Cardinals Release Nine as Minor League Seasons EndAfter the conclusion of the 2023 Class-A and rookie-ball seasons, the St. Louis Cardinals gave nine minor league players their unconditional release. The moves were effective Saturday, September 23. Six are pitchers and six last played for High-A Peoria.
Contreras and Arenado Grow Cardinals Injured List to 13 PlayersOn Friday, the St. Louis Cardinals’ injured list grew to 13 players with the addition of catcher Willson Contreras and third baseman Nolan Arenado. They have been replaced on the active roster by infielder Irving Lopez and outfielder Michael Siani, up from Triple-A Memphis.
On Friday, September 22, the Arizona Fall League announced its 2023 rosters. Eight members of the St. Louis Cardinals system will be members of the Scottsdale Scorpions.
All eight are members of The Cardinal Nation’s Top 50 Prospect List, including three ranked in the top 11. Five are pitchers with three position players.
Two come from Triple-A Memphis, three from Double-A Springfield, and three from High-A Peoria. However, three had moved up in recent promotions.
The former Peoria battery of Edwin Nunez and Jimmy Crooks spent most or all of 2023 with the Chiefs and were promoted upward (to Springfield and Memphis, respectively) when their club exited the Midwest League playoffs. Andre Granillo joined Memphis from Springfield just one month ago.
Three of the four Cardinals pitchers are going to use the AFL to log additional innings after missing part of the 2023 regular season due to injury – Cooper Hjerpe, Tekoah Roby and Inohan Paniagua.
Joining the Cardinals to make up the Scorpions roster are prospects from these four systems: Angels, Giants, Phillies and Nationals.
Springfield pitching coach Eric Peterson will play the same role on the Scottsdale coaching staff under manager Marty Malloy from the Phillies’ Low-A Clearwater Threshers.
The 2023 AFL regular season will run from Monday, October 2 through Thursday, November 9, with playoffs following. Both afternoon and evening games are on the schedule.
Player highlights
Hjerpe returned to the Peoria active roster on September 1 and has pitched in relief. The 22-year-old had been out since May 30 due to surgery to remove cartilage fragments from his left elbow.
Since his return, Hjerpe has made just two short relief appearances. Earlier, he posted a 3.66 ERA in eight starts, striking out 49 but walking 23 in 39 1/3 innings.
Granillo pitched for Springfield before his August 20 promotion to Memphis. In 44 Double-A relief appearances, Granillo went 3-4 with a 4.42 ERA, struck out 72 in 55 innings and converted 14 of 18 save opportunities. After a terrible April (10.64 ERA), Granillo was exceptional in May and June (1.75 ERA) before posting a 3.75 mark in July but then slid to 5.68 in August. In eight appearances since joining Memphis, his ERA is 5.84.
Across the two stops, the 23-year-old struck out an impressive 11.7 batters per nine innings this season, but his walk rate ballooned from 4.1 per nine at Double-A to an alarming 9.5 at Triple-A.
Nunez earned two promotions during 2023. The 21-year-old right-hander opened the year with Palm Beach. Nunez, who moved up to Peoria on June 26, features a fastball that tops out at 100 mph. With the Chiefs, the 6-foot-4 right-hander had a 3.22 ERA in 36 1/3 innings with 30 strikeouts against 16 walks. Nunez scuffled at times in the late innings, saving five games in 10 opportunities. He has yet to officially take the mound for Springfield.
Paniagua missed the most time of any of the eight Cardinals this season, first activated on July 7. The 23-year-old made 11 starts for the Chiefs, going 0-3 with a 4.47 ERA. He struck out 47 but walked 29 in 41 1/3 innings.
The top prospect acquired by the Cardinals in their deadline deals, Roby was coming back from a shoulder injury at the time. Activated at Springfield on August 21, Roby has allowed four runs in 12 innings (3.00 ERA) on just six hits, three walks and with 19 strikeouts.
The Midwest League All-Star catcher and August Player of the Month for the High-A league was just promoted to Memphis as backfill when Peoria ended its playoff run. Crooks batted .317 over the second half. For the season, his 73 runs batted in tied for second most in the Midwest League and are the most in a single season by a Chief since 2019.
The shortstop was a mainstay of the Peoria lineup all season long. The 20-year-old appeared in 115 games, with a slash line of .209/.293/.277/.570 and stole 22 bases in 27 attempts. Baseball America called Rivas the Best Defensive Infielder in the Cardinals organization.
In his first full year as a professional, the center fielder stole 50 bases with Peoria and another 45 with Springfield to take the minor league crown. (Update: On a later scoring change, one steal was taken away, so at 94 in total, Scott tied for the MiLB lead.)
Earlier this summer, Scott represented the Cardinals in the MLB All-Star Futures Game and this week, was named a Midwest League All-Star. Scott’s .794 OPS between the two stops this season was better than expected, helping power his rise in the prospect rankings here and elsewhere.
What is next?
Every morning throughout the AFL season, The Cardinal Nation will recap the prior day’s action in free articles. In addition, Brian Walton will report first hand from the desert with interviews, features and more, exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation. Join today!
Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation
Now available – 2023 Cardinals Prospect Guide
The Cardinal Nation 2023 Prospect Guide is back for its sixth year. It includes a record 292 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of new scouting reports and much more.
https://thecardinalnation.com/order-tcns-2023-cardinals-prospect-guide/
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© 2023 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Burleson Swells Cardinals Injured List to 11 PlayersOn Wednesday, the St. Louis Cardinals’ injured list swelled to 11 players with the addition of outfielder Alec Burleson, replaced on the active roster by catcher Ivan Herrera, promoted from Triple-A Memphis.
Cardinals Adjust Springfield Roster Heading into PlayoffsOn Monday, September 18, the St. Louis Cardinals replaced a reliever put on the injured list and promoted a standout trio from Peoria to Springfield for the Texas League playoffs. This also gives the latter three an early taste of their possible 2024 season opening assignment.
Cardinals Place their Top Power Threat on the Injured ListOn Wednesday, September 13, the St. Louis Cardinals placed their top power hitter, second baseman Nolan Gorman, on the 10-day injured list. His replacement is journeyman Juniel Querecuto.
Peoria and Palm Beach Prepare Rosters for PlayoffsWith the Class-A playoffs just ahead, the St. Louis Cardinals initiated six player transactions affecting the rosters of Peoria and Palm Beach.
2023 Florida Complex League Cardinals HittersAction photos of the rookie-level Florida Complex League Cardinals position players from 2023.
2023 Florida Complex League Cardinals PitchersAction photos of the rookie-level Florida Complex League Cardinals pitching staff from 2023.
Thomas Saggese Receives Triple-A PromotionAmong player transactions across the St. Louis Cardinals system on Friday, September 8 is the well-earned promotion of second baseman Thomas Saggese to Triple-A Memphis.
Palm Beach Cardinals Notebook – 2023 Week 22Dodging Hurricane Idalia, Palm Beach was swept in five games at Bradenton. The Low-A Cardinals are 3 1/2 games out of first but clinched a playoff spot in the first half. Second baseman Tre Richardson logged an .833 OPS last week, best by far on the club.
Cardinals Put the Labor Back into Labor Day with Eight Player MovesDuring the Labor Day off day across the system, the St. Louis Cardinals initiated eight player transactions that touched the rosters of all six US-based teams.
photo: Max Rajcic (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
Max Rajcic, a 22-year-old right-hander from High-A Peoria, is The Cardinal Nation’s St. Louis Cardinals system August Pitcher of the Month, edging out 10 other finalists. Details on all are provided.
This article, culminating in the selection of The Cardinal Nation’s Pitcher of the Month, covers hurlers across all levels of the St. Louis Cardinals minor league system during August 2023.
As a reminder, this is NOT the “Pitcher of the Month Among Top Prospects”. Every player in the system has an equal chance, with only their performance during the month used to differentiate the best of the best. Age and level, which are key prospect considerations, are not major factors here.
The conclusion of our analysis is that Peoria right-hander Max Rajcic is the Cardinal Nation’s Pitcher of the Month for August.
Guidelines
To qualify here, a pitcher must have thrown at least 10 innings during the month. 48 pitchers made this first cut. To reach the list of 11 finalists, an ERA at or below 2.50 was also required.
The finalists break out into three distinct groups: a pair below 1.00, one group between 1.55 and 1.96 and a third between 2.25 and 2.45.
The finalists represent five of the six teams in the organization, with only the rookie level Dominican Summer League Cardinals not represented. Two DSL Cards met the innings pitched requirement, but not the ERA clip. Low-A Peoria leads the way with four finalists, while Memphis, Palm Beach and the Florida Complex League Cardinals have two each. Finally, Springfield had one.
Seven finalists this month are starters while four work in relief.
Stats
All the stats are included up front, both counting and advanced stats, as they are useful to differentiate pitchers from among multiple very deserving candidates. The choice this month was not clear initially.
In the following tables, finalists are listed in ascending ERA order.
| Pitcher | Tm | W | L | ERA | G | GS | SV | SVO | IP | H | R | ER | HR | HB | BB | SO | WHIP | AVG |
| Jacob Barnes | Mem | 0 | 1 | 0.00 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10.1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 0.77 | 0.147 |
| Drew Rom | Mem | 2 | 0 | 0.82 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 18 | 0.55 | 0.056 |
| Max Rajcic | Peo | 2 | 0 | 1.55 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 26 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 24 | 1.17 | 0.248 |
| Angel Cuenca | PB | 2 | 0 | 1.69 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 0.94 | 0.220 |
| Ian Bedell | Peo | 0 | 0 | 1.96 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 18.1 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 18 | 1.09 | 0.194 |
| Gerardo Salas | FCL | 1 | 1 | 2.25 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 1.25 | 0.204 |
| Alex Cornwell | Spr | 2 | 1 | 2.25 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 18 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 1.38 | 0.290 |
| Darlin Saladin | FCL | 1 | 1 | 2.31 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11.2 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 0.94 | 0.171 |
| Andrew Marrero | Peo | 1 | 1 | 2.38 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 11.1 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 19 | 1.41 | 0.179 |
| Zane Mills | Peo | 2 | 1 | 2.42 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 23 | 12 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 20 | 1.12 | 0.230 |
| Henry Gomez | PB | 0 | 1 | 2.45 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 1.27 | 0.250 |
| Pitcher | Team | NP | P/IP | QS | GF | HLD | WP | GO/AO | SO/9 | BB/9 | K/BB | BABIP |
| Jacob Barnes | Mem | 166 | 16.1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.91 | 7.0 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 0.192 |
| Drew Rom | Mem | 168 | 15.3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.78 | 14.7 | 3.3 | 4.5 | 0.059 |
| Max Rajcic | Peo | 450 | 15.5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.56 | 7.5 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 0.317 |
| Angel Cuenca | PB | 244 | 15.3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0.72 | 9.6 | 1.1 | 8.5 | 0.279 |
| Ian Bedell | Peo | 294 | 16.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.78 | 8.8 | 3.9 | 2.3 | 0.256 |
| Gerardo Salas | FCL | 90 | 7.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.76 | 6.8 | 3.8 | 1.8 | 0.211 |
| Alex Cornwell | Spr | 263 | 16.4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.44 | 7.9 | 2.3 | 3.5 | 0.354 |
| Darlin Saladin | FCL | 91 | 7.8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1.33 | 10.0 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 0.222 |
| Andrew Marrero | Peo | 216 | 19.1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 1.33 | 15.1 | 7.2 | 2.1 | 0.333 |
| Zane Mills | Peo | 410 | 15.8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1.57 | 6.9 | 2.1 | 3.3 | 0.263 |
| Henry Gomez | PB | 206 | 18.7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0.93 | 4.9 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 0.289 |
In addition to their low ERAs, four finalists impressively allowed just one or fewer baserunners per inning while five held opponents to a collective .200 batting average or less.
Three pitchers checked both boxes – Memphis reliever Jacob Barnes, Memphis starter Drew Rom and FCL starter Darlin Saladin. However, the latter’s ERA was among the highest at 2.38, while the Redbirds’ duo had the lowest August ERAs, at 0.00 and 0.82, respectively.
This raises an interesting dilemma. While both Triple-A pitchers met the 10 innings requirement, they barely reached it. A big reason why is that the two spent the final 10 days of the month with St. Louis. Rom was called up on the 21st, with Barnes following the very next day.
Further, Barnes is an MLB-veteran reliever who was only in Memphis to get tuned up for a return to the majors. Rom’s two Triple-A starts were nothing short of excellent, but I am not totally comfortable giving out this award based solely on two data points of five and six innings, respectively. Further, Rom’s minuscule .059 BABIP indicates his results would be impossible to sustain.
That brings us to the three hurlers whose ERA falls in the 1.55 to 1.96 range.
Peoria’s Ian Bedell is finally healthy and so are his results, including a 1.96 ERA in August. But the right-hander’s innings are clearly being throttled as the 2020 draft pick has gone far, far beyond his prior career total. As Bedell approaches 100 innings, the 23-year-old hasn’t been allowed to go beyond four innings in a start since early July.
22-year-old Angel Cuenca first reached Palm Beach in 2021 and has a 5.69 career ERA at the Low-A level. However, working in long relief, the right-hander seemed to have figured out Florida State League batters in August. In 16 innings, Cuenca allowed four runs, three earned, with 17 strikeouts against just two walks, for a finalist-low 1.1 free passes per nine rate. That unearned run is the difference between a 1.69 and 2.25 ERA.
A step up at Peoria is Cuenca’s first half Palm Beach teammate Max Rajcic. In his final full month at Low-A, the recently turned 22-year-old was the Cardinals organization’s June Co-Pitcher of the Month.
In month two after his promotion to High-A, the lefty continued his very strong results. Across five August starts for the Chiefs, Rajcic logged a 1.55 ERA in 29 innings. The former UCLA right-hander struck out 24 and walked eight.
Though I could put forward a case for Cuenca, as he had stronger peripherals than Rajcic, the latter is making a big difference in a playoff push.
Despite just a 2-0 record in August, when Rajcic left the game in four of his five starts, Peoria was in the lead. In the fifth outing, he departed after five innings down 1-0. His two quality starts during the month were the most among finalists and tied for the second most in the system.
That is enough to push the award to Rajcic, but let’s review the other finalists’ results first.
Of the six finalists whose ERAs are in the 2.25 to 2.46 range, here are some results that caught my eye.
The two leaders of the FCL rotation, Darlin Saladin and Gerardo Salas, were both strong to close the season, with August ERAs of 2.31 and 2.25, respectively. Saladin had slightly better strikeout and walk rates while Salas gave up fewer hits. While they were on the mound, a total of nine unearned runs also came home.
Peoria’s Andrew Marrero successfully closed three of four opportunities while striking out an amazing 15.1 batters per nine. However, his walk rate of 7.2 per nine was also the highest among our finalists. His only loss and blown save of the month was in support of Rajcic.
Another Chiefs starter, Zane Mills, bounced back from a difficult first four months of 2023 with a 2.42 ERA over five starts. Five of the 12 runs scored during his 26 August innings were unearned.
Palm Beach reliever Henry Gomez had a 2.45 ERA with one loss and a save in the only opportunity presented him.
Alex Cornwell made just three starts for Springfield with a major part of his success, including a 2.25 ERA, due to a ground out to fly out ratio of 2.44, the highest among finalists by a considerable margin. However, Cornwell’s .290 batting average against was highest among the 11.
With this review of all 11 finalists complete, Rajcic is our August Pitcher of the Month, following his June Co-Pitcher honors from The Cardinals organization.
About the winner
Rajcic (pronounced like “magic”) joined the Cardinals organization as their first right-hander taken in the 2022 draft, in the sixth round from UCLA. As a draft eligible sophomore, the 21-year-old received third-round money to sign early, which better indicates where his talent stacks up.
Like many starters, Rajcic throws four pitches, and mixes them well. Unlike many others, however, he has excellent command. He had good results as both a starter and a closer with the Bruins.
After opening the season and his career with Palm Beach, Rajcic generated a 1.89 ERA over 12 starts, earning a promotion to Peoria on June 26. Through 10 starts for the Chiefs, his ERA is 3.04.
Rajcic’s conservative no. 39 ranking on The Cardinal Nation’s top prospect list to open 2023 was due in part due to him not appearing in game action after signing last summer. However, his results to date have powered a steady monthly rise to no. 14 in the system in our August re-rankings.
Significantly more background on Rajcic is available for TCN members here:
How did last month’s winners fare?
Nelfy Ynfante of the Dominican Summer League was The Cardinal Nation’s July Pitcher of the Month, while the choice of the Cardinals organization was Palm Beach’s Brycen Mautz. For different reasons, neither was able to sustain his July success.
It turned out that Ynfante’s July 28 outing was his final appearance of 2023. The 18-year-old did not pitch in August.
Last month, Mautz only threw 13 innings over three starts for Palm Beach with a 6.23 ERA. He struck out 18 and walked just one. His .475 BABIP was among the highest in the system, suggesting considerable bad luck.
What is next
During the upcoming week, I expect the Cardinals organization to announce their choices of August Pitcher and Player of Month.
Related article
The Cardinal Nation August 2023 Player of the Month – Thomas Saggese
Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation
Now available – 2023 Cardinals Prospect Guide
The Cardinal Nation 2023 Prospect Guide is back for its sixth year. It includes a record 292 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of new scouting reports and much more.
https://thecardinalnation.com/order-tcns-2023-cardinals-prospect-guide/
Not yet a member?
Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.
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© 2023 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Cardinals Release Six from the Florida Complex LeagueOn September 1, the St. Louis Cardinals released six players from the roster of the rookie-league Florida Complex League. Three are pitchers and three are position players.
Cardinals Claim CF Michael Siani off Waivers from RedsOn Saturday, September 2, the St. Louis Cardinals claimed center fielder Michael Siani off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds and assigned him to Triple-A Memphis. Reliever Guillermo Zuniga was moved from the 15-day to the 60-day injured list.
photo: Thomas Saggese (Springfield Cardinals)
Edging out Peoria’s Jimmy Crooks, Springfield infielder Thomas Saggese is The Cardinal Nation’s August Player of the Month after dominating Texas League pitchers in his first month as a Cardinal. 11 finalists’ results are analyzed.
This article details the selection of The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Month for the last full month of the 2023 season. Considered were offensive results during August across the entire St. Louis Cardinals system. The winner as well as a group of runners up, or finalists, are highlighted.
Starting with the usual 60 plate appearances requirement, a total of 37 hitters in the system qualified. 11 further separated themselves with OPSes of .850 or above, which are our finalists. They include four between .850 and .899, five in the .900s, one in the 1.000’s and one really standing out with an OPS well over 1.100.
Specifically, with an OPS of 1.140 and other results that are also head and shoulders above the others, Springfield second baseman Thomas Saggese is our winner.
Demographics
Triple-A Memphis, High-A Peoria and Low-A Palm Beach tied with three finalists while Double-A Springfield had two. The two short-season clubs –in the rookie-level Florida Complex League and Dominican Summer League –concluded their seasons during the month, with no players having enough plate appearances to qualify.
The rookie level squads really struggled on the field this summer and their offenses were a major reason why. To that end, only one DSL Cardinals hitter had an OPS over .671 for the month, and Facundo Velasquez came in at just .714.
While Peoria had three finalists, there was a huge gap in results between that trio and the rest of their teammates. Specifically, the “best” of the five Chiefs non-finalist qualifiers (at .671) was 223 OPS points below the “worst” of the three Peoria finalists (at .900).
Just missed
Several others with good Augusts fell below the plate appearance qualification measure.
After missing out of consideration in both June and July because of time with St. Louis, the same thing occurred in August for Memphis first baseman Luken Baker. The big man played in just 10 games for the Redbirds last month but swatted an amazing eight home runs and drove in 21 while amassing a 1.449 OPS. Sadly, Baker is rarely used, residing on the Cardinals’ bench.
His new/old teammate Masyn Winn also had a hot start to August before his much celebrated promotion upward. More on that below.
The FCL club had two standouts in outfielders Jose Cordoba and Luis Piño. The former logged a .970 OPS but didn’t take a walk in 34 plate appearances. The latter had an .883 OPS, but his 29.3% strikeout rate stands out for the wrong reason.
Among qualifiers who were not finalists, Springfield’s Victor Scott swiped 16 bases in 18 tries, batted .330 and logged a decent .838 OPS. However, his walk rate is still too low at just 5.8% in August.
Reminder
Please remember, this is NOT the “Player of the Month Among Top Prospects”. Every player in the system has an equal chance, with only their performance during the month used to differentiate the best of the best. Age and level, which are key prospect considerations, are not factors here, either.
We will take two views of the data. The first look will be basic stats, followed by rate stats. Names are listed in the same sequence in both tables, in descending OPS order.
The stats
| Hitter | Tm | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | CS | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| Thomas Saggese | Spr | 27 | 122 | 105 | 23 | 37 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 26 | 14 | 29 | 2 | 0 | 0.352 | 0.426 | 0.714 | 1.140 |
| Jimmy Crooks | Peo | 24 | 103 | 95 | 16 | 36 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 22 | 7 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0.379 | 0.427 | 0.611 | 1.038 |
| Noah Mendlinger | Spr | 22 | 98 | 78 | 15 | 28 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 17 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0.359 | 0.474 | 0.474 | 0.948 |
| Kade Kretzschmar | PB | 16 | 62 | 52 | 9 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 0.346 | 0.452 | 0.481 | 0.933 |
| William Sullivan | PB | 16 | 67 | 60 | 9 | 21 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0.350 | 0.418 | 0.500 | 0.918 |
| R.J. Yeager | Peo | 25 | 109 | 98 | 16 | 33 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 8 | 17 | 4 | 1 | 0.337 | 0.404 | 0.500 | 0.904 |
| Chris Rotondo | Peo | 26 | 110 | 90 | 16 | 24 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 17 | 14 | 26 | 4 | 0 | 0.267 | 0.400 | 0.500 | 0.900 |
| Ivan Herrera | Mem | 22 | 103 | 75 | 18 | 23 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 23 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 0.307 | 0.485 | 0.400 | 0.885 |
| Nick Dunn | Mem | 24 | 107 | 87 | 17 | 29 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 20 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0.333 | 0.458 | 0.425 | 0.883 |
| Zach Levenson | PB | 20 | 91 | 80 | 18 | 21 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 18 | 8 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0.263 | 0.330 | 0.550 | 0.880 |
| Chase Pinder | Mem | 15 | 60 | 51 | 9 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 6 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0.275 | 0.367 | 0.510 | 0.877 |
| Hitter | Tm | PA | GO/AO | XBH | TB | BABIP | ISO | BB/K | BB% | SO% |
| Thomas Saggese | Spr | 122 | 0.32 | 17 | 75 | 0.406 | 0.362 | 0.483 | 11.5% | 23.8% |
| Jimmy Crooks | Peo | 103 | 1.63 | 14 | 58 | 0.432 | 0.232 | 0.412 | 6.8% | 16.5% |
| Noah Mendlinger | Spr | 98 | 1.05 | 7 | 37 | 0.403 | 0.115 | 1.545 | 17.3% | 11.2% |
| Kade Kretzschmar | PB | 62 | 2.29 | 4 | 25 | 0.425 | 0.135 | 0.636 | 11.3% | 17.7% |
| William Sullivan | PB | 67 | 1.27 | 7 | 30 | 0.457 | 0.150 | 0.500 | 10.4% | 20.9% |
| R.J. Yeager | Peo | 109 | 0.66 | 11 | 49 | 0.392 | 0.163 | 0.471 | 7.3% | 15.6% |
| Chris Rotondo | Peo | 110 | 0.74 | 14 | 45 | 0.344 | 0.233 | 0.538 | 12.7% | 23.6% |
| Ivan Herrera | Mem | 103 | 2.36 | 5 | 30 | 0.373 | 0.093 | 1.438 | 22.3% | 15.5% |
| Nick Dunn | Mem | 107 | 0.92 | 6 | 37 | 0.368 | 0.092 | 2.000 | 18.7% | 9.3% |
| Zach Levenson | PB | 91 | 0.72 | 10 | 44 | 0.259 | 0.288 | 0.444 | 8.8% | 19.8% |
| Chase Pinder | Mem | 60 | 0.92 | 6 | 26 | 0.324 | 0.235 | 0.400 | 10.0% | 25.0% |
With a large gap of 102 points between the top OPS and the second and another 90 points between the second and the other finalists, the identity of our winner is obvious.
Springfield second baseman Thomas Saggese had a tremendous first full month as a Cardinal and is our very deserving winner. But Peoria catcher Jimmy Crooks also had the numbers to win this award most months.
Saggese led the Cardinals system in hits (37), extra base hits (17), runs scored (23), triples (three), home runs (nine), RBI (26), slugging (.714), OPS (1.140) and isolated power (ISO at .362) plus he was third in batting average (.352).
Despite a reputation as a free swinger, Saggese had a credible 11.5% walk rate. His strikeout rate of 23.8% is consistent with his career norm. Also note his strong tendency to put the ball in the air, as evidenced by his .32 to 1 ground out to fly out ratio.
Along with Saggese’s strong debut, there were many other notable August performances, starting with Crooks.
Peoria’s catcher had a tremendous month, starting with the system’s top batting average at .379. His hit total of 36 was just one behind Saggese. While Crooks had “only” four home runs, he tied for the organization’s lead with 10 doubles, pointing to even better results ahead. His .611 slugging was second in the system to Saggese.
Springfield’s Noah Mendlinger posted an impressive .359 batting average, second in the system. Walking more than he struck out, 17 to 11, powered Mendlinger’s on-base mark of .474, which was also second in the organization.
With an amazing walk rate of 22.3% in August on 23 free passes taken (against just 16 strikeouts), both system bests, Ivan Herrera backed that up with a solid .307 batting average. Together, they created an OBP of .485, best in the Cardinals organization as the Memphis catcher continues his strong 2023 season.
Of minor concern was that 18 of Herrera’s 23 hits were singles, making his .400 slugging percentage the lowest among our 11 finalists. His ground out to fly out ratio of almost 2.4 to 1 was highest among our August leaders.
The third finalist with more walks (20) than strikeouts (10) was our June Player of the Month, Nick Dunn. Then with Springfield but now with Memphis, the second baseman quickly adapted to Triple-A, batting .333 with a .458 OBP for the Redbirds in August.
Despite batting just .267 in August, Peoria outfielder Chris Rotondo made his hits count, with 14 of 23 going for extra bases. That included a system-tying best 10 doubles. Rotondo was also perfect in four stolen base attempts.
Newly signed after being selected in the fifth round of the 2023 draft from the University of Miami, Palm Beach outfielder Zach Levenson had a strong first full month as a professional. He slammed six home runs, third in the system behind Saggese and Baker, with a .550 slugging mark that is third among finalists after Saggese and Crooks.
Also notable is that Levenson accomplished this despite a very low .259 BABIP.
Speaking of BABIP, there were a lot of high counts in August, with the top five finalists in OPS all posting BABIPs over .400. Of course, some good fortune contributes to good results. However, it should also be noted that Saggese has never had a season BABIP below .350 in his career.
Other August finalists include two more newcomers at Palm Beach, Kade Kretzschmar and William Sullivan, plus Peoria’s R.J. Yeager and Memphis outfielder Chase Pinder.
About the winner
Saggese’s August was not a flash in the pan. Before joining the Cardinals organization from Texas in the Montgomery-Stratton trade, he was tearing up the Texas League for Frisco.
His 26 RBI with his new club in August increased his season total to 104, best in the league in 2023, same as his .322 average. And his 24 home runs in aggregate is second only to new teammate Chandler Redmond (28), making a Texas League Triple Crown a possibility, not to mention the league MVP award.
Saggese leads all Minor League Baseball in hits (152) and total bases (263) and is among Double-A leaders in 11 offensive categories this season.
The infielder debuted on The Cardinal Nation’s Top 50 Prospect List at number 10.
How did last month’s winner fare?
After 10 games in August, our July winner Masyn Winn received a promotion to St. Louis. He earned it by remaining red-hot into the month, slashing .325/.391/.550/.941 over 46 plate appearances with Memphis. While the shortstop has not performed at the same level in his Major League introduction, the future of our number one Cardinals prospect remains bright.
What is next?
Check back on Sunday for The Cardinal Nation’s August Pitcher of the Month announcement. The Cardinals organization should also name their own selections of Player and Pitcher of the Month in the coming week.
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Now available – 2023 Cardinals Prospect Guide
The Cardinal Nation 2023 Prospect Guide is back for its sixth year. It includes a record 292 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of new scouting reports and much more.
https://thecardinalnation.com/order-tcns-2023-cardinals-prospect-guide/
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Cardinals Expand Roster to 28 with Lars Nootbaar and Ryan HelsleyOn Friday, September 1, Major League rosters expand from 26 to 28 players. The St. Louis Cardinals used both of their spots to activate previously injured big leaguers.
The Cardinal Nation Prospect Interview 2023 – Zach LevensonIn this exclusive interview, St. Louis Cardinals fifth-round draft pick Zach Levenson discusses a variety of topics – from the benefit of summer ball to how he increased his power while cutting his strikeouts to his fast start with Low-A Palm Beach.
Cardinals Backfill Memphis Bullpen with Logan SawyerVarious injuries suffered by pitchers on the St. Louis Cardinals recently meant a series of callups from Triple-A Memphis were required. As a result, the Redbirds were down to just 11 active pitchers. So, a reinforcement has been added from Double-A Springfield, and he was backfilled from High-A Peoria with a familiar face.
The Cardinal Nation Prospect Interview 2023 – Pete HansenIn this exclusive interview for The Cardinal Nation, the winningest pitcher in the St. Louis Cardinals system, prospect Pete Hansen, discusses a variety of topics about his first season in professional baseball, and his various mound offerings.
Cardinals Welcome Back Nolan GormanOn August 25, the St. Louis Cardinals activated one of their top hitters from the injured list. Other Friday system-wide transactions are noted.
The Cardinal Nation Prospect Interview 2023 – Brycen MautzIn this exclusive interview, St. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect Brycen Mautz discusses a variety of topics focused on his first season in professional baseball, and his various mound offerings. The Palm Beach lefty is The Cardinal Nation’s 12th ranked prospect.
Cardinals Minor League Injury Moves and ReleasesIn their minor league system, the St. Louis Cardinals moved one player onto the injured list, activated another and released two rookie-ball infielders.
The Cardinal Nation Prospect Interview 2023 – Chase DavisIn this exclusive interview, St. Louis Cardinals first-round draft pick Chase Davis discusses a variety of topics – from why he selected his college major to his transition to professional baseball, and how he characterizes himself as a hitter.
Liberatore Shelved by Cardinals; Barnes Added from Triple-AOn Tuesday, the St. Louis Cardinals placed left-handed starting pitcher Matthew Liberatore on the 15-day injured list, replacing him with veteran reliever Jacob Barnes.
Manager Gary Kendall on his 2023 Palm Beach CardinalsThe manager of the Palm Beach Cardinals discusses the three different seasons in one, challenges in a streamlined minor league structure as well as hitting and pitching standouts previously and currently on his Class-A club.
Cardinals Acquisitions Rom and Roby Receive New ChallengesAmong Monday transactions across the St. Louis Cardinals system is the promotion of Drew Rom to St. Louis and the activation of Tekoah Roby at Springfield. Both trade acquisitions have been in the system for just three weeks.
