The Cardinals’ rebuild has reached the point where the organization is collecting hardware in the minors, even while the big-league club is headed for a fourth straight missed postseason.
Three Single-A prospects drew All-Star recognition for seasons that gave St. Louis plenty to point to down the road: homegrown outfielder Yordalin Pena, plus deadline additions Josiah Ragsdale and Sandro Santana. The names are different, but the theme is the same - the Cardinals are trying to stock the system with players who can matter later.
Pena’s season was the kind the Cardinals have been waiting to see from him. Signed out of the Dominican Republic as a 17-year-old international free agent, he spent more than four years in the organization before everything started clicking.
In Single-A Palm Beach, the 21-year-old found the speed-power blend that made him a real middle-of-the-order threat. He turned 22 on September 17, then got the All-Star nod to go with the birthday celebration.
His work earned him a promotion to High-A Peoria, where the results weren’t as clean because of zone recognition issues, but the production still held up. He finished with a .799 OPS at the higher level, and the Cardinals will now want to see him clean up the strikeouts and keep his game steady as the competition gets tougher.
The Cardinals’ player development account put it plainly after his honor was announced: “Congratulations to OF Yordalin Peña on being named to the Florida State League Post-Season All-Star Team!”
Pena, 21, slashed .272/.334/.520 with 15 HR, 43 XBH, 58 RBI & 21 SB in 82 games before his Aug. 4 promotion to High-A Peoria.
Ragsdale’s path into the system came via the trade deadline, when St. Louis picked him up from the division-rival Brewers in the Dustin May and JoJo Romero deal.
The reaction around the minor league side was immediate, and he backed it up with a strong run in the High-A Midwest League. The lanky left-handed outfielder hit .327 with seven homers and 24 stolen bases, and he paired that production with a 16.7% walk rate that showed real strike-zone control.
He’s viewed as a 70-grade speed threat with enough offensive foundation to dream on, and the Cardinals moved him to Double-A Springfield after the trade. The batting average dipped there, but he still held his own as a league-average bat and played solid center field, which keeps him in the mix as a possible future option at the position.
The Cardinals’ development staff also highlighted his year with this note: “Congratulations to OF Josiah Ragsdale on being named to the Midwest League Post-Season All-Star Team!”
Ragsdale, 22, slashed .327/.447/.528 with 7 HR, 27 XBH, 30 RBI, 44 BB & 24 SB in 60 games with Wisconsin before his June 30 promotion to Double-A.
Santana was the third name in the group, though his All-Star recognition came from the time he spent in the Arizona system before the Cardinals acquired him in the Lars Nootbaar deal. Even so, he has already made his presence felt in St.
Louis’ chain, turning in strong outings for Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis. That work has him in position to be part of the major league bullpen conversation as soon as next season.
Before the move, Santana posted a 2.93 ERA over 30.2 innings and struck out 14.38 hitters per nine innings. After joining the Cardinals, the strikeout numbers got even louder, with 28 punchouts in just over 15 innings between Springfield and Memphis.
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