The Toronto Blue Jays have claimed Nick Raposo off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals, and he has been optioned to Triple-A Buffalo. Another roster move that was made was optioning right-handed pitcher Paolo Espino to Triple-A Buffalo. This was done to make room available on the roster for left-handed pitcher Ryan Yarbrough. He was recently picked up in a trade from the Dodgers for four-time Gold Glove outfielder Kevin Kiermaier.
ROSTER MOVES:
🔹 C Nick Raposo claimed off waivers from the Cardinals and optioned to Triple-A
🔹 RHP Paolo Espino optioned to Triple-A pic.twitter.com/1rD5wK0r5m
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) August 1, 2024
Cardinals Catcher Picked Up Off Waivers From Blue Jays
Raposo’s Journey In Baseball
This season, he has seven home runs, 28 RBIs, 15 walks, and a batting average of .193 with the Memphis Redbirds. They are the minor league Triple-A affiliate team of the Cardinals. On July 29th, the Cardinals designated Raposo for assignment. This was done to make room for righty Erick Fedde, outfielder/designated hitter Tommy Pham, and Shawn Armstrong. Armstrong, who is a veteran bullpen pitcher, was added by the Cardinals on July 21st from the Tampa Bay Rays for Dylan Carlson. Raposo is a Johnston native. While this season hasn’t been as impressive for him, his high school and College baseball career showcased more promise. In fact, he was impressive as a catcher at Johnston High and then flourished when he continued onto College baseball at Wheaton College. In June of 2020, his career continued to progress when he was signed by the Cardinals in June of 2020.
Raposo is expected to start in Triple-A Buffalo before August 6th. On April 26th of this season, he was named player of the game with Memphis. Since the Blue Jays traded Danny Jansen to the Boston Red Sox, it is reassuring for them to have options with catchers. While there is work to be done with Raposo, he is still young (26 years old). In addition, his past experience has showcased that he has the potential to advance his career. Raposo has also spent time as a designated hitter. In 2022, he was recognized for his strong performance, with a chase percentage of less than 25 %.
Main Photo Credits: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
