The Texas League Pitcher of the Year, left-hander Ixan Henderson, is The Cardinal Nation’s top Starting Pitcher in the St. Louis Cardinals minor league system in 2025, with the lowest ERA and FIP among qualifiers.
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All posts by Brian Walton
TCN’s 2025 Cardinals Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year
Springfield’s Luis Gastelum repeats as The Cardinal Nation’s top relief pitcher in the St. Louis Cardinals minor league system. The right-hander’s impressive 2025 included system-wide leadership in FIP, xFIP, strikeout rate and strikeout to walk ratio, as he edged ERA leader Andre Granillo.
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TCNs 2025 Cardinals Minor League Rookie Player of the Year
Continuing our cross-system awards for the 2025 St. Louis Cardinals Minor League system, Brian Walton selects the top first-year position player on the US-based affiliates. 20th rounder Chase Heath is not Mr. Irrelevant.
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TCNs 2025 Cardinals Minor League Rookie Pitcher of the Year
In the first of our cross-system awards for the 2025 St. Louis Cardinals Minor League system, Brian Walton selects the top first-year pitcher on the US-based affiliates. Non-drafted right-hander Bobby Olsen got off to a quick start as a professional.
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St. Louis Cardinals 2025-2026 Winter Ball Report – October 25
Tracking winter ball results of nine St. Louis Cardinals farmhands playing in early action in Latin America. Bryan Torres is red-hot with a 1.049 OPS through five games in the Dominican Republic.
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2025 Memphis Redbirds Reliever of the Year
Right-hander Andre Granillo led the Memphis Redbirds bullpen in ERA, wins (tied), batting average against, WHIP, walk rate and strikeout to walk ratio and was a close second in K rate. The 25-year-old is our Reliever of the Year for the Triple-A squad.
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2025 Florida Complex League Cardinals Reliever of the Year
21-year-old right-hander Alan Reyes posted the lowest ERA in the rookie league team’s pen by more than 2 ½ runs per nine and lowest WHIP. The FCL All-Star placed second among qualifiers in strikeout to walk ratio and ground ball rate.
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2025 Cardinals Minor League Leaders – Pitching Rate Stats
Brian Walton identifies leaders in pitching rate stats across the St. Louis Cardinals system in 2025, with Luis Gastelum first in multiple categories including FIP, xFIP, strikeout rate and strikeout to walk ratio.
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2025 Cardinals Minor League Leaders – Pitching Counting Stats
Brian Walton identifies the top starting and relief pitchers by the numbers across the St. Louis Cardinals system in 2025. Springfield’s Luis Gastelum topped the organization in games finished and saves.
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2025 Cardinals Minor League Leaders – Speed Stats
Brian Walton outlines the top St. Louis Cardinals minor league players on the bases in 2025. Joshua Baez made the most attempts, stole the most bases and he also finished in the top six in success rate.
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2025 Cardinals Minor League Leaders – Hitting Rate Stats
Brian Walton looks at the top hitters, on-base artists, sluggers and more across the St. Louis Cardinals minor league system in 2025. Bryan Torres and JJ Wetherholt made seven of nine top five lists, with the former leading the organization in walk rate and OBP.
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2025 Cardinals Minor League Leaders – Hitting Counting Stats
Brian Walton identifies the leaders across the St. Louis Cardinals system in 2025 in counting stats, including hits, doubles, triples, home runs and more. JJ Wetherholt ranks in the top five in six of eight stats, leading in walks and runs scored.
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Three Memphis Redbirds Honored by the International League
photo: JJ Wetherholt (Memphis Redbirds)
Memphis Redbirds reliever Andre Granillo and second baseman Jose Fermín are International League All-Stars and shortstop JJ Wetherholt is the Triple-A circuit’s Top MLB Prospect for 2025.
On Saturday, September 27, Minor League Baseball announced their annual awards at the Triple-A level. The Memphis Redbirds were well represented, with three honorees.
Representing the 20-team International League, the Cardinals top affiliate scored two selections on the 16-man All-Star squad. Redbirds reliever Andre Granillo and second baseman José Fermín are 2025 IL All-Stars. Both players also spent considerable time with St. Louis during the season.
In addition, Double-A Texas League Most Valuable Player JJ Wetherholt was named the Triple-A circuit’s Top MLB Prospect for 2025 based on his standout season-ending Triple-A debut.
Granillo was 5-0 with a 1.29 ERA, four holds, two saves in two attempts, and 58 strikeouts against just 14 walks in 42 innings over 29 games for the Redbirds. The 25-year-old was also The Cardinal Nation’s system-wide Pitcher of the Month for May.
In 65 games with Memphis, Fermín batted 40-for-178, slashing .300/.428/.485/.913 with seven home runs, 40 RBI and 20 stolen bases in 25 tries. Earlier, the 26-year-old was the IL Player of the Week for the period of June 18-23.
After joining Memphis for the final 47 games, Wetherholt, 23, went 58-for-185 and slashed .314/.416/.562/.978 with 10 home runs, 25 RBI and nine stolen bases in 10 attempts.
St. Louis shortstop Masyn Winn, Wetherholt’s likely future double-play partner, won this award in 2023.
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Cardinals’ Team bWAR Leader Lowest Since 1903
Every year since 2011, the St. Louis Cardinals had a different bWAR leader, with the top mark in 2025 the lowest in any full season since 1903.
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Cardinals Name Joshua Baez and Luis Gastelum their Top August Minor Leaguers
photo: Luis Gastelum (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals’ August Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Month are Springfield teammates – outfielder Joshua Baez and reliever Luis Gastelum.
St. Louis Cardinals press release
The St. Louis Cardinals today (Tuesday, September 16) announced their selections for Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Month for August, with Springfield Cardinals (AA) outfielder Joshua Baez and right-handed relief pitcher Luis Gastelum (pronounced gah-STELL-oom) taking home the honors.
Baez, 22, slashed .293/.389/.507 and ranked in the top 10 among Cardinals minor leaguers in OPS (.896), AVG, SLG, home runs (5), RBI (14), total bases (38), and stolen bases (7) in 22 games with Springfield. He reached base safely in 18 games played and his 22 hits were the second-most in a single month of his professional career. His contact rate for August ranked in the 81st percentile of all Double-A batters, while running a 11% walk rate and only striking out 13% of the time.
“JB had an outstanding August and a strong year overall. He’s making consistent hard contact, driving the ball at productive angles, and showing steady improvement at the plate,” said Cardinals Director of Player Development Larry Day. “His uptick in contact has enabled him to cut down on strikeouts and has created more opportunities to do damage, which he has capitalized on. These results reflect the hard work he’s put into refining his routines and his commitment to daily, disciplined preparation. His productive August is a clear outcome of those investments that he has made into himself.”
Selected by the Cardinals in the 2nd round (54th overall) of the 2021 MLB Draft, the right-handed hitting Baez is enjoying a breakout season after starting the year with High-A Peoria and earning a promotion to Springfield on May 29. Currently ranked as the team’s 9th-best prospect by Baseball America, the Boston native is slashing .282/.378/.481 across 112 games with 17 homers, 23 doubles, three triples, 73 RBI and 51 stolen bases. He ranks among all St. Louis minor league players in home runs (2nd), extra-base hits (2nd), RBI (3rd) and stolen bases (1st); and is just the second Cardinals minor leaguer since 2005 with 40+ extra-base hits and 50+ stolen bases in a single season.
Gastelum, 23, posted a 2.93 ERA (5 ER/15.1 IP), four saves, 0.85 WHIP, 22 strikeouts and just three walks across 10 appearances in August. Among qualified Cardinals minor league relievers (min. 12.0 IP), Gastelum ranked first in saves, strikeouts and SO/BB ratio (7.33), third in SO/9 IP (12.91) and fourth in WHIP. He was unscored upon in eight of his 10 appearances and posted an outstanding 38% strikeout rate along with a 5% walk rate.
“Gasty has been effective all season, with August being a strong highlight. He’s worked hard to improve his ability to throw strikes and enhance the quality of both his fastball and changeup,” stated Day. “He’s pitched in pitcher’s counts during 88% of at-bats, featuring a fastball averaging nearly 95 MPH and a changeup that has produced a 74% whiff rate in two-strike situations. These results reflect the consistent work he’s put into his daily routines, inclusive of his throwing programs and his mound touches. A respected teammate, many are excited to see him recognized as August Pitcher of the Month.”
Signed by the Cardinals as an International free-agent out of Mexico in April 2023, Gastelum started the season with Springfield, bypassing High-A Peoria, after pitching with Single-A Palm Beach in 2024. Since May 15, he owns a 2.94 ERA with a 0.88 WHIP, .185 average against and 69/10 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 49.0 innings pitched (34 appearances), while leading the St. Louis system with nine saves. Gastelum is currently riding an 11.0 inning scoreless streak, allowing just four hits over his last seven outings.
Brian Walton’s take
Congratulations to the organization’s choices.
Earlier, The Cardinal Nation selected Palm Beach catcher Rainiel Rodriguez as our August Player of the Month and Springfield reliever Michael Watson is our choice as the Pitcher of the Month.
Refer to the articles below for detailed stats on approximately 10 finalists for each award, including the winners.
The Cardinal Nation August 2025 Player of the Month – Rainiel Rodriguez
The Cardinal Nation’s August 2025 Pitcher of the Month – Michael Watson
Now 20% off – 2025 Cardinals Prospect Guide
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All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!
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Comparing Cardinals AFL Assignees to Recent Guardians Selections
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© 2025 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Comparing Cardinals AFL Assignees to Recent Guardians Selections
In 2025, the St. Louis Cardinals are sending only one Top 30 prospect to the Arizona Fall League. A significant departure from the past, their approach has parallels with that of the Cleveland Guardians in recent years.
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Cardinals Name Eight to 2025 Arizona Fall League
On Wednesday, the St. Louis Cardinals announced the selection of eight players to the Glendale Desert Dogs in the 2025 Arizona Fall League, headlined by prospects Chen-Wei Lin and Travis Honeyman.
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Cardinals Promote Doyle and Others into Double-A as Class-A Seasons End
On Tuesday, the St. Louis Cardinals brought three players onto the Double-A Springfield roster, led by 2025 first-rounder, left-handed pitcher Liam Doyle.
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Rainiel Rodriguez Promoted Again
The Cardinal Nation’s no. 8 prospect, catcher Rainiel Rodriguez, will play the final four games of the 2025 season with High-A Peoria. Two other transactions were also announced on Thursday.
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The Cardinal Nation’s August 2025 Pitcher of the Month – Michael Watson
photo: Michael Watson (P.J. Maigi/Springfield Cardinals)
Springfield reliever Michael Watson had the top overall pitching performance in the St. Louis Cardinals organization during August, leading in in strikeout to walk ratio (tied), second in ERA, WHIP and strikeout rate (tied), third in walk rate and tied for second in the system in saves.
It is time to select The Cardinal Nation’s August 2025 Pitcher of the Month. This article covers pitchers across all levels of the St. Louis Cardinals minor league system during the period.
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 primary factors here.
Guidelines
To qualify, a pitcher must have thrown at least 10 innings during August. Fifty-two pitchers across the system met this bar.
Normally, an ERA below 2.00 is required to become a finalist. However, only five pitchers would have qualified, including just one starter who is on a limited pitch count.
So, to be more inclusive, I raised this month’s bar to ERAs under 2.40. That added six names for a total of 11 finalists. The group consists of four starters and seven relievers.
Playoff bound Springfield leads the pack with five finalists, including reliever Hunter Hayes, who made all but one August appearance at Double-A. Next is Triple-A Memphis and Low-A Palm Beach with two apiece. High-A Peoria and the Dominican Summer League had one finalist each. The Florida Complex League season concluded in July.
The finalists broke out into three groupings. Three pitchers posted an August ERA below 1.00 with no one else under 1.50. Two finished between 1.50 and 1.61 and the other six were between 2.03 and 2.32.
Counting stats
Finalists are listed in ascending ERA order.
| Name | Age | Team | G | GS | W | L | SV | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
| Mason Burns | 23 | Peoria | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 13.3 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 0.68 |
| Michael Watson | 23 | Springfield | 9 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 16 | 0.69 | ||
| Tyler Van Dyke | 21 | Palm Beach | 4 | 4 | 11.7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 0.77 | |||
| Tyler Bradt | 24 | Springfield | 8 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 1.50 | ||
| Nelfy Ynfante | 20 | Palm Beach | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 22.3 | 24 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 27 | 1.61 | |
| Zack Weiss | 33 | Memphis | 8 | 0 | 1 | 13.3 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 15 | 2.03 | ||
| Hunter Hayes | 24 | Peoria/Spr. | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 13.3 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 2.03 | |
| Gabriel Chinchilla | 18 | DSL | 3 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 16 | 2.08 | ||
| Ricardo Velez | 26 | Springfield | 7 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 16 | 2.08 | ||
| Quinn Mathews | 24 | Memphis | 6 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 31.7 | 22 | 8 | 8 | 13 | 41 | 2.27 | |
| Brycen Mautz | 23 | Springfield | 6 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 31 | 23 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 33 | 2.32 |
The three with August ERAs under 1.00 are Mason Burns (0.68), Michael Watson (0.69) and Ty Van Dyke (0.77). The first two are relievers, at Peoria and Springfield, respectively.
The latter, Van Dyke, was St. Louis’ 10th round selection in the 2025 draft. He is the only pitcher from his Cardinals class regularly throwing multiple innings, averaging just under three per start for Palm Beach. His August inning total is comparable to bullpen finalists and lowest among our group of 11.
In the 1.50 to 1.61 range are Springfield reliever Tyler Bradt and Palm Beach starter Nelfy Ynfante.
The above-2.00 ERA finalists begin with Memphis bullpenner Zack Weiss and Hayes (both 2.03), followed by Gabriel Chinchilla from the DSL and Ricardo Velez (both 2.08). The group concludes with two prominent starters, Memphis’ Quinn Mathews (2.27) and Springfield’s Brycen Mautz (2.33).
Rate stats
Here are additional statistics from the finalists in the same ascending ERA sequence.
| Name | ERA | GB/FB | WHIP | BAbip | K/9 | BB/9 | K/BB |
| Mason Burns | 0.68 | 42% | 0.83 | 0.176 | 8.1 | 3.4 | 2.4 |
| Michael Watson | 0.69 | 41% | 0.77 | 0.207 | 11.1 | 2.8 | 4.0 |
| Tyler Van Dyke | 0.77 | 35% | 0.60 | 0.161 | 6.2 | 1.5 | 4.0 |
| Tyler Bradt | 1.50 | 29% | 1.00 | 0.133 | 6.0 | 5.3 | 1.1 |
| Nelfy Ynfante | 1.61 | 43% | 1.43 | 0.383 | 10.9 | 3.2 | 3.4 |
| Zack Weiss | 2.03 | 41% | 1.20 | 0.324 | 10.1 | 3.4 | 3.0 |
| Hunter Hayes | 2.03 | 32% | 1.13 | 0.270 | 7.4 | 3.4 | 2.2 |
| Gabriel Chinchilla | 2.08 | 60% | 1.23 | 0.300 | 11.1 | 4.8 | 2.3 |
| Ricardo Velez | 2.08 | 52% | 1.15 | 0.300 | 11.1 | 3.5 | 3.2 |
| Quinn Mathews | 2.27 | 43% | 1.11 | 0.278 | 11.7 | 3.7 | 3.2 |
| Brycen Mautz | 2.32 | 49% | 1.03 | 0.266 | 9.6 | 2.6 | 3.7 |
Chinchilla (60%) and Velez (52% and our June winner) are the only finalists who induced ground balls at a higher rate than fly balls. Five others are tightly clustered between a 41% and 43% ground ball to fly ball rate. The two Tylers, Bradt and Van Dyke, were the lowest at just 29% and 35%, respectively.
In his favor, however, was Van Dyke’s finalist-low WHIP at 0.60. Also among the best at keeping runners off the bases were Watson and Burns at 0.77 and 0.83. The rest were solid (1.00 to 1.23), with Ynfante as the negative outlier at 1.43.
In BABIP, Ynfante was by far the unluckiest at .383, with the four finalists with the lowest ERA all posting very low BABIPs under .207. That suggests fortune with batted balls that may not be sustained.
In the selection process for their own Pitcher of the Month, the Cardinals organization seems to place great emphasis on strikeout rate and strikeout to walk ratio.
Strikeout rate breaks out into three clusters. Six are between 10.9 and 11.7 per nine innings. Four others are in the range of 6.0 to 8.1. One, Mautz, is at 9.6.
At the top is Mathews (11.7), with Watson, Chinchilla and Velez next at 11.1 strikeouts per nine.
The Tylers (6.0 and 6.2), Hayes (7.4) and Burns (8.1) are the finalists to fan fewer than a batter per inning.
Van Dyke (1.5 BB/9) was the stingiest in issuing walks among finalists by a considerable margin, with Mautz (2.6) and Watson next (2.8). Bradt (5.0), Chinchilla (4.8) and Mathews (3.7) issued free passes at the highest rate.
Put the two measures together and Watson (K) and Van Dyke (BB) both reached a finalist-best 4.0 strikeout to walk rate in opposite ways. Next are Mautz and 3.7 and Ynfante at 3.4. Lowest was Bradt at 1.1.
The selection
As in past months, a key decision is whether to take the best numbers even though they are from a reliever or make accommodations to select a starter. This month, I felt the ERA gap was too large when supported by strikeout and walk rates.
Considering all results, Michael Watson is our choice as The Cardinal Nation’s Pitcher of the Month.
During August, Watson was first in strikeout to walk ratio (tied), second in ERA, WHIP and strikeout rate (tied), third in walk rate and tied for second in the system in saves.
About the winner
The 23-year-old left-hander has been a tremendous find as an undrafted free agent from Sam Houston State in 2024 who briefly pitched in independent ball between the college season and signing.
Promoted twice in 2025, Watson is excelling at Double-A in his first full professional season, but is not a flash in the pan.
To begin his Cardinals stint in 2024, after posting an ERA of 0.68 with Palm Beach, Watson was named The Cardinal Nation’s Rookie Pitcher of the Year.
Just two weeks into the 2025 schedule, Watson earned a promotion to High-A Peoria. After holding Midwest League hitters to a .164 average, he received his second move upward, joining Springfield in mid-July. That means Watson’s excellent August was his first full month pitching at Double-A.
Often called upon in late innings, Watson relies more on a low arm slot and run than velocity (low 90s), but he has always racked up the strikeouts.
For Peoria, he fanned 9.7 per nine to go with a 2-1 record, two holds and three saves in four chances in 22 appearances. In 14 outings with Springfield, Watson has a 12.3 K per nine rate, an 0-1 record, one hold and is also 3-for-4 in save opportunities.
Michael Watson fired a season-high 92.1 mph on his heater to strike out the side.
Watson was a UDFA pickup this year for the Cardinals and has been fantastic so far. His fastball generates 16" of ride from a 5.1' vertical release. pic.twitter.com/IcFO7uxqFd
— Kareem Haq (@KareemSSN) September 6, 2024
Watson is 38th on The Cardinal Nation’s most recent prospect list re-ranking.
How last month’s winner fared this month
The choice of July Pitcher of the Month by both The Cardinal Nation and the Cardinals organization was Peoria starting pitcher Braden Davis.
During August, the left-hander continued to be solid, with a 2.63 ERA and 12 strikeouts per nine innings, but Davis also walked 6.4 batters per nine.
Companion article
Earlier, Palm Beach catcher Rainiel Rodriguez was named the top hitter in the system for the month per The Cardinal Nation. Check out the 18-year-old’s August results and those of our other finalists here:
The Cardinal Nation August 2025 Player of the Month – Rainiel Rodriguez
What is next?
The Cardinals organization will name their own selections for August Player and Pitcher of the Month in the upcoming days.
Now 20% off – 2025 Cardinals Prospect Guide
The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its eighth year. It includes 256 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of all-new player scouting reports. Order your PDF or spiral-bound printed book copy today, with the latter on closeout for 20% off!
All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!
Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation
Not yet a member?
Subscribe to The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.
Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com. Follow Brian and The Cardinal Nation on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.
© 2025 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The Cardinal Nation August 2025 Player of the Month – Rainiel Rodriguez
photo: Rainiel Rodriguez (Palm Beach Cardinals)
The Cardinal Nation’s choice as the top hitter in the St. Louis Cardinals organization during August is Palm Beach catcher Rainiel Rodriguez. The 18-year-old led the system in home runs, extra base hits (tied), RBI, slugging percentage and OPS.
This article details the selection of The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Month. Considered were offensive results during August across the entire St. Louis Cardinals system. The winner as well as a group of seven runners-up are highlighted.
Starting with the usual 60 plate appearances requirement, a total of 41 hitters in the system qualified. Eight separated themselves with an August OPS above .850.
Triple-A Memphis leads the finalist list with three. Double-A Springfield and High-A Peoria feature two apiece, and Low-A Palm Beach had just one, though his results were exceptional! The two rookie level teams are done for 2025.
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.
Names in the two tables below are listed in the same descending OPS order.
Rate Stats
| Hitter | Age | Tm | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | BB rate | K rate | BB/K |
| Rainiel Rodriguez | 18 | Palm Beach | 0.293 | 0.420 | 0.598 | 1.018 | 14.0% | 16.0% | 0.88 |
| JJ Wetherholt | 22 | Memphis | 0.333 | 0.434 | 0.544 | 0.978 | 12.3% | 17.0% | 0.72 |
| Deniel Ortiz | 20 | Peoria | 0.345 | 0.447 | 0.517 | 0.964 | 14.6% | 23.3% | 0.63 |
| Jimmy Crooks | 23 | Memphis/St. Louis | 0.333 | 0.398 | 0.540 | 0.938 | 10.2% | 22.4% | 0.45 |
| Zach Levenson | 23 | Peoria/Springfield | 0.301 | 0.356 | 0.578 | 0.934 | 6.7% | 22.2% | 0.30 |
| Ryan Campos | 22 | Peoria | 0.293 | 0.391 | 0.507 | 0.897 | 12.6% | 17.2% | 0.73 |
| Joshua Baez | 22 | Springfield | 0.293 | 0.389 | 0.507 | 0.896 | 12.0% | 13.0% | 0.92 |
| Bryan Torres | 27 | Memphis | 0.322 | 0.440 | 0.424 | 0.864 | 16.7% | 14.1% | 1.18 |
Interestingly, the first three finalists in the above table are the only repeaters from July. In fact, Memphis infielder JJ Wetherholt and Peoria corner infielder Deniel Ortiz were finalists in all three summer months. The other name who returns from July is Palm Beach catcher Rainiel Rodriguez.
Only one finalist posted an August OPS of over 1.000 though two others were relatively close. First is one of the top emerging prospects in the organization, Rodriguez, at 1.018. Not far behind are Wetherholt and Ortiz at .978 and .964, respectively.
Others in this category who performed well in August include two players at new levels, new St. Louis catcher Jimmy Crooks (.938) and Springfield outfielder Zach Levenson (.934).
Five of the eight hit over .300 in August, led by Ortiz at .345, followed by Wetherholt and Crooks at ,333. The “worst” hitting finalists still batted .293 – Rodriguez, Peoria catcher Ryan Campos and Springfield outfielder Joshua Baez. The latter’s inclusion is particularly encouraging.
Four finalists posted an on-base percentage over .400. On top again was Ortiz at .447, followed by Memphis second baseman-outfielder Bryan Torres at .440. Wetherholt (.434) and Rodriguez (.420) are the others.
In slugging, Rodriguez stands tall on top at .598. The only other finalist within 50 points of him in SLG is Levenson at .578.
In walk rate, three finalists came in at 14% or better – Torres at 16.7%, then Ortiz at 14.6% and Rodriguez at 14.0%. At the other end was Levenson with a concerningly low 6.7%. The others were between 10% and 14%.
The lowest strikeout rates among finalists were compiled by Baez (13.0%), Torres (14.1%) and Rodriguez at 16.0%. Three were slightly above 22% – Ortiz, Crooks and Levenson.
The only finalist to walk more than he struck out during August was Torres, with Baez and Rodriguez closest. Levenson’s negative extremes in both measures placed him far at the bottom in this measure.
Basic stats
| Hitter | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | CS |
| Rainiel Rodriguez | 22 | 100 | 82 | 13 | 24 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 22 | 14 | 16 | 2 | 0 |
| JJ Wetherholt | 22 | 106 | 90 | 17 | 30 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 13 | 18 | 5 | 1 |
| Deniel Ortiz | 23 | 103 | 87 | 12 | 30 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 15 | 24 | 6 | 4 |
| Jimmy Crooks | 23 | 98 | 87 | 16 | 29 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 17 | 10 | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| Zach Levenson | 23 | 90 | 83 | 12 | 25 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 16 | 6 | 20 | 2 | 1 |
| Ryan Campos | 19 | 87 | 75 | 13 | 22 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 15 | 4 | 0 |
| Joshua Baez | 22 | 92 | 75 | 12 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 2 |
| Bryan Torres | 18 | 78 | 59 | 11 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 1 |
Rodriguez’ seven home runs led the entire system, not just finalists. Alone in second was Levenson with six.
The seven doubles hit by Wetherholt in August was also tops in the system, followed by a number of players with six, including finalists Ortiz, Crooks and Campos. In a bit of an oddity, catcher Campos shared the organization lead in August triples with two.
Put it together and Rodriguez’ and Wetherholt’s 11 extra-base hits tied for the most in the system during August.
Rodriguez also led the finalists and the entire system (tied) with 22 RBI, occurring at the rate of one per game all month long.
In another unusual occurrence, new Memphis first baseman Blaze Jordan also plated 22 runners last month, which he did while batting .174 with an OPS under .500. No other Cardinal farmhand, finalist or not, drove in more than 17 last month.
Baez topped the finalists with seven stolen bases (in nine attempts). The only other organizational player with more steals in August was a non-finalist, Peoria’s Won-Bin Cho with nine. Among finalists, Ortiz had the most attempts, 10, but was only 60% successful.
In runs scored, Wetherholt compiled the finalist lead in August with 17, second in the system to a non-finalist, former Memphis teammate Nathan Church with 20.
Taking it all into account, Rodriguez’ August across the board, with especially strong power and production, gives him the honor of The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Month. Wetherholt was close behind.
The 18-year-old Rodriguez led the system in August home runs, extra base hits (tied), RBI, slugging percentage and OPS. Among finalists, Rodriguez was third in highest walk rate, lowest strikeout rate and best walk-to-strikeout ratio.
About the winner
Among the brightest young prospects to emerge in the system in 2025 is Rodriguez, a player signed from the Dominican Republic just 17 months ago. It is unusual for a teenager who is in his first year in the US to experience such consistent success at two different levels of play as has Rodriguez.
This May, in his first month in the rookie-level Florida Complex League, the two-time 2024 Dominican Summer League All-Star was the consensus system-wide Player of the Month.
Now, in August, just his third month in the Florida State League, Rodriguez is performing so well that he is again our choice as the top hitter in the Cardinals system. And he won’t turn 19 years of age until just into the New Year!
Congratulations to The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Month, Rainiel Rodriguez.
How last month’s winner fared
The July Player of the Month according to both The Cardinal Nation and the Cardinals organization was Wetherholt. As noted above, had it not been for Rodriguez’ excellent August, Wetherholt could easily have been a back-to-back winner.
What is next?
Look for The Cardinal Nation’s August Pitcher of the Month article, the companion to this one, coming on Thursday.
Also, the Cardinals organization should name their own selections of August Player and Pitcher of the Month in the upcoming days.
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© 2025 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Cardinals Burleson and Pozo to IL; Prieto and Crooks to Debut
photo: Patrick Anderson and Jimmy Crooks (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals placed outfielder Alec Burleson and catcher Yohel Pozo on the injured list. The contracts of Memphis infielder César Prieto and catcher Jimmy Crooks were selected to replace them.
St. Louis Cardinals release
The St. Louis Cardinals have placed outfielder Alec Burleson (right wrist inflammation) on the 10-day Injured List and catcher Yohel Pozo (jo-EL poh-zo) on the 7-day Concussion List. Infielder César Prieto (pre-EH-toe) and catcher Jimmy Crooks have been selected from Memphis (AAA).
Prieto, 26, was acquired by the Cardinals from the Orioles organization in the trade that sent RHP Jack Flaherty to Baltimore in 2023. In 474 career minor league games over four seasons, Prieto is batting .293 with 44 home runs, 244 RBI, 117 doubles and has stolen 30 bases. The Cienfuegos, Cuba native has started 20 or more games at third base (40), shortstop (39) and second base (22) for the Redbirds. The left-handed batting Prieto was batting .295 with 9 HR, 62 RBI and 29 doubles at the time of his call-up. He is ranked T -4th in the International League in doubles and 5th with 119 hits.
Crooks, 24, was the Cardinals 4th round selection out of the University of Oklahoma in the 2022 Major League Baseball Draft. Over the past four professional seasons, the backstop has started 255 games at catcher and played in 326 games overall. The left-handed batting Crooks had a .274 average with 14 HR, 79 RBI and 21 doubles at the time of his call-up. His 79 RBI ranked 6th among International League leaders. Behind the plate, Crooks threw out 29% of attempted base stealers this season. He was named the 2024 Cardinals Minor League Player of the Year.
Burleson is leading the Cardinals in batting (.286) and hits (123) this season and ranks 2nd in home runs (16) and RBI (60).
Pozo has posted career-highs in home runs (5), RBI (19) and extra base hits (13) this season.
Prieto will wear uniform No. 31 and Crooks will wear No. 8. Both players will be active for tonight’s game in Cincinnati and will be making their Major League debuts.
Brian Walton’s take
Given the Cardinals had two 40-man roster openings and both Prieto and Crooks would have been Rule 5 eligible this fall, these moves are not especially surprising.
In terms of opportunity, Crooks is a better prospect (TCN no. 4 in the system) than Prieto and should get to play more during the final month. At this point, I can guess that the Cardinals know all they need to know about Pedro Pages, but they need to get a better reading on Crooks as they hopefully sort out the catching position over the winter.
On the other hand, Prieto is yet another infielder on a roster already loaded with them. He is our no. 32-ranked Cardinals prospect. His ceiling is likely as a reserve, the role he will likely play in the short term.
Related transactions
To replace Crooks and Prieto at Triple-A Memphis, the #stlcards promoted C Carlos Linarez and IF Brody Moore from Double-A Springfield.
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) August 29, 2025
Linarez, 23, will serve as the third catcher for the Redbirds and will be making his Triple-A debut. His .652 OPS with Springfield this season is his best in four seasons in the US.
On the other hand, Moore, 25, knows this drill well. This is the infielder’s third fill-in stint with the Redbirds in 2025. His OPS has been consistent between Double-A (.597) and Triple-A (.603) this season.
For roster and player information
The team rosters here at The Cardinal Nation are kept up to date daily. To access them, click on “ROSTERS/PLAYERS/MOVES” located on the red menu bar on the left of the page beneath The Cardinal Nation site logo.
To see the Cardinals’ entire system by level and position on one page along with every player transaction for every club all year long, check out the always current Roster Matrix at The Cardinal Nation. It has been updated during the regular season and is accessible from the same menu as the team rosters.
Now 20% off – 2025 Cardinals Prospect Guide
The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its eighth year. It includes 256 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of all-new player scouting reports. Order your PDF or spiral-bound printed book copy today, with the latter on closeout for 20% off!
All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!
Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation
Not yet a member?
Subscribe to 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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© 2025 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Cardinals Change Minor League Hitting Coordinators
St. Louis Cardinals minor league hitting coordinator Russ Steinhorn announced that he is not being retained for 2026.
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Cardinals Minor League Reliever Zeke Wood Suspended
photo: Zeke Wood (Cleburne Railroaders)
On Tuesday, August 26, Major League Baseball announced that St. Louis Cardinals minor league pitcher Zeke Wood has been suspended for 80 games following positive tests for GW1516, a performance-enhancing substance, under the minor league drug program.
The Cardinals acquired Wood’s contract from Cleburne of the American Association on June 24 of this year.
Wood began his Cardinals tenure at Palm Beach and was promoted to Peoria on August 5. Between the two Class-A stops, he struggled, with an 8.49 ERA in 11 2/3 relief innings over 12 appearances. He yielded 16 hits, walked seven and fanned 13.
The Sulphur Springs, TX native attended Texas State University from 2021-2023. He was undrafted, then pitched for the Tri-City Valley Cats of the Frontier League in 2024, with a 1.89 ERA in 25 appearances including three starts.
In 2025, the 25-year-old joined the Cleburne (TX) Railroaders of the American Association after pitching in winter ball in Nicaragua during the off-season.
Wood made 19 appearances out of the Cleburne bullpen and carried a 1-1 record, going a perfect 3-for-3 in save opportunities. The right-hander posted a 2.10 ERA and struck out 33 batters in 21 1/3 innings.
If he survives in the organization, Wood will remain on the restricted list until midway through June 2026.
Wood is the third Cardinals minor leaguer suspended under the program in the last three years, following Kener Perez in 2024 and Leonardo Taveras in 2023, and the 44th in the organization since 2005. Ironically, Taveras was released the same day Wood’s action was announced.
For roster and player information
The team rosters here at The Cardinal Nation are kept up to date daily. To access them, click on “ROSTERS/PLAYERS/MOVES” located on the red menu bar on the left of the page beneath The Cardinal Nation site logo.
To see the Cardinals’ entire system by level and position on one page along with every player transaction for every club all year long, check out the always current Roster Matrix at The Cardinal Nation. It has been updated during the regular season and is accessible from the same menu as the team rosters.
Now 20% off – 2025 Cardinals Prospect Guide
The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its eighth year. It includes 256 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of all-new player scouting reports. Order your PDF or spiral-bound printed book copy today, with the latter on closeout for 20% off!
All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!
Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation
Cardinals Work to Extend Minors Season and Challenge Pitchers
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© 2025 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Cardinals Work to Extend Minors Season and Challenge Pitchers
The 11 minor league transactions announced by the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday, August 26, revolve around three general themes – more playing time, debuts and higher competition.
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Edwin Nuñez Returns to Springfield
A former pitching prospect has returned to Double-A, hoping to move his career forward.
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Cardinals Make Another 10 Minors Transactions
On Tuesday, August 19, the St. Louis Cardinals disclosed 10 minor league transactions, including the initial activation of former Tennessee pitcher Tanner Franklin.
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