photo: Rangel Ravelo (Memphis Redbirds)
St. Louis Cardinals press release
The St. Louis Cardinals announced prior to tonight’s (Monday, June 17) game, that they have purchased the contract of rookie first baseman/outfielder Rangel Ravelo from Memphis (AAA) and placed infielder Yairo Muñoz on the Paternity List. To make room for Ravelo on the team’s 40-man Major League roster, the Cardinals transferred right-handed pitcher Mike Mayers (right shoulder lat strain) from the 10-day Injured List to the 60-day Injured List.
Ravelo, a 27-year-old rookie, has appeared in 838 career games in the minors, including stints with the Chicago White Sox and Oakland Athletics organizations. The Havana, Cuba native, who pronounces his name RAHN-hel, was signed by the Cardinals as a minor league free-agent in April of 2017.
The right-handed hitting Ravelo was batting .333 (73-for-219) with 9 HR’s and 42 RBI in 63 games for Memphis, ranking 8th in the Pacific Coast League in batting, 12th in on-base pct. (.414) and 7th in hits (73). Ravelo, who is batting .489 (22-for-45) in 12 June games, had a 19-game hit streak earlier this season (May 2-24) that was one-game shy of the Memphis franchise record.
The 6-1, 225-pound Ravelo has played 26 games in left field and 20 at first base this season, making just one error in 422 total chances (.998 fielding pct.) at the initial sack.
Muñoz, 24, is batting .286 (18-for-63) in 36 games played this year – his 2nd season in the majors.
Ravelo, who has been assigned uniform no. 47, will become the sixth Cardinal to make his Major League debut this season with his first game appearance.
Brian Walton’s take
The Ravelo news was first disclosed via Twitter on Sunday by Robert Murray of The Athletic, a Brewers beat reporter.
While a consistent hitter in his over two years with the Redbirds, Ravelo’s advanced age precluded him from being a ranked prospect, but as the numbers indicate, when healthy, he is a good hitter, though more of an average and OBP source than a major power threat. If nothing else, his promotion is recognition of a hot hand and for an ongoing job well-done by a player in his 10th professional season.
The Cuban native who attended high school in Florida was the White Sox’ sixth-round draft pick in 2010 and was traded to Oakland as part of the Jeff Samardzija trade in December 2014. The Sox had placed Ravelo on their 40-man roster for Rule 5 protection just two weeks prior to the trade. He was outrighted off the 40-man by the A’s in December 2016 and was released at the end of their 2017 spring training camp. Ravelo signed with the Cardinals on a minor league deal just days later.
In other words, two of his three allowable minor league option years have already been exhausted, serving as a reminder that Ravelo may not be with the organization long-term.
Prior Memphis manager Stubby Clapp liked to put Ravelo in the number two spot in his batting order, where he was a key member of back-to-back Pacific Coast League title clubs. Under current Redbirds skipper Ben Johnson, Ravelo has been most often in the middle of the lineup, in the three, four or five spots. This season, he leads Memphis with 17 multi-hit games and 12 multi-RBI outings.
Ravelo played regularly early for St. Louis in 2019 big-league training camp, but then went down midway through March with a ribcage injury suffered when making a diving attempt at a catch. Once off the injured list, he started very slowly with Memphis, batting just .173 in 21 April games. As noted above, that is now in the past, as Ravelo hit .384 in May and .489 in 13 games to date in June.
In fact, The Cardinal Nation named Ravelo our Minor League Player of the Month in May. In our impartial assessment, he had better numbers than the organization’s choice, Dylan Carlson. Ravelo took TCN’s similar honors in June 2018.
With three 40-man hitters currently on Memphis’ injured list – Tyler O’Neill, Lane Thomas and Drew Robinson – all of whom have played for the Cardinals this season, the addition of Ravelo for what may be a short stay in the majors makes even more sense. Jedd Gyorko’s return from the IL is expected soon and Muñoz may miss just a few games.
Memphis 40-man roster hitters passed over for promotion include outfielder Adolis Garcia, a hot-cold hitter if there ever was one, and infielder Edmundo Sosa, a player in his last 40-man option year and also inconsistent offensively in 2019.
Temporarily down to 23 active players, Memphis has not yet received a roster replacement for Ravelo. The Triple-A club currently has a total of 12 players on the injured list – four infielders, two outfielders and six pitchers – and was scuffling with a sub-.500 record even before the recent rash of injuries.
For more
Get this kind of in-depth commentary and analysis on every player transaction across the Cardinals system by joining The Cardinal Nation.
To track the Cardinals’ draft picks, the 25- and 40-man rosters as well as all players in the system by position and level, check out the Roster Matrix, always free and updated here at The Cardinal Nation. Also included is every player transaction across the full organization all year long.
Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation
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. Annual members may purchase the new 2019 Prospect Guide PDF for less than half price. In addition, our limited edition printed and bound Guides are $5 off, so get yours today!
Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com or for fastest turnaround, pose your questions on The Cardinal Nation’s members-only forum. Follow Brian on Twitter.
© 2019 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.