The St. Louis Cardinals sent down their No. 4 prospect, Thomas Saggese, and called up former highly touted Cincinnati Reds prospect Jose Barrero. Barrero will join the team ahead of a four-game series against the Reds on Monday.
Roster Re-Shuffle for Outfield Depth
Barrero offers the Cardinals more flexibility. The 27-year-old plays both shortstop and all three outfield positions. The Cardinals recently sent down center fielder Michael Siani when shortstop Masyn Winn came off the IL. Saggese, who had been with the club for several weeks as an injury replacement for first baseman Nolan Gorman, then Winn, stayed with the club at the time.
Now, Barrero will presumably act as the backup shortstop to Winn and the backup center fielder to Victor Scott II. Barrero will likely see time in center field against left-handed starters as well. Scott II is batting just .191 against left-handed pitching so far this year. He is batting .288 against right-handed pitching.
Barrero Gets Another Shot in the Big Leagues
Barrero was once a highly rated prospect for the Reds. He made his Major League debut with them in 2020. Barrero’s bat failed to develop in nearly 140 games across three years with the Reds. He hit just .186 with a WAR of -2.7.
After not seeing MLB time in 2024, Barrero was signed to a minor league deal with the Cardinals this offseason and invited to Spring Training. He performed well in Spring Training, but still started the season in Triple-A. So far in Triple-A, Barrero has slashed .299/.396/.517 with four home runs, thirteen RBI, and five stolen bases.
Saggese Will Have to Bide His Time Again
Saggese has performed well in his time with the Cardinals this season. He’s slashed .341/.364/.512 with a home run and seven RBI in 44 at-bats. That included 11 starts. Saggese also showed excellent defensive ability in his time with the Big League Club.
The pathway for Saggese to get at-bats would be limited with a fully healthy infield. Even though he can play second base, shortstop, or third base, he was buried on the depth chart. Nolan Arenado, Masyn Winn, Brendan Donovan, and Nolan Gorman regularly play infield positions. As a result, he will stay in Triple-A in hopes he remains sharp if the Cardinals need him to fill in again.
Main Photo Credits: Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
