TCN 2025 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect #5 – Thomas Saggese

photo: Thomas Saggese (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

In a free report, The Cardinal Nation’s Top 50 prospect countdown for 2025 reaches no. 5 with a second baseman who debuted with St. Louis in September. Is Thomas Saggese ready to stick in the majors?

Thomas Saggese

Position: Second baseman
Age: 22 years old
Bats/Throws: R/R
Height/Weight: 6’0, 200 pounds

Acquired: Acquired from Texas with Tekoah Roby and John King for Jordan Montgomery, Chris Stratton and international cap considerations on July 30, 2023
Hometown: Carlsbad, California
College: none

Opened 2024: Memphis Redbirds (Triple-A)
Primary team in 2024: Memphis Redbirds (Triple-A)
Finished 2024: Glendale Desert Dogs (Arizona Fall League)

Prior Top 50 rankings – 2024 #5

Click on the above photo to be taken to Saggese’s player page at The Cardinal Nation, with additional biography and history information.

2024 highlights

PA AVG OBP SLG OPS HR SB CS BB% K% BABIP wRC+
Mem 528 0.253 0.313 0.438 0.752 20 9 4 5.9% 23.1% 0.296 93
StL 52 0.204 0.250 0.306 0.556 1 0 0 3.8% 26.9% 0.265 57

Link to Saggese’s career stats

Blake Newberry’s scouting report

Blake’s ranking – no. 6

(current grade/future grade)

Hit Power Run Arm Field FV
50/55 50/55 50/50 50/50 50/50 50

Thomas Saggese has a clear strength as a hitter – his ability to hit the ball at optimal launch angles. In layman’s terms, that means he hits a ton of line drives and good fly balls (i.e. not pop ups). In the minors, Saggese posted a 37.6% sweet spot rate (sweet spot rate is defined as the percentage of a hitter’s batted balls that are hit with a launch angle between 8 degrees and 32 degrees), which is comfortably above average. On those batted balls, he put up a .676 wOBA. In the majors, his sweet spot rate jumped to 45.7% in a small sample so this ability of Saggese’s certainly carried over into the majors.

This is his best asset and it’s why I’m willing to give Saggese a 55-grade hit tool despite only an average ability to make contact. Saggese has some clear flaws (which I’ll touch on later) but his ability to consistently elevate the ball at productive launch angles stands out as his best trait and the trait that allows him to be a productive hitter.

Saggese is also good at pulling his fly balls. In fact, he hit 38% of his fly balls to the pull side in 2024, and those 42 batted balls accounted for 16 of his 20 home runs. Not only is this an impressive and important tool but it’s especially important for Saggese as he doesn’t have great raw power.

His max exit velocity was just 108 mph prior to his AFL stint, where he hit a ball at 110.8 mph off the bat. That’s not a super impressive figure, but Saggese’s ability to consistently elevate the ball, and pull the ball when he does elevate it, allows his in-game power to play at an above average level. This is a huge key to his success.

Another of Saggese’s stand out tools is his ability to hit breaking balls. In Triple-A in 2024, he posted just a 26.7% whiff rate against breaking balls and in his brief major league stint, that figure actually dropped to 22.2%. For context, the major league average whiff rate against breaking balls is 32.7%.

Not only is Saggese able to consistently make contact against breaking balls, but he’s also able to hit them hard as eight of his 20 Triple-A home runs in 2024 came against breaking balls. Adding off-speed pitches, then non-fastballs account for 13 of Saggese’s 20 long balls.

So, he can do some of the most difficult things well. Namely, they are consistently hitting the ball at optimal launch angles, pull the ball in the air at a high rate, and hit breaking and off-speed pitches well.

But there are some major flaws in Saggese’s game too.

He takes an ultra-aggressive approach at the plate and is all too willing to chase pitches outside the zone. The 22-year-old chased at a 37% rate in Triple-A (MLB average is 28.5%) with that figure rising to 42% against breaking balls and changeups. He is simply too aggressive, and it limits his ability to draw walks and get on base.

The 22-year-old is also not a great fastball hitter. A lot of his damage comes against breaking balls and off-speed pitches left in the zone, but he often doesn’t do enough damage against fastballs. His .311 wOBA against Triple-A heaters leaves a lot to be desired and his 18% in-zone whiff rate against fastballs is higher than average.

Thomas Saggese (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Saggese also struggles against velocity, with his whiff rate rising to 29% against fastballs thrown 95 mph or faster.

This is a bit of a weird offensive profile with Saggese doing important and difficult things well but also with some major issues that need to be cleaned up. Most important are to clean up his ultra-aggressive approach at the plate and trust his natural feel for hitting to take over when he gets a pitch in the zone.

Defensively, Saggese impressed me at shortstop and performed much better than I expected. He has solid athleticism and good enough range, but his arm strength isn’t outstanding. He fits much better at second base long term, although his versatility is certainly a plus as he can play both aforementioned positions as well as third base.

Saggese is likely an average defender going forward who profiles as a bat-first infielder who can still add value defensively and play multiple positions as needed.

Summary: Thomas Saggese’s natural feel for the sweet spot and his ability to pull fly balls at an extremely high rate give him a lot of ceiling at the plate. But he has pitch selection issues that need to be cleaned up if he is going to reach his full potential as a hitter.

Brian Walton’s environmental impact report

Brian’s ranking – no. 7

Background

Saggese (suh-JAY-see) was the Rangers’ final (fifth round) selection in the truncated 2020 draft after having a relatively low profile, ranked just 279th among eligible players by Baseball America. The California prep star was convinced to forgo his commitment to Pepperdine by a bonus of $800,000. That $425,000 over slot amount was especially significant in a draft in which there was less money than usual to shift among players. (This was the same draft in which the Cardinals chose high schoolers Jordan Walker, Masyn Winn and Tink Hence.)

Starting his career and 2021 at Low-A, Saggese played in 73 games with a line of .256/.372/.463/.835.

Opening 2022 in High-A, he batted .308 in 98 games, barely missing out on the South Atlantic League batting title. One of the youngest players in the league, Saggese also placed in the circuit’s top 10 in slugging (.487) and OPS (.846) and was named to the post-season All-Star team.

The Rangers moved him up to Double-A in mid-September, and he immediately earned his first Texas League Player of the Week award. Saggese remained with Frisco through the playoffs and played well with his new team, establishing a base to build upon for 2023.

Following the season, Saggese received the Texas organization’s True Ranger Award for his core values demonstrated on and off the field. He was Baseball America’s 23rd-ranked Rangers prospect and no. 19 in the system per MLB Pipeline coming into 2023.

Saggese explained that while he is primarily a second baseman, he let it be known that he wants to remain versatile.

“I have always pushed with I was with the Rangers,” Saggese said. “I don’t need to play short every day, but I want to be the guy to fill in at shortstop. I am good enough to fill in there. I have always tried to hold onto that.”

As expected, Saggese returned to Frisco for 2023. He was putting together a sensational year when the Cardinals acquired him with major league lefty John King and top prospect right-handed pitcher Tekoah Roby in a trade with Texas at the July deadline for Jordan Montgomery and Chris Stratton.

The right-handed swinger did not miss a beat after the trade, and in fact, was even better in his month-plus as a Springfield Cardinal. In August, Saggese led the Cardinals system in multiple offensive categories including hits and extra-base hits, triples, home runs, slugging, RBI and OPS. That included a cycle on August 19. Not surprisingly, he earned consensus system-wide Player of the Month honors.

After Saggese had played in 33 games with Springfield, September 8 marked his well-earned promotion to Memphis. Between his two Double-A stops in 2023, Saggese had slashed .318/.385/.551/.936 with 25 home runs and 107 RBI. Despite leaving the Texas League with a month to play, for the season the 21-year-old led the circuit in batting average, RBI, OPS, hits (158), extra base hits (60) and total bases (274).

With Memphis, Saggese made his Triple-A debut, but struggled for the first time as a professional. It was only 63 plate appearances in 21 games, yet it was quite a contrast with his splashy arrivals in Frisco the year before and Springfield the month prior.

His Weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+) of 51 with the Redbirds was the first time in his career he registered below 127, 27 percent above league average. Saggese slashed .207/.270/.345/.615 in his maiden International League action. His strikeout rate was constant from Double-A, but his walk rate dropped by half to just 4.8%.

I asked him if the fact that he was four years younger than the average Triple-A player contributed to his slow debut.

“I could see that when I got there,” Saggese replied. “They know what they are doing better. They are older and more mature. The competition is nothing crazy (compared to Double-A), but the mental side is a touch better at Triple-A. Guys know more what they are doing. They are up and down from the big leagues. So, they have a better feel for what works for them better.”

After the 2023 season concluded, Saggese was named to the 16-member Texas League All-Star Team. He was also a deserving selection as the Double-A league’s Most Valuable Player and led all Minor League Baseball in hits (170) and total base (294).

2024 recap

After giving Saggese a long look in his first major league spring training, the Cardinals returned him to Triple-A to open 2024. He recounted his marching orders received upon leaving camp.

“I had an exit meeting with Oli and Scals (Daniel Descalso),” Saggese said. “They said, ‘Hey, we want you to play short at Triple-A. It is not going to stop us from calling you up and having you play second base, but we think it is going to help you.’”

While he focused on shortstop defensively, with the bat Saggese began 2024 much like his 2023 ended with Memphis.

His less-than-expected performance with the bat continued through the first half of the schedule. In fact, it was declining.  His April OPS of .740 slipped to .676 in May and to a very rough .595 in June.

“There was an adjustment to Triple-A, but I don’t think it was as much of an adjustment as my numbers showed,” Saggese said. “I just didn’t play as well as I had been playing the two years prior to that.”

I brought up his major turnaround in July, but Saggese wasn’t done critiquing his first half.

“That is just how the game works,” he continued. “Sometimes I wasn’t doing my best. Baseball is tough. It is hard to be consistent and have the same swing. But, yes, I settled in nicely.”

His “I settled in nicely” comment is in reference to his July, during which his .990 OPS led to Player of the Month honors from the Cardinals organization.

However, Saggese did not maintain his high level of play in August, with a slash line of .235/.310/.461/.771. In seven games with the Redbirds to open September, his OPS climbed to a much stronger .917.

September 10 became a critical date for Saggese. To that point in the season, he had hit .253 with 20 home runs, 23 doubles and 67 RBI in 125 games at Triple-A. Saggese’s strikeout and walk rates both rose about 1% over his 2023 Memphis debut. The former grew from 22.2% to 23.1%, while the latter improved slightly from a very low 4.8% to a still low 5.9%.

Only two players in the Cardinals minor league system in 2024 hit 20 doubles and 20 home runs – Saggese and teammate Matt Koperniak. Despite the power display, Saggese said he is not trying to hit balls over the fence.

“I am really trying to get a good pitch to hit and into a good position to hit it hard,” the infielder said. “I want to be in a position where I can handle the pitches in the middle of the zone… I know when I am in a good position to hit, then I am able to get the ball in the air to try to do some damage. I am not necessarily trying to hit home runs. I am just trying to hit the ball hard. If it goes, it goes, and if not, you have a much better chance to get on base if you hit it hard,” Saggese said.

Back to that career changing September 10 date. That is when the Cardinals needed infield help and promoted Saggese to St. Louis. Nolan Gorman was already banished to Memphis, Brandon Crawford had been released, Brendan Donovan was slowed by a foot injury, Tommy Edman had been traded away and third baseman Nolan Arenado’s nagging shoulder soreness all likely contributed to Saggese’s arrival in the majors. This also came with his addition to the 40-man roster, which seemed a lock to occur by November for Rule 5 protection, anyway.

Saggese stayed with St. Louis for the remainder of the regular season but did not take off at the plate in his debut. In 52 plate appearances over 18 September games, he slashed .204/.250/.306/.556 with 14 strikeouts and two walks. Defensively, he appeared in 13 games at second, three at short and two at second base.

It is fairly rare, though not unheard of, for a player with MLB experience to be assigned to the Arizona Fall League. That is how Saggese’s 2024 was extended into mid-November.

Saggese finished his up-and-down year strongly, named a Fall Star and the only Cardinal on the All-AFL Team. The second baseman slashed an impressive .391/.524/.591/1.118 with two home runs, 10 RBI and 16 walks in 82 plate appearances. He missed the final four contests after the Fall Stars Game as the Glendale Desert Dogs finished just short of a postseason spot.

Thomas Saggese and manager Ben Johnson (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Saggese discussed his approach in the desert.

“I am trying to take more pitches down here,” he said. “The pressure is on the pitcher to get it over the plate. He’s ahead on me 0-1, but he doesn’t know. He could spike three in a row right here. He is scared.

“That is how I have been trying to think and it has really paid off, helping me get deep into counts. Sometimes it doesn’t work. You strike out or the umpire rings you up, but it really helps in the grand scheme of things,” Saggese concluded.

2025 outlook

At the point of the off-season when this is being written, the Cardinals’ 2025 roster is likely not set. But with what we know now, Saggese has a decent chance of being on the Opening Day roster. His right-handed hitting and ability to play three positions can only help his chances.

However, the Cardinals may instead prefer to return Saggese to Memphis to keep playing every day in search of greater offensive consistency. After all, between 2023 and 2024, he had six full months at Triple-A. Five of them were subpar. Specifically, Saggese batted .349 in July 2024, but in the time before and after, he hit a collective .229. In addition, his Memphis strikeout to walk ratio of 3.9 to 1 (7.1 to 1 with St. Louis) suggests more work would be beneficial.

But maybe the Cardinals will need Saggese to start for St. Louis and be willing to accept his growing pains at the major league level. Though, his assignment and usage may depend more on what happens to Arenado, Gorman and Donovan, all of whom would play ahead of Saggese – if they are on the team and assigned to the infield.

Whether Saggese starts or is a reserve, keeping him fresh at multiple defensive positions makes sense. Though most agree his best defensive spot is second base, as noted, others may be ahead of him in the starting pecking order.

Thomas Saggese (left) (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

When all is said and done, I think Saggese will play more than half the 2025 season with St. Louis and accrue 225 to 250 MLB plate appearances.

Future outlook

Future Value: 50
Role: Average everyday player
Risk: Low

Some are projecting Saggese as an infield starter, perhaps as soon as 2025. However, one professional scout disagrees.

“On the positive side, he is a baseball rat and plays hard,” the evaluator said. “But he is not an everyday guy. He doesn’t walk and is never going to have a good OBP. His home run maximum is 15-17 (per season) as he is pull-side heavy.”

This scout thinks Saggese should further diversify defensively.

“He cannot play shortstop at all,” the scout said. “He is a second baseman, maybe a third baseman. He has a 50 glove at second but is below average everywhere else. I would also have him play corner outfield and first base – like (Brendan) Donovan without the glove.”

I asked Saggese about how becoming more selective might affect his aggressiveness, but also potentially cut his chase rate and bring his strikeouts and walks closer.

“I have always been aggressive,” Saggese acknowledged. “It is a challenge sometimes to be more selective. You just have to shrink the zone a little bit and take the pitches on the corners. I don’t think most pitchers have the command that they can do that three times in a row and they will tell you the same thing. I look for ones in the middle of the zone and try to lay off the slider low and away with two strikes.”

This is an area in which Saggese needs to make improvements to become more than a reserve.

Over time, perceived roster log jams can work themselves out and the Cardinals have plenty of time with Saggese. He is three years younger than Donovan with all three minor league option years remaining.

MLB debut: 2024
Minor league options remaining: 3

Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation

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Our 2025 Top 50 series continues

To see the entire list of top Cardinals prospects, grading scales and remaining article schedule, click here. This includes the Top 50 countdown and 11 in-depth, follow-up articles breaking down the list.

50 Days, 50 Nights, 50 St. Louis Cardinals Prospects for 2025

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