photo: Jack Flaherty (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals traded their one-time ace, Jack Flaherty, to the AL East leading Baltimore Orioles. In return, they received three minor leaguers – two pitchers and an infielder.
St. Louis Cardinals press release
The St. Louis Cardinals announced this afternoon (Tuesday, August 1) that they have acquired minor league pitchers Drew Rom and Zack Showalter and minor league infielder César Prieto from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for pitcher Jack Flaherty.
Rom and Prieto are both listed among the Orioles top-20 prospects by MLB Pipeline.
Rom, 23, has made 18 starts for Norfolk (AAA) this season, going 7-6 and striking out 100 batters in 86.0 innings pitched. The 6-2, 215-pound lefty, who was the Orioles 4th round draft selection in 2018 out of Highlands (KY) High School, will be assigned to Memphis (AAA).
Prieto, 24, is in his second season of professional ball, having signed out of Cuba in January of 2022. The versatile lefty hitting infielder has played shortstop, 2nd base and 3rd base, and was batting .349 with a .868 OPS between Bowie (AA) and Norfolk (AAA) this season in 85 games. The 5-9, 175-pound Prieto will be assigned to Memphis (AAA).
Showalter, 19, was the Orioles 11th round selection in 2022 out of Wesley Chapel (Fla.) High School. The 6-2, 195-pound righty has posted a 2.37 ERA this year in his 1st professional season in 9 games (8 starts), while producing a 32 pct. strikeout rate and 46 pct. groundball rate. He will be assigned to Palm Beach (A). (TCN note: Instead of Palm Beach, Showalter was activated on Wednesday at Peoria (A+).)
Flaherty, 27, was 7-6 with a 4.43 ERA in 20 starts for the Cardinals this season. He was a 1st round draft selection by the Cardinals in 2014 and pitched seven seasons (2017-23) with St. Louis, going 41-31 with a 3.58 ERA in 122 games.
Brian Walton’s take
The Cardinals have completed their in-season remake by trading all five eligible free agents prior to the 5 p.m. Central time Tuesday deadline – pitchers Flaherty, Jordan Montgomery, Jordan Hicks and Chris Stratton plus shortstop Paul DeJong. The total take of nine players underlines their focus on adding pitching – six minor league pitchers, two minors infielders and a major league relief pitcher.
As was the case with Hicks, the Cardinals reportedly sounded Flaherty out recently regarding a contract extension, but if that occurred, it was fruitless. Hence, this final trade.
None of the three players joining the Cardinals were top 15 prospects in the Orioles system. Further, the two pitchers were the lowest ranked of the trio. Showalter was not listed among MLB Pipeline’s top 30 O’s prospects. Prieto was ranked no. 16 with Rom 18th.
Rom is a 40-man roster player as was Flaherty, of course, so from that perspective, the trade was neutral. The Cardinals continue to carry 37 players on their 40-man, plus three players on the 60-day injured list that do not count against the total during the season.
Other transactions
On Tuesday, the Cardinals added a group of reinforcements and placed one player on the injured list.
Out:
- Cardinals placed 3B Brendan Donovan on the 10-day injured list. Left elbow strain.
In:
- Cardinals activated SS Tommy Edman from the 10-day injured list.
- Cardinals recalled LHP Andrew Suárez from Memphis Redbirds.
- Cardinals recalled SS José Fermín from Memphis Redbirds.
- Cardinals recalled RHP James Naile from Memphis Redbirds.
- Cardinals recalled LHP Zack Thompson from Memphis Redbirds (announced Monday).
With these moves and the subtractions of Flaherty and DeJong on Tuesday, St. Louis’ 26-man active roster is again full.
What is next?
Look for Blake Newberry’s scouting report on all the new Cardinals, coming very soon. Following that, Blake and Brian will collaborate on placement of the newest minor league additions into The Cardinal Nation’s Top 50 Prospect List.
For more
To see all players in the system by level and position plus every transaction all year ‘round, check out the always free Roster Matrix here at The Cardinal Nation, refreshed today.
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