The Cardinals are still hanging around the playoff race, but with a little more than 30 games left, this feels like the kind of stretch where St. Louis should be thinking bigger than just the standings.
They’ve already dipped into the prospect pool once, bringing up No. 3 prospect Joshua Báez, and he wasted no time making noise. In his first game, Báez became the first player in MLB history to mash a home run in each of his first three plate appearances.
That kind of move only sharpens the case for another look at the organization’s young talent, and MLB.com’s Jim Callis, Sam Dykstra and Jonathan Mayo believe the next name worth considering is catcher Leo Bernal. The 22-year-old switch-hitter is the Cardinals’ No. 7 prospect, and he’s putting together a strong case at Triple-A Memphis.
“Yes, St. Louis has too many catchers as it is in Iván Herrera, Pedro Pagés and Jimmy Crooks, and ideally, you’d want Bernal getting everyday reps to prioritize his development across the board,” Callis, Dykstra and Mayo wrote on Thursday. “That said, the 22-year-old switch-hitting backstop has already set a career high with 15 homers at Triple-A Memphis, and he’s been impressive with a .321/.384/.598 line in 29 games since the start of July.
“With pop times that can hover right around 1.8 seconds, he also has an arm that would play in the Majors immediately upon arrival, and Bernal’s solid mix of contact, swing decisions and exit velos would ease the transition too if given the chance.”
St. Louis does have a crowded catching picture, with Herrera, Pagés and Crooks already in the mix.
Herrera brings the most offensive punch of the three, but he’s spending nearly as much time at designated hitter as he is behind the plate. Pagés has given the club a steady defensive option, while Crooks was brought up earlier this season to add more offense, only to struggle to make it count.
That’s where Bernal starts to stand out. Crooks is hitting just .174, and Bernal has been rolling in Triple-A, slashing .281/.365/.474 with career bests in both homers and RBIs, as he’s driven in 73. With Bernal producing and Crooks stalled, the Cardinals have a simple question to answer: stay with the current setup, or give the prospect a shot in the majors.
In Other News...
Cardinals Rotation Stability Just Took A Hit Before A Huge Phillies Series
The Cardinals rotation depth took a sudden hit heading into a high-profile series with the Phillies when right-hander Andre Pallante was placed on the 15-day injured list because of right elbow inflammation. St. Louis had been counting on Pallante as part of its starter mix, and the timing of the move leaves the club adjusting on the fly as it prepares for a challenging stretch.
Quinn Mathews is scheduled to start on Saturday, while Ryan Fernandez will take Pallantes roster spot for Fridays game. The Cardinals have not yet announced the corresponding move to add Mathews, leaving one piece of the pitching plan still unsettled as they try to steady the staff before the series fully unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Face A Tough Kyle Leahy Decision At The Worst Time
Kyle Leahy has been one of the more valuable surprises in the Cardinals rotation this season, giving St. Louis steady work and blowing past his previous career high in innings pitched. For a team trying to piece together enough starting help down the stretch, that kind of reliability has mattered, but it has also created a challenge the club can no longer ignore.
According to Jeff Jones, the Cardinals are preparing to significantly scale back Leahys workload soon, with piggyback starts or a move into bullpen duties among the possibilities. He is not expected to be shut down entirely, but the timing makes the decision tricky, especially with Quinn Mathews already having two big league appearances and president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom signaling that Mathews will be part of the clubs plans the rest of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Suddenly Have A Waiver Decision That Could Shape This Push
With the Cardinals still 2 1/2 games out in the National League wild card race, the front office has at least one obvious area to keep watching as August winds down: starting pitching. St. Louis has spent much of the season looking for ways to tighten the rotation for a late push, and the waiver wire can still offer a path to help if the right arm becomes available at the right time.
Names like Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer naturally fit into that conversation because each would bring a different kind of value, whether it is Bassitts steadier veteran profile or Scherzers postseason pedigree. The question for the Cardinals is less about whether they need help and more about which kind of starter makes sense if they decide to act before the month closes. [Read more 🡒]