after many pitching promotions out, struggled mightily after the break.
Florida State League
The Palm Beach Cardinals represent the St. Louis Cardinals at the A-Advanced level in the Florida State League. The A-Advanced level is the highest full season level of A ball. There are 12 teams in the Florida State League, with six teams divided into two divisions. Most teams play in their MLB team’s spring training facilities which makes it more difficult to hit for power. Due to this, the FSL is primarily a pitching league that sees deflated hitting numbers.
The 2019 regular season began on April 4 and ended on September 1. However, the final series of the season was cancelled for most teams due to the threat of Hurricane Dorian. Each team is scheduled to play a maximum of 140 games in the season; however, no team played a full slate of games, and Palm Beach played just 130. Each team plays 20 games against each divisional opponent with 10 games coming at home and the other 10 taking place on the road.
Coaching Staff
The Palm Beach Cardinals are managed by Dann Bilardello, who just completed his fourth year as the manager of the Beach Birds and his 14th season in the Cardinals organization. The former eight-year veteran of MLB previously managed AA Springfield and won the 2017 FSL co-championship with Palm Beach.
The pitching coach for this season was Will Ohman, in his second season with both Palm Beach and the Cardinals organization. He has been a very effective coach in his time in Florida and has helped at least 15 pitchers receive promotions in his two years with the team.
The Beach Birds featured a new hitting coach this year – Tyger Pederson – who previously served as the head coach of the Duluth Huskies of the Collegiate Summer Northwoods League. After leading the team to its best ever record (47-25), he jumped at the chance to work with Palm Beach hitters. The 29-year-old is the brother of Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson.
Results
The Cardinals began the year well, establishing their position at the top of the South Division for most of the first half. However, the team faltered as the all-star break approached and slid to second place at the end of the first half. They finished three games behind the Fort Myers Miracle (MIN) with a 35-29 record. The Beach Birds enjoyed playing at Roger Dean Stadium, posting a league best 19-12 record at home. However, their 16-17 record away was the second worst in the division behind the last place Jupiter Hammerheads (MIA). The team also enjoyed a high level of success against division rivals, winning 22 games and losing just 15.
However, this success would prove to be fleeting, as the Beach Birds collapsed in the second half of the season, as key pitchers were promoted upward to Springfield. Palm Beach finished sixth/last in the division in the second half with a dismal 22-44 record (.333 winning percentage). The team ended up 23 ½ games behind the division winning Charlotte Stone Crabs (TB), which went 47-22.
The home field advantage the Beach Birds enjoyed in the first half seemingly disappeared in the second half as they finished an identical 11-22 at home and on the road. Their division dominance also disappeared as they posted an abysmal 9-26 record against divisional opponents.
This lack of success in the second half ended the team’s postseason dreams early, snapping their two-year playoff streak. However, the playoffs were cancelled due to the threat of Hurricane Dorian, so even had they clinched a spot, they would not have been able to compete for the title.
Pitching
36 pitchers took the mound for the Beach Birds this season, with 20 throwing more than 20 innings. The average age of the Palm Beach pitching staff was 23 years, which is slightly above the league average of 22.9 years.
The Palm Beach pitching staff finished the year with a 3.68 ERA, which placed them 10th in the 12-team league. The staff also placed last in WHIP (1.35) while posting the second fewest number of strikeouts (1021) and the issuing fourth-most walks (417). This gave the team the worst strikeout to walk ratio in the league (2.45 K/BB).
The Beach Birds had the best ERA (2.73) and second-best WHIP (1.19) at the all-star break, but the second half was a different story as most of the pitching staff received promotions to AA Springfield. Pitching was the engine for this team, as it performed well when the staff performed well, but collapsed when the replacements faltered.
Hitting
32 hitters stepped up to the plate for the Beach Birds this season with 17 staying in Palm Beach long enough to record 100 at-bats. The average age of the Palm Beach hitters was 22 years, slightly below the league average of 22.3 years.
The Beach Birds did not have a good year at the plate, finishing with the third-worst OPS in the league (.649). They also ended the season tied for seventh in batting average (.239), sixth in on-base percentage (.310) and fourth-worst in slugging (.339).
However, a clear strength of the team was its plate discipline as it finished with the second fewest strikeouts (1021) and the seventh most walks (386). On the base paths, Palm Beach was not interested in swiping bags as they finished with just 23 stolen bases and a 49% success rate (23-for-47), by far the worst in the FSL in both categories.
Fielding
The team’s struggles extended to the field as they posted the fifth worst fielding percentage in the league (.974) However, the catching combination of Julio Rodriguez, Dennis Ortega, and Ivan Herrera did an excellent job behind the plate, allowing just nine passed balls, the second fewest in the league while tying for fifth in caught stealing percentage (32%). This is a positive sign as both Rodriguez and Herrera had strong seasons at the plate in addition to their defensive prowess.
All-Stars
A successful first half of the season led to seven Beach Birds being named to the South Division’s All-Star Game roster. Five of the seven were pitchers, underscoring the dominance of the Palm Beach pitching staff in the first half.
Relievers Ben Yokley and Bryan Dobzanski were among the 18-man pitching staff, as well as starters Angel Rondon, Perry DellaValle, and Alex Fagalde. The other two players to receive this accolade were catcher Julio Rodriguez and outfielder Justin Toerner.
TCN Top Prospects
At the end of the season, Palm Beach featured nine top 50 prospects according to the most recent TCN rankings. Highlighting this group was #2 prospect Nolan Gorman, #6 prospect and the 19th overall pick in the 2019 draft, Zack Thompson, #12 prospect Ivan Herrera and #24 prospect Luken Baker. Filling out the rest of the top 50 are Alvaro Seijas at #26, Griffin Roberts at #30, Edgar Escobar at #39, Edgar Gonzalez at #42, and Diego Cordero at #46.
Notable Contributors
Nolan Gorman and Ivan Herrera both posted impressive numbers after aggressive promotions to Palm Beach in the midst of their age 19 seasons.
Zack Thompson also impressed after being selected in the first round. His ERA was elevated (4.05), but his impressive FIP (2.03) and strikeout and walk percentages (12.83 K/9, 2.70 BB/9) demonstrate his dominance at the A-Advanced level.
Justin Toerner was another key contributor in his time at Palm Beach. The outfielder posted a slash line of .290/4.03/.389/.792 and carried the lineup for the better part of the first month of the season.
Julio Rodriguez also raised his prospect status significantly with a strong year both at and behind the plate.
Conclusion
It was a mixed year for Palm Beach. The team enjoyed a strong first half, anchored by the best pitching staff in the league, but fell just short of first place. However, a string of midseason promotions decimated the Beach Birds and the replacements from Peoria did not prove to be as successful as the outgoing group. This led to a difficult second half of the season in which the team finished in last place.
Despite this second half collapse, there were some solid individual seasons from the replacement players. The Beach Birds were one of the few successful teams in the Cardinals organization in the first half of the year, and the reasons for that success played in Springfield for the second half of the season. These players had mostly solid seasons, while some of the replacement players performed very well at Palm Beach.
With Peoria, Palm Beach’s primary feeder club, also struggling in 2019, the 2020 Palm Beach outlook is uncertain. Perhaps members of the Cardinals most recent draft class will augment the candidates for next season’s roster.
For more
Link to master article with all 2019 award winners, team recaps and article schedules for the remainder of this series. Next up will be our Palm Beach Cardinals Team Review.
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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – September 23, 2019
photo: Roel Ramirez (Springfield Cardinals FANatic Photos)
Three St. Louis Cardinals position players started Sunday’s Arizona Fall League game for the Glendale Desert Dogs, as did Cardinals pitcher Roel Ramirez. Ramirez threw a pair of scoreless innings on two hits, no walks and fanned three, Kramer Robertson tallied a single and two walks, Conner Capel recorded a single and a walk, and Ivan Herrera collected a double and two singles.
Results for the game played on September 22.
Sunday, September 22 – Glendale Desert Dogs 6 at Mesa Solar Sox 7
The Glendale Desert Dogs wasted a five-run fifth inning, as well as a four run lead, by surrendering four runs in the ninth to allow Mesa to secure a walk off win. The Dogs had more chances to pad their earlier lead, but stranded 14 baserunners Sunday evening.
In his AFL debut, Robertson led off for Glendale and played second base. He did his job by reaching base three times and turning one double play. Capel batted third in the lineup while playing left field and Herrera hit eighth and started behind the plate.
Other big games came from first baseman Justin Yurchak (CWS), who tallied three hits, including two doubles while Jose Garcia (CIN) and David Fry (MIL) each collected a pair of hits. On the mound Tyler Johnson (CWS) and Diomar Lopez (CIN) combined to toss three scoreless innings. These were the only two pitchers, besides Roel Ramirez to pitch clean innings.
On the defensive side, Ivan Herrera struggled behind the plate as he allowed two passed balls in the losing effort.
After the league takes Monday off, Glendale will look to get back on track on Tuesday when Gerardo Carrillo (LAD) will take the mound at home at 8:30 CT against Mexicali of the Mexican Pacific League.
Glendale is now 1-4 in the season and in last place in the AFL West.
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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – September 19, 2019
photo: Conner Capel (Springfield Cardinals FANatic Photos)
The Glendale Desert Dogs were held to just three hits in their Opening Night home loss to Surprise. The only St. Louis Cardinals participant, starting left fielder Conner Capel, singled and threw out an opposing runner at second base.
Wednesday, September 18 – Surprise Saguaros 4 at Glendale Desert Dogs 2
Glendale struggled at the plate in the season opener, collecting just three hits while allowing 10 from Surprise hitters.
Right fielder Jeren Kendall, designated hitter Micker Adolfo and left fielder Conner Capel recorded the only hits for the Desert Dogs, with both Kendall’s and Adolfo’s hits clearing the fence. However, the pair also combined for five strikeouts as they were very boom or bust at the plate. The rest of the lineup struck out seven times and took three free passes.
On the mound, Reds minor leaguer Jordan Johnson started the game and struggled in his three innings of work. The right-hander yielded a pair of runs on four hits and a walk while fanning three. He will be looking to use the AFL to improve his prospect status as he struggled at AA this season, and AAA last season, despite his advanced age of 26 years.
Gerardo Carrillo was the first man out of the bullpen, and he tossed three scoreless innings to begin his stint in the Arizona Fall League after a very successful season in the Dodgers minor league system (1.50 ERA). The 21-year-old also fanned a pair of hitters while walking none. Vince Arobio then entered the game in the seventh inning and struggled to keep runners off the bases. The 24-year-old surrendered two runs on two hits and two walks in his one inning of work. Bennett Sousa and Dauri Moreta followed out of the ‘pen and combined for two scoreless innings. Sousa is a 24-year-old who has quickly risen the minor league ladder since being drafted in the 10th round last season by the White Sox. Moreta, who struck out the side, is also coming off of a strong season in the Reds’ system.
Capel was the only Cardinals prospect to make an appearance and he performed well in the first game of the AFL season. Batting seventh, the left fielder went 1-for-3, a single, and recorded an outfield assist in the third inning when he threw out Royals minor leaguer Travis Jones at second base. The left-handed hitter struggled at the plate with AA Springfield this season, although he did hit well in a brief, 30 at-bat cameo with Memphis, and will look to show that he is better than his numbers this season suggest. Capel is The Cardinal Nation’s 35th-ranked prospect.
Thursday’s game: vs. Peoria Javelinas, 6:30 p.m. MST, LHP Bernardo Flores (CWS – season debut).
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Palm Beach Cardinals Notebook – 2019 Week 22
Palm Beach went 1-1 in the final week as the last three games of the season were cancelled due to Hurricane Dorian. Nick Dunn (5 hits, .500 BA) led the lineup in batting while Tyler Reichenborn and Luken Baker provided the power (1 HR and 3 H each). On the mound, Griffin Roberts dominated in his final start of the season, and Ramon Santos secured the ninth inning of Wednesday’s win by striking out the side.